What light should i use for my bearded dragon

During the 12 hours when bright lights are off, there should still be nighttime heat black or red bulbs, heat mat, or ceramic heat emitter , this is also a time when the animal can get some rest without bright light distracting them. The information below will provide you with steps to take to keep your little friends happy and healthy. Research Your Reptile's Native Environment. Where does your pet originate?

Using bearded dragons as one example, they come from the Australian outback which is a desert environment. Basking is a small footprint of the habitat that is very warm. Just outside of that focused light is a warm side of the tank. With basking, warm side and cool side, you create a heat gradient across the terrarium horizontally for terrestrial animals, and vertically for arboreal. This allows your animal to regulate their body temperature at their convenience. To most accurately monitor terrarium temperature and humidity we recommend a digital hygrometer thermometer.

Choosing the correct tools for the job can make or break your reptile habitat. You should avoid heat rocks at all costs as they can get too hot and burn the sensitive underbelly of your reptile. All heat tape and heat cable needs to be regulated with a thermostat.

Take a look at the diagram below, this will help you to understand how the basking area should look. You will need to place the basking lamp on the same side of the tank as the UVB light. You will also need to create a basking area basically a place to chill so your Bearded Dragon has got enough space to rest for as long as it needs each day under the lamp each day.

This will allow you to test different heights of the lamp until the basking area is at the correct temperature. The chart also shows the different temperatures you need in these areas for both babies and adults. Basking lamps are totally different from UVB bulbs. I would always recommend that you purchase a UVB bulb specifically designed for reptiles as these are the only bulbs that can do this job correctly.

The basking lamps that are on the market that are specifically designed for reptiles are basically the same as the halogen bulbs that you can purchase from the hardware store. The only difference is that they are more expensive than the ones that you can get from the hardware store. For this reason, i would recommend that you get your purchase a good quality halogen lamp that is around 90 watts depending on your tank size and this should be great.

This can cause some temporary problems for your Dragons until the situation is resolved. I think if i could give you one piece of advice it would be to always have spare bulbs and lamps because light and heat is vital to your Bearded Dragon so they should never have to go without it even if only for a few hours.

The cool spot is an equally important area of your Bearded Dragons tank as the basking area. They will often need to cool down to regulate their temperature and the easiest way for them to do this is to simply move to a cool area of the tank.

In the wild, they would take refuge under a rock or somewhere that would provide the shade needed to regulate their temperature. The cool spot will be created naturally when you place the UVB light and the basking lamp on the opposite side of the tank. The diagram below will help you visualize exactly how the cool spot should look. Not every Bearded Dragon owner will need to purchase a ceramic heat emitter.

This will totally depend on the room temperature of your home at night. As a rule of thumb if the temperature in your drops below 65 Degrees F then you should think about getting a ceramic heat emitter. This will help to top up the heat in the tank just enough so your Bearded Dragon will be warm enough and still able to sleep.

This will totally depend on which part of the world you live in and how you heat your home. You will need to see what works best for both your and your Dragon. There a lot of choices when it comes to these types of heat lamps, unlike the baking lamp i would go with a branded lamp that is specifically made for reptiles. This will allow you the peace of mind that your Dragon is is warm enough at night with a high-quality lamp.

This might seem quite rare but it can happen and personally, I think using a branded lamp is the best option here. This is a great option from a highly trusted manufacturer. Here I show you why I personally recommend this heat emitter.

The principle here is exactly the same as the basking lamp. You should replace the ceramic heat emitter when it either stops working or stops producing the heat that is required for your Dragon.

I would always check the heat of your tank at both day and night on a regular basis to make sure they are stable and none of your bulbs and lamps need replacing. Having a thermometer can make caring for your Bearded Dragon much easier and help you keep the temperatures in their tank at the optimal levels. Guessing at temperatures can be a dangerous game and because your Bearded Dragons health is dependant on this i would strongly recommend that you invest in a high-quality thermometer.

Investing in a non-contact digital thermometer will allow you to instantly check the temperature of any part of the tank and see if any changes are needed. Using a non-contact digital thermometer is fast and accurate and the only way to confidently ensure you have the correct temperatures in your tank.

Here In my tank equipment my guide , I list my recommendations for thermometers and the best places to get them. It can often be hard to know exactly what temperature your Bearded Dragons tank should be for them to grow happy and healthy. They actually need different temperatures at different stages of their life and they also need to have a contrast in temperatures at areas of the tank.

This chart will help you to easily breakdown the correct temperature you need for your Bearded Dragon:. Please Note: This chart should only be used as a guide, always seek advice from your vet.

Had I used an incandescent bulb in my gallon breeder, I might have needed a wattage of to , as opposed to the watt Halogen. I typically prefer stronger bulbs that sit back at least a whole foot from the enclosure as these provide a wider berth of heat and light. When mounted outside of the tank, UVB becomes weak as mesh lids can prevent your beardie from proper absorption. Also, mount your UVB all the way to one side on the tank , ideally the side with your basking bulb. So, if your tank is 51 inches long, aim for a fixture and bulb that are around 34 inches in length.

This section should also be on the opposite end of the basking bulb. A basking light or heat lamp , is going to help your bearded dragon both regulate their day and night cycles and also aid in their digestion and keep their appetite up.

Without heat, your dragon will become sickly and can even suffer from impaction, as food will be stuck in their system undigested. Both of these can be bought online or at virtually any hardware or home store. This specific brand of halogen flood light is great to use as your go-to heat bulb for a bearded dragon because they provide super bright white light and up to 2, hours of use!

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon. This 4 pack of infrared spot lamp bulbs by Exo Terra is a great choice for those looking for bright white incandescent light bulbs.

At watts each, one light bulb should be sufficient for heating any bearded dragon tank, unless extremely large in which case you would need 2 bulbs.

If you need more than watts for either a larger tank or a tank in a cold room, check out t his Zacro Reptile Heat Lamp that comes in at watts. This bulb even comes with a digital thermometer as well! Consider the options below great choices for multiple tank sizes! Suitable for most tank sizes, this lamp fixture is typically best suited for gallon tanks. And with a safety-first design, it even features ventilation holes to prevent overheating and is able to support up to watt bulbs.

A great budget friendly lamp, this one by Flukers comes in a variety of sizes to accommodate a variety of bulbs and tank sizes! I n addition to a heat lamp, your beardie will absolutely need a UVB bulb in their bearded dragon lighting setup as well. The UVB rays emitted from this bulb will help your dragon synthesize Vitamin D3, which is the vitamin necessary for proper calcium absorption.

Well, for starters many manufactures produce UVB bulbs in the form of coil or compact bulbs which produce UVB that is too strong for your beardie and can burn them. Fluorescent bulbs are more affordable and should be replaced every 6 months. On the flip side, mercury vapor bulbs are more expensive, stronger, and tend to last longer. The best mercury vapor bulb is definitely going to be this one by Evergreen Pet Supplies.

This UVB not only has a great track record but also lasts a really long time. This UVB bulb is definitely the most trusted and popular choice amongst bearded dragon owners.

When mounting the UVB bulb, aim for a distance of around 12 inches away from the basking spot. Basically, any T5 fixture should work fine on a bearded dragon lighting setup.

As such, you should be pleased to see that the suggestions below will suit any budget. Happy mounting! With a built-in reflector that helps increase UVB for maximum output, this fixture is a favorite amongst beardie owners!

Extremely lightweight, you should anticipate having no problems mounting this bad boy. Even industrial velcro should be strong enough! Because of this, you can expect them to be a little more expensive. A natural choice for any ReptiSun Consider it your best option for the ReptiSun bulb. When your home slips below 65 degrees Fahrenheit A popular choice amongst reptile owners, these ceramic heat lamp bulbs offer 75W of heat and can last a whopping 9,, hours each!

Once you have the right bulbs, it simply comes down to trial and error in terms of placement to get the right temps and UVB positioning on your bearded dragon lighting setup.

Could u possibly email me and help me out. He is now 6 months old. Got him at 2 months at first everything was great but a month after getting him we had to move him to a 55 gallon tank because of how fast he was growing.

I want to send u pic of enclosure and get some advice. To check temps. None of the forums have been helpful and after reading ur article I think u may be the help I need.

Thanks for ur time. I had the same issue!! I just followed the chart on the box and measured the space accurately in the tank from the light to his basking. It made an instant difference!! What is it you would like to know?