General Care Discussion :: Difference in basking temperatures

[Diz]

I know there are TONS of posts about basking temperatures, but I don't think I've read about this. I've seen when people talk about testing the basking temp to put the thermometer on something about as tall as the turtle to get a good judgement. Well, when I put the thermometer on something, it says it's about 88 to 90 degrees, which is perfect. But when I just put the thermometer on the basking dock, it shoots up to around 100. Is this just because the dock absorbs the heat and gets hotter than the air around it? Is it like going outside on a hot summer day with bare feet and burning your feet on the asphalt? Is this OK for a turtle? I want to make sure I am taking the right measurement so I'm not harming my turtle.

Thanks,
Daniel

[grey goose]

If the basking dock has even a small amount of water on it, it can affect the reading....make sure its dry, and leave it on there awhile to get an accurate measurement. If you are using a rock for your reading, let the rock sit for about a 1/2 hour, then measure it.