General Care Discussion :: Basking temperature too high.

[Wildcoyote]

just below the heat lamp on the basking area the temperature is 96-98.
I can't lower the temperature.
Is it bad for my turtle?

[N4784N R4613]

You can either move the bulb farther away from the basking spot, or you can just put a smaller wattage bulb in your lamp. 96-98 is high, especially for a hatchling. How big, and old is your turtle? Some turtles like it warmer, but only to 92-94 max. You should shoot for 10F warmer then the water.

Good luck!!

[RunninWideOpen]

You said that's just below the lamp......is there another place on the basking area that they can go that's a bit cooler? I know on mine if i go just a few inches to the side it drops like 5 degrees. If there is a cooler spot, then that's good. Your turtles can choose where they want to sit and how warm they want to be.

[Wildcoyote]

Yes the basking area is quite large so there are cooler places.