Room Warmth & getting the basking temps up

[yuna1971]

As most of you know, I overwinter Lily.
Usually I dont have a problem with containing the warmth in his room.
However this really icey spell about at the moment, even I am struggling to keep Lilys room warm, and more importantly the basking temps up (obviously due partially to the room not being warm enough)

I have my gas CH on for 4hours in the morning. It over laps when the lights come on. This seems to not be doing much for the basking temps.
I keep asking this so sorry if its repeatitive....but how do peoples torts go to bask (when rising in the morning) when the basking spot is putting out dire temps??? Lilys temps are only barely reaching 28 degrees or so , and this is after the CH has kicked in for a few hours.
Trouble is...the CH has been on warming the room, the lights come on and effectively rubbish temps to start....BUT Lily is usually alert and trundling out.

Surely other people must have this problem. It cant be 32degrees at basking spot RIGHT off the bat?? As in, as soon as the lights are on. So.....um, is this normal, is this right?

Once my CH goes off...the room temp (with it being so cold outside) steadily decreases....even with the lights on. And so does the basking spot temp.
Lily is going to bed now usually at around 11am, sometimes earlier. Probably as its all just not warm enough. So what can I do...what can be done?

I was thinking of buying a little heater, with a thermostat. BUT to be honest...I do worry about all the electrics that are in this room as it is. Do i really want another.

Without the CH on. The room temp usually decreases down to about 20degrees now. Is this ok...I mean, Lily is usually sleeping?? Is this why he is giving up and going back to bed???

Again everyone...what can be done??

Evening basking temp does get a little better. I can usually hit 30degrees or so,....but thats with it all on + couple of hours of CH.

I do have a little electric credit with my utility supplier. But in addition to the worry of yet another electrical appliance such as a heater in the room and where to put it...its also how much electric these heater use...
Some like about 1800w to use...how much would this eat for a few hours use?? Would it be worth it. I could afford it I suppose, since I do have a bit of credit on my account...but how quick would the credit be gone???

What with the pellets and scarce weeds...have to say I am worrying about all this now. I dont recall me panicking like this last year...
Perhaps I am panicking for nothing...

Help....

[yuna1971]

Other alternative is to change my bulbs.
I have a 120w MR at the moment. I could change it to a 160w?? Seems a shame as the one I have has served me well.....Or I could get an Arcadia.
The holder for the MR is UP TO 160w....I am not sure I like getting a bulb which is exactly the same as the UP TO wattage. What do you all think? I am not sure I want to take any chances of meltdown...as I am not home all day 5 days a week.
So...if I dont do that, it means buying a new holder/deep dome to hold the new bulb.

Maybe a 160w bulb will pump up the room temp as well. Also should improve basking area temps....costly though all of the changes there.

???Ideas, help anyone ???

[purplelynn]

My basking spot seems to be maintaining a good temp with the CH on at intervals through day and night. So not sure what else to suggest Rach.

Sorry

[Marly]

Rach, I can only go from my experience with Marly.
His table is right next to the radiator so this helps greatly with the ambient room temps. He has 2 combined bulbs in reflectors, only cos the table is long and narrow. At the moment one is the lowest it will go and the other is higher and I can get temps of over 32 with both. Not instantly of course but it really doesn't take long to reach 32ish with the radiators help.
It is very, very cold at the moment, unusually so, so think temps everywhere are suffering, for humans too. I am just lucky Marly's table is so near an ambient heat source.

[THEHANDOFOMEGA]

That sounds fine to me. I would probably get a ceramic heat bulb for overnight if you are that worried.

[THEHANDOFOMEGA]

I have never used arcadia but will look at avoiding if the situation arises

[yuna1971]

Got a 50w Halogen angled in Vicks. I lowered the 120w MR last night, its at a comfortable 16inches. Which I think is fine.
Glyn- not sure what you mean about the radiator next to the table helping the ambient room temp.? Confused... What ambient room temp do you get usually then?? I can get to 20/22 but thats about it right now...Despite the radiator being next to the table ,it is very slow in warming it. Not sure..you have 2 MV bulbs then?? So 2 basking spots??
I am more thinking I might need to get a 160w combined.?

[wigwamman]

hi rach,i have suffered the same symptoms in previous years,so what i did was try to reduce the area that needs to be heated.using bubble wrap i made a green house type of thingy around my tables ,you are heating a smaller area so can maintain better temps ,you can also use more 100watt spot bulbs instead of uvb bulbs.
the bottom line is, the smaller the area you have to heat the cheaper it gets!!
hope this helps
dave

[wigwamman]

you could also use a viv for winter months ,as long as the tort is smallish and the viv well ventilated.this suggestion flys in the face of convention but what are the alternatives? sell up!!
my advice ,make things as easy for yourself as possible.
best wishes
dave

[Marly]

Yes Rach I have 2 mv lamps because my table is long and thin. One does not give enough light. I could use a normal basking bulb in one and an mv in the other and have done, but for the winter wanted 2 mv's. Could be a possibility for you?
No lamps on at the mo (Marly asleep under a cushion ) and the temps are 23.6 and 23.9 under the 2 basking spots. Which I presume is due to the heat from the radiator. The farthest coldest end is 20.3. Due to put the lamps on soon so will see how long it takes to get to 32ish.