Temperature concern

[Instinct101]

My Pyxie's been buried since around late February, which I know isn't really any time at all for these frogs especially when they're aevistating. She has an a 50W infrared light on during the day, keeping the temp on the warm side in the mid 80s (my preferred temp range), and shuts off at night so that (around this time of year) the temp in the room seldom drops below 68. Even though it seems she's aevistating I still keep the substrate well moist (it was recently changed in fact, on Feb. 17).

I've been thinking about slapping a big heat mat on the side of the tank just to make sure she doesn't get too cold at night, but the forum care sheet says, if they are in aevistation, they can stand temps down to 55 degrees. In that case, would I be better off just forgetting about adding another heat source and simply wait for her come up on her own? Assuming of course she is in fact aevistating? What has time and time again baffled me about Pyxie ownership is whether the frog is simply taking an extended nap or is aevistating despite the substrate being moist at all times.

In any case should I expect to see her again when the season gets warmer, when the temps in the room reach the low, mid, and even high 70s on occasion in summer?

[Lija]

it normal for them, it is sleepy time now
they can stand those temps in theory, but only under experienced keepers supervision before, during and after. so don't do it just because.

if temps drop so low I suggest for you to use UTH on a side, so without heat lamp temps are in a proper night range and then add red light on a dimmer to reach day temps. or of course you can always use my favorite hydrotherm just program day temps, night temps, humidity and don't ever think about it again
you can dig her up and put in a warm bath, most will wake up like that, eat something and go under again.

make sure humidity is good as well.

[Instinct101]

Thank you. Good advice per usual. The forum care sheet also states the minimum night temps are 68 degrees, but I just prefer to keep my herps somewhere in the middle of the suggested range, like low to mid 70s, for the suggest 77-68 degrees. I wish spring would really kick up already. Also what size mat would you suggest? Tank's 15 gallons, but I'm thinking I'll get a size larger since, even unregulated, those mats don't have a great heat range apart from on themselves. What side would it be best on? One of the short ends, or one of the long walls?

[Lija]

you're welcome!
honestly i would rather get flexitape (8") or cable and put it all over the back wall well mostly from middle to substrate level, I trying to save on whatever i can since i need to heat many tanks and don't want to pay a lot in bills for 15 gal you need a very big heat mat and none come in long and narrow size, you don't really want to heat the whole tank, but you need proper temp at the level frog lives.
i keep temp for my pixie at 85 ish day and 78ish night. they can tolerate lower temps, but they are from Africa it is very hot there day and night for almost all year so the higher temps ( within reasonable of course) the more active they are =better eating and growing, except my dude of course, but that is the whole different story