So, spent a total of 4 hours testing this out. Going from the 2 inches and from my usual inside viv measurements with the infrared temp gun. All I can say is "wow" there was actually a difference in results that were off by enough degrees to worry me
When I took them my usual 4-5 inches away I'd get the 102 degrees my boy likes. From 2 inches away, I found he's not "different" from other babies as he was enjoying basking in 105-106 degrees. In some cases it may have only been off by 2-3 degrees but in other cases I'd been getting readings anywhere from 8 - 10 degrees difference.
I wish I knew this sooner. I always thought his temps fluctuated horribly and had no idea that it was ME taking the temps from too far a distance and different angles.
I appreciate this information so much. His temps all around have been fairly steady since taking his temps correctly. I guess my lesson is the further I took the temps the higher the reading I got. Taken from the suggested 2 inches his actual temps were quite lower and I would constantly raise and lower his basking light. I feel really bad but I'm so grateful to know how to get the most accurate readings.
(Now I can stop messing with his lights, poor guy)