Lamps aren’t getting hot enough

[Katiehu]

I just moved my baby sulcata to a 40 breeder. This is definitely not permanent and will be for maybe a year or two. His basking is only getting to 78° and the ceramic heat is at 88°. What can I do? I guess it’s like this since the lid is pretty high.

 

[Tom]

You need a large closed chamber.

Trying to heat an open topped enclosure is like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof on it. It doesn't work.

Also, a 40 breeder is only suitable for a tiny, brand new hatchling. You already need something larger than that. In 2 years your tortoise will be too large to live in an indoor enclosure.

More info here:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Yvonne G]

@Tom. They said, ". . .since THE LID is pretty high. . . " which leads me to believe it might be closed???

 

[Katiehu]

You need a large closed chamber.

Trying to heat an open topped enclosure is like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof on it. It doesn't work.

Also, a 40 breeder is only suitable for a tiny, brand new hatchling. You already need something larger than that. In 2 years your tortoise will be too large to live in an indoor enclosure.

More info here:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

It’s a closed enclosure. He is tiny. Not even close to the size of my hand.

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

I just moved my baby sulcata to a 40 breeder. This is definitely not permanent and will be for maybe a year or two. His basking is only getting to 78° and the ceramic heat is at 88°. What can I do? I guess it’s like this since the lid is pretty high.

How is a 40 gallon breeder lid to high? If its closed?

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

A 40 gallon will prob last u 2-3 months

 

[Tom]

It’s a closed enclosure. He is tiny. Not even close to the size of my hand.

Are the lamps hanging inside?

 

[Katiehu]

How is a 40 gallon breeder lid to high? If its closed?

I must not have strong enough watts. I’ll have to get new one tomorrow

 

[Tom]

I must not have strong enough watts. I’ll have to get new one tomorrow

If the lights are on the outside of a glass top, then we've found your problem.