One bonus to ceramic heaters is that you can use them at night, when a regular light bulb would throw off visible light and defeat the purpose of emulating a day/night cycle. If the heat mat isn’t generating enough heat on its own, a ceramic heater may do well to provide a bit more warmth or help maintain an even temperature gradient. Since leopard geckos absorb most of their heat from underneath, the ceramic heater would be a supplemental heat source. If you’re having trouble keeping the ambient temperature of the enclosure high enough, a ceramic heater may make a good supplemental source, but shouldn’t be the main source of heat for a leopard gecko. Ceramic bulbs are best for adding heat to increase the ambient air temperature. For leopard geckos, the ceramic heaters will be less effective, since they would usually be mounted in an overhead light socket. Ceramic Heat EmittersĬeramic heat emitters(ceramic heat bulb) and heat mats serve a similar purpose, to produce radiant heat. In any event, you do want to provide a light source to simulate a day and night cycle. If the temperature is not properly regulated or the heat source is too close, you may risk cooking your gecko with too much direct heat. A heat lampcan help maintain proper temperature, though is best when combined with a heat pad that gives constant heat from below.Ĭaution must be exercised with heat lamps, since they are designed for basking reptiles.
As they are active at night and will most likely be sleeping or in a hide for much of the day, they do not need UV light. Our gecko hangs out in his cave on the cool side, else he’s on the hot side soaking up the glorious belly heat from the under tank heater. Some folks may argue that this does not do enough to regulate different temperature zones in your habitat, though we’ve never noticed a problem. Under the tank heaters are one of the best ways to provide heat where your gecko needs it most.Ī heat mat should be placed on one side of the tank only, to help create a hot and cool side of your gecko’s enclosure. It’s basically a heating pad designed for reptile tanks.
Let’s look at some of the heating options available and see what works the best (and what mistakes to avoid.) Should I use a heat mat for my leopard gecko?Īn under the tank heat mat is a flat electric mat that, as the name implies, is placed under your tank. There are two key elements to providing ideal temperatures for a leopard gecko: Having the correct temperatures is important, and having the heat where it is needed is equally important. What temperatures do leopard geckos need?Ī leopard gecko enclosure should have temperatures between 80 ☏ (27 ☌) and 90 ☏ (32 ☌). In captivity, they depend on the temperature of your home, lights or heat lamps, or under tank heaters. In the wild, they depend on ambient air temperature, sunlight, absorbing heat from rocks, etc. Reptiles are ectothermic, or cold blooded, meaning their body temperature is determined by their environment and surroundings. Different reptiles have different needs, so you want to make sure your pet’s environment is species appropriate. As a responsible reptile owner, you want to make sure you’re providing a safe and healthy habitat.