Heating issue

[Little_eazum]

due to living in the basement I've been having an issues maintaining my veileds basking zone temp, I have a 150 watt ceramic heater running off the zoo med hydro therm controller. I use the vivarium hydro thermo gauge to watch his basking zone temp. The highest reading I get is 80.2F. I bought a small 100 watt ceramic heater to running on a timer to help maintain a basking zone temp. Highest I've got is a 89.1F. Any suggestion how to help maintain the heat a little higher for him to bask without wanting to get closer to the heaters. Highest branch is 6" away from heaters and that's where one of the probes is placed so I know exact temps.

 

[Carlton]

I don't think you need to raise the temp. If its a little on the cool side he may just need to bask a little longer to reach his operating temp. Maybe its a matter of slowing down how fast the heat in the upper part of the cage dissipates into the cooler room. The probes are measuring the temp of the air that surrounds them, not an actual surface (like your cham's skin). I wonder if wrapping the top few inches of the CAGE might help hold in the heat so the whole area is warmer around his basking perch.

 

[Little_eazum]

Ok I'll give that a shot. I used my infrared thermometer to see the actual temp of the branch he's been basking on and it's a hair under 91

 

[Little_eazum]

Any suggestions what to wrap the top with?

 

[Carlton]

Clear vinyl shower curtain liner...so you can still see your cham at the top of the cage.

 

[Little_eazum]

I'll give that a shot, today ran the 150 watt by itself and it only reaches 80F is that ok for a juvenile cham