Reptile Care Log (Humidity / Temperature)
A reptile care log — species + enclosure setup, daily basking / cool-side temp + humidity, UVB hours, water change, feeding (food + supplements), shed status, weight, behavior notes.
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REPTILE CARE LOG Animal: Spike (Bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps)) Age/sex: 3 yrs · male Enclosure: 48"×24"×24" PVC; loose substrate (washed play sand) + tile basking platform; live cork bark hide; large water dish Lighting/UVB: Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB (12 hr daily); deep heat projector 100W; ambient LED 12 hr; no nighttime heat ENVIRONMENT TARGETS Basking spot: 105-110 °F Cool side: 78-82 °F Night: 65-72 (no nighttime heat needed) Humidity target: 30-40 (arid) % LOG DATE: June 15, 2026 TODAY'S READINGS Basking actual: 108 °F (vs target 105-110) Cool side actual: 80 °F (vs target 78-82) Humidity actual: 35 % (vs target 30-40 (arid)) UVB hours today: 12 FEEDING (food + supplements) AM: 1 cup chopped greens (collard + dandelion + bell pepper) dusted Repashy Calcium Plus LoD. PM (3x/wk): 10-12 dubia roaches dusted with calcium-only (no D3) twice weekly, Repashy CalPlus once weekly. Last multivitamin: 2026-06-10. WATER Water dish refilled clean; 20-min warm soak Sunday for hydration. SHED STATUS Coming up on shed — tail and feet patchy; humidity holding 35-40 in hide; misted twice this week. WEIGHT 462 g BEHAVIOR / APPETITE Active morning basking; ate well at AM feed; passed normal stool 2026-06-13; brumation NOT active (summer); no head-bobbing or arm-waving today; eye condition clear, no swelling or discharge. VET / HEALTH Last vet visit 2026-04-22 (annual + fecal); next check 2026-10. No current medications. DAILY CHECKLIST [ ] Both thermometers read on target [ ] Hygrometer read + acted on [ ] UVB bulb age <6 months (T5 HO) — log replacement date [ ] Fresh water + clean dish [ ] Substrate spot-cleaned [ ] Animal observed: posture, eyes, stool, appetite [ ] Weight logged weekly [ ] Photo of any unusual finding
About this template
**Reptiles are husbandry-driven**: the single largest cause of vet visits for captive reptiles is **inappropriate husbandry** — wrong temperatures, wrong UVB, wrong humidity, wrong substrate, wrong diet — and most of the corrections start with a log that surfaces drift before the animal shows symptoms. **Three numbers** define the day for almost every species: **basking-spot temperature**, **cool-side temperature**, and **humidity**. Each is species-specific and the difference between "thriving" and "MBD in two years" is often a few degrees. Bearded dragons want 105-110°F basking, 78-82°F cool side, 30-40% humidity, 12% UVB at 12 inches. Leopard geckos want 88-92°F warm side, 72-78°F cool side, low humidity except a humid hide. Crested geckos want 72-78°F ambient (no basking lamp), 60-80% humidity. Ball pythons want 88-92°F warm side, 78-82°F cool side, 50-60% humidity (higher during shed). Setup the **two-thermometer rule**: one digital probe on basking, one on cool side, plus an infrared temp gun for spot-checks. Verify the **UVB bulb** monthly with a Solarmeter 6.5 — output drops sharply after 6-12 months even though the bulb still lights. **Diet and supplementation** are the other half: insectivores need calcium (with or without D3 depending on UVB exposure), multivitamins on a rotation, gut-loaded insects (not insects fed nothing for a week), variety. Herbivores need a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio above 1:1 in the salad mix (collard, dandelion, mustard, turnip greens are good; spinach, kale, broccoli should be minor). **Shed** is a husbandry indicator — incomplete sheds (especially toes and tail tips) are usually a humidity problem; consistent good sheds are confirmation the enclosure is dialed in. **Weight** weekly catches anorexia early. **Behavior** is the other diagnostic: a basking spot the animal never uses, a hide it never leaves, a stool that has changed color, a swollen jaw, a closed-eye lethargy — any of these prompts a vet visit. **Reptile-experienced** vet is the key word; not every small-animal vet is comfortable with herps. Save the logs — a year of weekly data is what a reptile vet wants to see at the first sign of trouble.
When to use it
- Daily / weekly care log for a single reptile.
- Per-enclosure log in a multi-animal collection.
- Vet-visit prep — bring the last 8-12 weeks of logs.
- Pet-sitter handoff for vacation care.
- Troubleshooting husbandry after a vet visit identified an issue.
What to include
- Animal + species + age + sex.
- Enclosure + lighting + UVB.
- Target basking / cool / night / humidity.
- Actual readings today.
- Feeding with supplement rotation.
- Water + soak.
- Shed status + weight.
- Behavior + appetite.
- Vet notes + UVB bulb age.