I have a female crestie I keep with me at school. Usually my room is kept between 70 and 75*, but my parents like the temperature at around 65* when I'm home. Last winter it was too cold for my gecko, so I pushed his tank right up against the electric heater panel and he would stick to that side of the cage because it stayed nice and warm. Anyways, this winter I think I would like to buy a heat source, which I'm guessing will probably be a heat lamp of some sort. Can anyone give me more info about the type I should look into and a bulb that would work? I'm thinking I could put it on one side of the tank so he could get away from it on the other side if it gets too hot. I think he was fine last year against the heater (He eats a good amount when he is happy, and hardly eats anything when he is not), but I still worried a lot about him. I feel like a heat lamp would give me a piece of mind. ETA: I'm pretty sure it's female, but when she was a baby I named her Marcus, so I tend to call *her* a *he*.
Here's a picture of the little monster. She's gotten much fatter now, so I definitely need some updated photos!
You can buy heated fake rocks pretty cheap I know. They just plug in and there's very little danger of fire that way. I mean sure they can overheat if something goes wrong but a light all you have to do is bump it or not set it right and you've got an instant house fire. Of course if your tank is not where it can get sunlight I would suggest a lamp with a special reptile bulb that would provide UV light and vitamin D to keep your lizard healthy. PS cute lizard
Definitely don't use a hot rock! They are incredibly prone to developing hot spots and can cause severe burns in reptiles since they don't move off the rock quick enough. I don't understand WHY they still sell 'hot rocks'. My suggestion would be to buy some flexwatt heat tape and a thermostat. I kept crested geckos, so I know their arboreal nature. Put the heat tape on the side of the tank and bottom too. The thermostat is to make sure temperature is regulated (you never want to use any heat source without a thermostat or rheostat). It should help kick up the ambient temperature a few degrees in the enclosure.
I second Stacykins - NO to a hot rock - for the reasons she listed. Definitely monitor ambient air temp. Full spectrum light for day - red for night if you need it. Beautiful gecko!!
