Leopard Gecko and Heat Source

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Angler

Angler

Polypterus
MFK Member
May 8, 2007
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I want to convert my 28 gallon bowfront fish tank to a Leopard Gecko tank. It is an acrylic tank. I am trying to learn whether a heat pad is alright on an acrylic tank. I am finding very little info, which is conflicting.

Does anyone have acrylic tanks with a heat pad with no problems?

If this is a bad idea, I want to make sure I could healthily house a Leopard Gecko with just a ceramic emitter or heat lamp......

Any input would be appreciated!
 
I would think that heat directly on the acrylic would eventually start to warp it? I am not an expert but I do not think that would be a great idea, I'm pretty sure you would be fine if you had a ceramic heat emitter on one side of the tank and then fixed one of those night heat lights on the other and have them switch of from night to day you would be fine, you would just want to make sure its close enough to keep them warm and far away enough so as to not burn them. then again, I am not an expert so take my words with a grain of salt.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I'm not sure of the acrylic, but probably pretty thin.
 
I agree that if you do go the UTH route, use a thermostat and monitor the temps. It could end up working just fine.
 
I've seen reptiles with under tank heat pads used on acrylic, plastics and glass for years with no problems. The best setup I found for leopard geckos (for me, personally, for ease and seeming comfort/appetites of the geckos) is an under tank heat source, either ZooMed reptile pads or home-wired heat strips for me, to maintain the temp of the cage in the 70s. A hide above the heat source with a temp atleast 80 and/or a 60-watt bulb for a good basking spot worked great.
I always used plain newspaper or paper towels for substrate.
Though very effective, I dislike ceramic heaters for anything but larger enclosures. They get extremely hot to the touch and I constantly worry about them falling (or a climber) and an animal getting hurt or a fire starting. The only long term setup I kept one in was a 200gal sized enclosure for an 18inch bearded dragon.
I also recommend you look around http://www.leopardgecko.com, lots of good info and some amazing critters.
 
Vicious_Fish;4597972; said:
I agree that if you do go the UTH route, use a thermostat and monitor the temps. It could end up working just fine.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree that sounds like a good idea.


Saterus;4601354; said:
I've seen reptiles with under tank heat pads used on acrylic, plastics and glass for years with no problems. The best setup I found for leopard geckos (for me, personally, for ease and seeming comfort/appetites of the geckos) is an under tank heat source, either ZooMed reptile pads or home-wired heat strips for me, to maintain the temp of the cage in the 70s. A hide above the heat source with a temp atleast 80 and/or a 60-watt bulb for a good basking spot worked great.
I always used plain newspaper or paper towels for substrate.
Though very effective, I dislike ceramic heaters for anything but larger enclosures. They get extremely hot to the touch and I constantly worry about them falling (or a climber) and an animal getting hurt or a fire starting. The only long term setup I kept one in was a 200gal sized enclosure for an 18inch bearded dragon.
I also recommend you look around http://www.leopardgecko.com, lots of good info and some amazing critters.
Click to expand...

I appreciate the input. I was looking for this kind of response in which someone has done a UTH with acrylic or has seen it successfully done by someone else. I'll check out that website.
 
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