Lights and temp in 20 gallon breeder

[shootthebunnies]

I picked up a baby bearedie on Friday. As of now I have him a spare 20g breeder set up that I have. I am having a hard time setting temps in this small of an enclosure. I am running 40 watts on the basking area and the lowest I can get it is 117 and moving it off the rock the lowest I can get at the bottom of the enclosure is 104.

Taking temp with a digital with a probe and taking readings after 45 minutes in the location.

Anyone know of a plug in dimmer or use a 25watt fridge bulb as a heat source?

Thanks
Willis

 

[CashMyCheck]

That seems pretty high for a 40w bulb. My baby is in a 10 gallon right now and im using a 50w ZooMed basking bulb, gets the basking spot to 110* and the floor about 75-80*. Is it a Halogen bulb or something that puts out more heat? You could go with a tabletop dimmer from any hardware store or walmart/target for 9$, but if the floor temp is 104* thats perfect he could just bask directly under the lamp ?

edit: you must live where its alot warmer than me. im on the east coast.

 

[shootthebunnies]

Ambient temp in the house is 68.

The light sits on the screen in a typical silver reflective dome, only 12" off the floor and 6 from the basking rock.

40 watt incandescent bulb. Tried the same bulb in a dome housing that is black (non reflective) same temp + or - 1 degree.

Just trying to find a short term fix, small town of 600 people and can't get to walmart etc... till Thursday.

Thanks
Willis

 

[CashMyCheck]

can you attach the lamp to the wall by the clamp a couple inches above the screen with some thumbtacks or double sided tape? or use a tall pole style lamp next to the enclosure and clamp the light to that - all I can think of! if neither of those is acceptable, try bending the ball joint with the clamp all the way down and rest that on top of the screen so half of the dome is slightly raised in the air and the other is on the screen maybe that will lower it a few degrees