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Heidi · #1 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 01:31 AM

Stupid question. I had a hard time with the other two cages I started using mulch in but much harder with the larger cage. I get such a big difference between under the mulch and on top of the mulch so where do I measure. I don't want the surface of the cage to be too hot when he burrows in the mulch but I want the surface of the mulch to be warm enough for him for when he is on top. Make sense? It is such a difference and I only have mulch enough to cover the bottom, about an 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Any thinner and it seems not to cover the bottom.

Yungair23 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 01:53 AM

Id say let them choose where they want to stay. I always have had measured on top of the mulch/bedding. Remember if you put a hide over that area the heat builds up inside so it may get too hot. I forgot so i had to make some adjustments today.

Suncoast Herpetological · #3 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 08:59 AM

The trick is making sure that the mulch is thick enough so the animal can thermoregulate easily. A thin layer of mulch makes that hard.

Nexus · #4 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 12:41 PM

I use aspen in my tanks and tend to take measurements of ambient air temperature and of the actual surface temerature under the aspen as well as my BRB / Dumeril tend to dig themselves right down ontop of the porcelain tiles that are on top of my heat mats (the tile just acts as a heat store / spreader). I am not sure if the undertank heating you are using is the same as mine, but mine says not to use excessively thick substrate over the mat. This is more applicable to thermal blocking types of substrate such as wood as it can cause the heat pad to overheat due to it not be able to lose the heat it is generating. Also as the heat is being blocked the thermostat will continue to run the heater at full power.

I usually get a 4 to 5 degree farenheit difference from the surface to the bottom of the tank but I I am only using about 15 - 20mm of thickness.

Cheers
Nick

Heidi · #5 (**permalink**) 11-24-2006, 05:56 PM

Wil always seems to make himself a "bald spot" to lay on. He pushes all the mulch aside to so that he lays on the bottom of the tank and not on the mulch. I've gotten it so that the bare bottom is 92 and on top of the mulch is 88. Is this okay? I'm figuring that he has pleanty of room to thermoregulate and if he gets hot he would probably move to on top of the mulch.

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