Heat again?

[skully23]

I moved Charlie into a new cage weeks ago and its 4 foot tall. I have been using a 34w soft white house bulb and I was sure it was 89-90 when I let the temp thing sit there.
Sooo today my dad just brought up that when he gets home Charlie is hanging on to the screen right under the bulb. During the day when Im not home the heat in my room is shut off so I asume it gets cold and thats why he does it.
I just switched it to a 60w and will test the temp soon once the bulb warms up.

So is it because he wants more heat or could it be something else?

 

[jannb]

How are you checking your temps?

 

[skully23]

digital thermometer/hyrdometer

 

[jannb]

If he's 89 to 90 he should be fine. I caught Luie doing that a few times when he was young and I kept him in a cage. He started living in a free range when he was about 10 months old.

 

[skully23]

so why do they do that?

 

[draetish]

How about having different levels of branches under his basking spot? The closes being no more than 6" to the bulb and then more underneath. That way Charlie can decide how much heat he wants. You do want his warmest spot to be close to 90 degrees and the ambient temp during the day in the low 80's. Does he bask under his UVB light and is the UVB and basking light close together?

 

[skully23]

How about having different levels of branches under his basking spot? The closes being no more than 6" to the bulb and then more underneath. That way Charlie can decide how much heat he wants. You do want his warmest spot to be close to 90 degrees and the ambient temp during the day in the low 80's. Does he bask under his UVB light and is the UVB and basking light close together?

Ya he basks but should I keep the 34w or use the 60w? Tomorrow or later tonight I may just go raise the branches and possibly add one more. I think this one is like 6inches

 

[draetish]

I would use the 60 and check the temp at 6". The thing about having the basking spot 6" from the bulb is so they don't get to close that they burn their skin. They will know if there body is hot enough, but they don't feel burns.

 

[skully23]

ok I might update to let you know