Temperatures

[sage]

So I have a month old black and white tegu I just got yesterday. Its quite small and I'm temporarily using a ten gallon tank because my extra tanks are 5 hours away. (Then I'll have a 40gal for her and then a 125gal). I'm having trouble getting my temps just right..using three thermometers with a 60watt ceramic I'm getting 95-98f degrees on the hotspot and 75-77f on the cool side. With a 75watt heat light I'm getting 120f and 80 on the cool side. This is only for two weeks until I get my tank which temperatures are better for daytime I'm leaning towards the ceramic.

 

[Josh]

Have you tried varying the distance from the basking spot to the lamp? For instance what if you went with the heat light but pulled it away from the tank just a bit more to lower both basking and cool temps?

 

[sage]

Good call I'll try that , I'm looking for about 105-110 hot spot and 75 on the cool side correct? These higher temps are difficult to get perfect vs 90-95degrees for constrictors

 

[Josh]

Roughly those temps, yes. It's going to be tough to get a good temperature gradient for a tegu in a 10 gallon aquarium...

 

[sage]

Ya I know its not ideal it was the last tegu the breeder had and I'm hoping I can make it work for a while or maybe my ball python can stay in the ten gallon for two weeks until I get my other tanks

 

[Josh]

You might even consider going to target or similar place and picking up a large rubbermaid bin. Something this size would make a big difference

 

[sage]

Should night time temps be around 75 too...I seem to get a lot of variation online

 

[Josh]

Nighttime can drop a bit. Anything over 60 should be fine. Your tegu is probably in a hide or buried in substrate at night, right? So he'll be a bit warmer than the ambient air temp

 

[sage]

Ya she's already buried in on the warm side which is now staying at 105 and around 80-85 in the hut

 

[sage]

Thanks for the advice I actually have a Rubbermaid tub I may do that and just keep her in the closet due to my cat