# How to keep heat up ?



## Mrdeadink (Apr 13, 2015)

hey guys I'm having an issue with keeping my tank Heat up, I have two 100w bulbs on and for some reason my temp only goes up to 80-85 I also turn up the heat with my personal home heater which only brings it to a max of 100? How do I keep the heat up???


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Apr 13, 2015)

There are many ways to achieve proper temps, I can better help you if you tell me more about the enclosure, a picture of it would be even better.


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## Mrdeadink (Apr 13, 2015)

SnakeCharmr728 said:


> There are many ways to achieve proper temps, I can better help you if you tell me more about the enclosure, a picture of it would be even better.





SnakeCharmr728 said:


> There are many ways to achieve proper temps, I can better help you if you tell me more about the enclosure, a picture of it would be even better.





SnakeCharmr728 said:


> There are many ways to achieve proper temps, I can better help you if you tell me more about the enclosure, a picture of it would be even better.



There goes my set up at the moment


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Apr 13, 2015)

Well the tank is your biggest issues. Tanks are for fish or rodents and don't make good reptile enclosures, especially for a species that has high heat and humidity requirements. I would suggest to start building your permenant enclosure asap, custom wood built, allowing for deep substrate and lights installed inside the enclosure. For now, I would suggest cutting plexiglass or plywood to fit the top of the tank and then cut holes and attach screen just enough for the hood to sit on for the lights, OR get ceramic fixtures and install them INSIDE the plywood top so that lights are inside. You want minimal air flow so no big gaps or screen. You can also ditch the high watt bulbs as those are only working against you in the humidity department since high watts dry out the air. Use a flat rock as your basking surface and have a bulk directed staight on to it. I would suggest trying out the new Mega-Ray bulbs, it is very high UV and heat in one bulb. I am using the 70watt mega Rays next to a 65 watt outdoor flood par 38 bulb (you can find these at walmart or hardware stores) in my smaller enclosures, the 70watt MR is for small enclosures where the bulb is closer than 12inches, if your bulb is farther away than 12inches you can use 100watt or if its farther away than 18inches you can use the 160watt MR. The distance is because of how strong the uv is, you dont want it to hurt their eyes. and because I find that the heat from the MR's arent enough, I use the outdoor floods next to it to add heat. You also want to make sure you are measuring your basking temp with a temp gun, and that it is reading 115-120f for hatchling, 120-125 for juvies and 130-140 for adults. If you arent using a temp gun to read your basking surface then you arent measuring the basking temp as basking is a SURFACE temp, not an air temp. All other thermometers such as digital probes and analogs are only telling you air temp. 
You can order your Mega Ray bulb from www.yourtegu.com <--- that is Laura Roberts site, she is a fellow moderator on here and shes is a mega-ray distributor and can help answer any questions.


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Apr 13, 2015)

heres a few reference pics


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Apr 13, 2015)

Mega-Ray on the Left, Outdoor par38 flood on the Right.


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## Mrdeadink (Apr 13, 2015)

SnakeCharmr728 said:


> Well the tank is your biggest issues. Tanks are for fish or rodents and don't make good reptile enclosures, especially for a species that has high heat and humidity requirements. I would suggest to start building your permenant enclosure asap, custom wood built, allowing for deep substrate and lights installed inside the enclosure. For now, I would suggest cutting plexiglass or plywood to fit the top of the tank and then cut holes and attach screen just enough for the hood to sit on for the lights, OR get ceramic fixtures and install them INSIDE the plywood top so that lights are inside. You want minimal air flow so no big gaps or screen. You can also ditch the high watt bulbs as those are only working against you in the humidity department since high watts dry out the air. Use a flat rock as your basking surface and have a bulk directed staight on to it. I would suggest trying out the new Mega-Ray bulbs, it is very high UV and heat in one bulb. I am using the 70watt mega Rays next to a 65 watt outdoor flood par 38 bulb (you can find these at walmart or hardware stores) in my smaller enclosures, the 70watt MR is for small enclosures where the bulb is closer than 12inches, if your bulb is farther away than 12inches you can use 100watt or if its farther away than 18inches you can use the 160watt MR. The distance is because of how strong the uv is, you dont want it to hurt their eyes. and because I find that the heat from the MR's arent enough, I use the outdoor floods next to it to add heat. You also want to make sure you are measuring your basking temp with a temp gun, and that it is reading 115-120f for hatchling, 120-125 for juvies and 130-140 for adults. If you arent using a temp gun to read your basking surface then you arent measuring the basking temp as basking is a SURFACE temp, not an air temp. All other thermometers such as digital probes and analogs are only telling you air temp.
> You can order your Mega Ray bulb from www.yourtegu.com <--- that is Laura Roberts site, she is a fellow moderator on here and shes is a mega-ray distributor and can help answer any questions.


 
So far the humidity isn't an issue for me it ranges 85-90 with constant misting (gona get one of them automatic ones) as for my bulb I have the red one you see 100w and the power sun uvb uva heating lamp.... So I'm good with the lamps .... That being said I'll go ahead and make that plexi/plywood lid to capture more heat.... Can u explain to me the difference between air temp and surface temp? I've raised a nile monitor b4 and I guess tegus are pretty different


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## SnakeCharmr728 (Apr 13, 2015)

Red bulbs shouldn't be used with tegus as it disturbs their sleeping pattern because they can see it and it has been known to cause eye damage and irritation. Powersuns have really poor UV output which is why I suggested the Mega-ray.


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## Mrdeadink (Apr 14, 2015)

SnakeCharmr728 said:


> Red bulbs shouldn't be used with tegus as it disturbs their sleeping pattern because they can see it and it has been known to cause eye damage and irritation. Powersuns have really poor UV output which is why I suggested the Mega-ray.


Ahh I see, well I was Gona go with the saramic heater(no light ) but realized he's underground all night!!! So the light doesn't bother him as for the day the other light over powers the infer red so there's no issue there , but if I notice him more active night I will definitely switch , I wana thank you for all your advice and your quickness to help!! I truly apreciate you !!


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