Heating Tank Problem

[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.

[Hill111]

Ok I purchased a 40 watt ceramic heater because I already have a UVB light. Will this work? I know it’s questionable whether or not they really need the UVB light. Also should I get rid of the UTH? I’ve read that they may burn the frog if it’s under the tank? But I’ve had one under my fire belly tank for like 5 years and haven’t had that problem.

[monster]

Ya you could unplug the uth on the bottom, I wouldn’t just rip it off though just in case you get a pet in the future that needs belly heat you already have a tank that’s got a uth. You could keep the one the side for some extra heat just in case it gets really cold or if the 40 isn’t enough for some reason. Place your ceramic off to one side so he has a warm end a cool end so he thermoregulate his body temps if he wants to. You only want it to be few degree difference though. And unless it’s an albino the uvb will not hurt him.

[Hill111]

Update: in case anybody in the future reads this. I bought a ceramic heat bulb for night and a heating bulb for the daytime, temps are now at 75 at night, 85 during the day. Dracula came out of his burrow once his tank heated up. I gave him a pedialyte bath that was 1:10 parts pedialyte to warm water. He soaked in the bath for about an hour and shed his skin and is now revuvinated and will hopefully start eating soon.