Temp help

[Abyss]

I've got my new beardie in a 36x18x18, she basks on one of those large Exo terra hides. She is a bit disabled from malnutrition from past owners and can't climb. I have a piece of elevated java wood but she doesn't scale it.

My probe is taped to the top of the hide and she basks there. My heat lamp is resting on the screen of my enclosure so it is about 11" away from where she is basking (approx.) maybe slightly more I can measure if needed.

It is a 100w desert heat light 10.0
It takes from about 8am at lights on to about 10:30 to reach temp of 100•f and goes at highest 102•.

I just bought a new light considering I had upgraded the enclosure she was in when I got her. I'm wondering if I should have gotten the 150w bulb instead?? I was worried if I hit one that high it might get too hot. The done I have I'd only good for up to 150w.

Any ideas on how to up the heat??
Aldo, each time I open the enclosure it cools off at least 5-10 or more degrees which is annoying, thanks.

 

[Josh]

You can change the closeness of the heat lamp to increase or decrease the temperature. It sounds like 150W would've been too much for your current set up. Also make sure that there's a cool place for her to hide. If the top of her hie is 102 degrees, the inside won't be very suitable if she needs some quiet time.

 

[diegothediggy]

You can get a heat mat that may keep ur temps the same n wot do u use for flooring I no wen I swapped to tile the temps went up a bit

 

[Abyss]

I can't see how using a heat mat is going to help because her basking area is on top of the Exo terra hide which is hollow and sitting on the base of the tank.

The substrate is shop (blue) paper towel

 

[Abyss]

Josh, she doesn't even go into the hide that she sits on to bask,the opening of it is too small and she can't move well. There isn't really a way I can move the lamp closer because it rests on the top of the screen enclosure.

The opposite side of the enclosure is around 75-80•F but I haven't seen her leave the basking area. She just gapes to cool down.

She isn't really mobile at all and I've been manually placing her on the basking area in the morning because she just sits there on the cool side in the morning and doesn't seem to move over to the light, is this normal?

I'm just worried at the fact that she doesn't move.

I will feed her on the cool side. What I do is pick her up and stand her on the edge of her food dish and one by one place a dusted crix there and she eats it. She won't go chase them at all. I'm hoping my switch to worms will help fatten her legs up and are easier to eat with no need to chase them.

Once she eats about 7 she seems to scurry up the hide to bask in top of it that's how I know she's not hungry anymore.

She pretty much stays there all day, occasionally ill see her gape. Then I move her again at supper time to eat somee more crix.

 

[Abyss]

Here is a pic of her setup

I'm planning in making a cutout on a wooden box soon to make a large hide for her.. Maybe place it in front of her basking area??

 

[Abyss]

She seems like she's moving to the side/back of the hide and sitting under the shade of that java wood branch to cool