How to warm up a leopard gecko tank when the heat mat isn't enough?

A heat mat will maintain proper ground temps but may not keep ambient temps within normal ranges for a leopard gecko. A basking light should be used during the day to mimic the natural environment. If nighttime temps drop too low, even with a mat, consider a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) that will produce heat without visible light.

First i would recommend describing exactly what type of heating system you are using at the moment. this following link might help you: https://blog.onlinegeckos.com/leopard-gecko-heating-temperature-requirement-under-tank-heating-pad-belly-heat-how-to-install-uth-thermostat/

Thanks for reaching out about Dwight. Do you know how cold it is getting at night? If dropping below 70, probably needs a red heat lamp or ceramic heater, neither of which should affect his diurnal cycle. Good luck.

The tank may be too cold. If so, Rita will stay on the mat. Low temps can affect appetite and activity in reptiles. Maintain a basking spot temperature in the 90s F. This will produce a gradient of the mid 70s to 80s in the rest of the cage. You can soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. This will warm her up and treat or prevent mild dehydration. Feed appropriately sized prey. Crickets or dubia roaches are recommended over mealworms for juvenile geckos. They should be no bigger than the space between her eyes. Gut load them for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value.

If you are using a heat lamp, move it farther away (raise it up) from the surface of the tank until temps are appropriate. If you are using a heating pad or UTH (under tank heater), they should be used with a rheostat or thermostat so that you can adjust the temperature. Make sure the enclosure is large enough to provide a warm side and a cool side. If Egon gets too hot, he can move to the cool side until he wants to bask again or warm up.

The addition of an under-tank heater can change the temperature of an enclosure significantly. To determine what the temperatures are within Ladon's enclosure, I would recommend utilizing digital thermometers. These should be located on both the warm and cool end of the enclosure, and should be located at Ladon's level (not higher or lower than him). With that information, you can tell if the temperatures are now too hot or not. I would also recommend that you have hides present on both the cool end and on the warm end - this will provide Ladon with choices within his enclosure as well. With the water bowl, this may also be related to his enclosure temperature. I would recommend monitoring for any changes once you have determined if the temperatures are appropriate for his species. You can refer to a care sheet if needed to gather temperature information. I hope that answers your question, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for reaching out. Heat rocks are bad. One recommendation is to utilize under tank heat as the background heat source, keeping the environment at 70-75 F 24-hours a day, then an overheat lamp can be set up as a timer to turn on for 12-14 hours/day and raise the day time heat to the appropriate level. Timers work great for the UVB bulb and extra heat. Good luck.