Stabilizing Heat at Night

[izzbo]

My beardie has pneumonia and I've been using a ceramic heat emitter to keep it at 80 degrees at night and it's hard to get it to stay at the same temp throughout the night. I think it's b/c I live in Minnesota and it gets colder later at night and it's a bit drafty in our house. But his tank is in the only place possible. Everywhere else is cooler.

For example last night I set it up at 8:00 PM and let it warm up for an hour. I found where it was about 82 and placed his head there. When I went to bed at 10:00 PM I checked and he was at 84 degrees and I was shooting for 80. So I raised the stand a bit higher went to bed set an alarm to check at midnight. It was 81 at his head and 80 on his body. So I think I'm good. Well this AM it was down to 76 or so. The previous night I did the same thing and it staid at 79 or so in the AM (and the temp outside didn't change much). So basically it fluctuates a bit each night and I can't set an alarm for every 2 or 3 hours to check. I could set my alarm for around 2 or 3 AM but I am afraid it may be too hot or cold and it would be like that for a while.

Any ideas? Is it better for it to be around 84 in case it goes down or is that too warm for him to be sleeping? I put this in the ER b/c this is an emergency and I want to figure this out. I did look at thermostats but I've come to the conclusion that unless you get the nicer ones (not the $20 - $40 Zilla or Zoo Med ones) they are not the best. And I hate to shell out $200 for a single light.

 

[Taterbug]

I use hygrofarm thermostats for my snakes. They are not as good as a nice dimming stat but they have served me well for a couple years so far. The trigger temp is a little loose, a few degrees I think - but it should still be ok and better than nothing.

 

[izzbo]

I can keep it within 5 degrees so I don't think a basic thermostat would work but I am open to it. If I have him at 84 or so and it doesn't cool down is that too hot at night w/his pneumonia? That is my idea to keep it at 84 or 83 so then if it cools down a few degrees throughout the night it will still be around 80. Or is there a better idea like the thermostat (but I do need to order that and such and need something for the next few days if I would do the thermostat).