Hello,
We just got a Zoo Med Mini Combo Deep Dome for the top of a 12x12x18 inch tall crested gecko setup. We were hoping to put a 100 watt ceramic heat element into it, in addition to a ReptiSun 5.0 UVB mini lamp. The problem is, the instructions for the Deep Dome say NOT to use a ceramic heater in it.
Does anyone know why?
Thank you so much for any info, we tried the ZooMed website and Reddit but couldn’t find anything.
UPDATE: apparently, there is a dimmer dial on the cord for the ceramic heat emitter. We’re definitely switching to a 25 watt ceramic, there’s no way we’re risking accidentally overheating the little one!
When I bought my crested his breeder specifically said not to use heat or UVB. She told me he did not need either.
I have had him for about a year now and he is thriving. Now rumor has it that UVB can be beneficial but it is not necessary for a crestie to thrive. I am just following the breeder’s instructions……
Very much overkill. This is 86 degrees at 12 inches away from the bulb. Your creative will just be sitting on the bottom because everything else will be way too hot.
Seconding everything @armiyana said. 100w is about four times the suggested wattage for that enclosure size, I wouldn’t go stronger than a 25w. Not to mention there’s no way you’d be able to keep any sort of humidity without dousing the enclosure constantly.
I’d also note, you need to be very careful with UVB and should probably heed @Caron’s words. You can’t just put the bulb in the hood and set it on top. Crested Geckos do not need high amounts of UVB, you risk burns if the light is too intense. ZooMed themselves have a chart that suggests for Cresties the bulb be 10" away.
Thank you so much for answering this so quickly!
We do need to supplement heat, because our home is really cold in the winter (under 60 F at night) so we can’t keep her enclosure warm enough.
Thank you! This is the type of info that we need.
We got the crestie and enclosure from a previous owner, so we are trying to improve the setup that she came with. We do have temp and humidity monitored inside the enclosure, it’s definitely not too hot. (The ceramic heat is outside the enclosure)
Thank you for the chart! I’m not sure why it’s not warmer in her enclosure.
We monitor the temp and humidity, right now it is 68 F and 70% humidity in the middle of the enclosure. She has several plants/vines/hides, and sleeps about in the center.
I’m starting to think we read the wattage on the ceramic heater wrong! We’re definitely not toasting the gecko. If anything, she’s a bit on the cool side. The humidity goes up and down, usually between 50-70%, depending on how long ago it was sprayed.
Thank you! Everyone here is so helpful. I really appreciate all of the information. We’re going to be doing some measuring and hold off on the UVB until we can get a timer for the light.
It sounds like the ceramic heat element is not putting out nearly the heat that you would expect. Her enclosure is currently 68 F about 10" away from it. This is, as far as I know, a 2 year old element (maybe defective? Worn out? Maybe I read the label wrong?) and what the previous owner used for the 2 years they had her.
In an enclosure that small id recommend a heatpad on the side if anything. I would honestly recommend getting a bigger enclosure though, your current one is too small to create a proper gradient needed when using both heating and UVB.
