Heating Tank Problem

[Hill111]

Hi, I bought a juvenile Pacman frog about 6 weeks ago from Petco. I set him up in a 10 gallon tank with coconut husk substrate, a large soaking dish, and a piece of wood for hiding under. I’ve had my firebellies for several years now and keep them in a separate 30 gallon tank with a similar set up. The firebelly tank is reading at just about 70 with one large heating mat underneath, and the firebellies have been fine. I live in Chicago and the current temperate drops down to -2 at night so it’s very cold. The problem is that my Pacman tank is only reading at 68...so I bought a second heat mat with one on the side and one underneath. The temp is still reading at 68. My Pacman has not been eating and has totally burried himself under the substrate. Does anyone have any advice for heating the tank during the winter?? I’ve recently bought a space heater to try and heat the room to bring up the temperature, but that’s not a very permanent solution because I can’t run the space heater 24/7. Any heating advice would be greatly appreciated

[alane]

instinctively, i think they dig to cool themselves rather than to heat. furthermore, heat in nature comes from above...the sun. i'm no expert, as my pacman frog died, but i'd recommend that you add a ceramic heater 'bulb' as a top-heater.

i found that when you get up to a higher temperature, evaporation happens faster, so it's a battle to keep the tank both moist and warm in an otherwise dry and cold room.

my fire belly tank is more of an aquarium with a top and with heating and cooling on the water system. so that makes it easy to keep a temperature and humidity.

[monster]

Hi, Alane is correct that they burrow to cool off and get out of the hot sun. Some people keep them with a UTH on the bottom but you are making them do something that is not natural, again as mentioned above heat comes from above not below. Your frog is staying buried because that's were all the warmth is, and when placing a matt on the bottom you should always have it hooked up to a thermostat so the frog isn't sitting on hot glass. Buy yourself a bulb and use that, your daytime temps should be around the low 80's and let it drop some at night. When the lights go off and the temps drop this triggers his feeding instincts and he will come up to eat and soak in water dish if needed. Also if he's to cold he wont want to eat and will have a hard time digesting his food, the heat helps with his metabolism and if kept in those temps for to long he will become ill. Hope this helped abit, and when buying a heat bulb just buy a normal one, you don't want a basking light that you would use a reptile enclosure.

[Hill111]

Thanks guys! I read that the heating lamps dry them out too much? Is this not a concern?

[Hill111]

Do you have any recommendations on good ones to buy?

[monster]

Yes it will dry it out a bit faster but it’s nothing a couple mists a day can’t fix. Also if you cover 1/2 to 3/4 of the top with some tinfoil this will help trap in the heat and humidity. I cut some from each end this way there is 2 openings so the air has better circulation.