Lighting is essential to any reptile habitat. Our complete bearded dragon lighting and heating guide will help you prepare your setup for your reptile’s home. If you are creating a habitat for your bearded dragon, we highly recommend setting up your entire enclosure, before your pet arrives in its new home.
Bearded Dragons are diurnal, which means that they are most active during the day. This also means that they are stimulated by the presence of bright white light in their environment, and they require strong, high-quality UVB lighting for survival.
UVB lighting can be tricky, because in order to get the right strength of UVB (UV Index, or UVI), distance and potential mesh obstruction must be considered. To provide appropriate UVB in a single 48” x 24” x 24” bearded dragon enclosure, you will need a 22” Arcadia Dragon 14% bulb, placed on the warm side of the enclosure.
Providing the proper heating for your bearded dragon is absolutely essential to keeping them healthy and happy. As cold-blooded reptiles native to the hot deserts of Australia bearded dragons rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature and properly digest their food. Having the right bearded dragon heat lamp setup can make all the difference between a thriving dragon and one that is lethargic and sickly.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about setting up the perfect bearded dragon heat lamp and maintaining proper temperatures in your dragon’s enclosure.
Why Bearded Dragons Need Heat Lamps
Bearded dragons are ectothermic, meaning they depend on external heat sources to warm their bodies. In the wild they bask in the hot sun to reach their optimal body temperature which allows their metabolism to function properly.
Without adequate heat, bearded dragons cannot properly:
- Digest their food
- Absorb calcium and vitamins
- Boost their immune system
- Be active and energetic
In captivity, heat lamps act as an artificial sun, allowing your bearded dragon to bask and get warm. Proper temperatures are key – if the enclosure is too cold, your bearded dragon may become sick, lethargic, and stop eating.
Basking Temperatures by Age
The ideal basking temperature for your bearded dragon depends on their age:
- Hatchlings (under 4 months): 105-110°F
- Juveniles (4-12 months): 100-105°F
- Adults (over 12 months): 95-100°F
You’ll need a good thermometer to monitor the basking area temperature. Infrared and digital thermometers are most accurate.
Setting Up a Proper Heat Gradient
In addition to a hot basking area, your bearded dragon needs a cooler area to retreat to when they get too warm. This is achieved by establishing a temperature gradient.
Place the heat lamp at one end of the tank to create a hot zone. The other end should be kept cooler with ambient room temperature. You can add a secondary weaker lamp for more warmth if needed.
Aim for this gradient:
- Basking area: 95-110°F
- Warm side: 90-100°F
- Cool side: 75-85°F
12-14 Hours of Daytime Heat
In the wild, bearded dragons bask in the sun for much of the day. Replicate this with 12-14 hours of daytime heat in the enclosure.
Use a timer for the heat lamp so it automatically turns on and off at appropriate times. Turn off all lights at night.
No Heat Needed at Night
Unlike the daytime, bearded dragons do not require overhead heating at night. As long as the temperature doesn’t dip below 65°F, your dragon will be fine.
To maintain the enclosure above 65°F during cooler nights, you can use a ceramic heat emitter. This provides heat without light.
Choosing a Proper Wattage for Heat Lamps
The wattage you need for your heat lamp depends on factors like:
- Enclosure size – larger enclosures require higher wattage bulbs.
- Enclosure material – glass enclosures lose heat faster than wood.
- Room temperature – bulbs in colder rooms need higher wattages.
- Distance from enclosure – bulbs further away need higher wattages.
For example, you would need a lower wattage bulb for a small 20 gallon wood tank in a warm room versus a large 60 gallon glass tank in a cold basement.
As a general guide:
- Small glass tanks (20 gal): 60-75 watt bulb
- Medium glass tanks (29-40 gal): 75-100 watt bulb
- Large glass tanks (41-60 gal): 100-150 watt bulb
Choosing Between Incandescent, Ceramic or Mercury Vapor Bulbs
There are 3 main types of heat lamps suitable for bearded dragons:
1. Incandescent bulbs
- Emits light and heat
- Good for daytime heating
- Need to be replaced every 6-12 months
- Best for smaller enclosures
- 60-100W bulbs recommended
2. Ceramic heat emitters
- Emits heat but no light
- Best for nighttime heating
- Lasts years with no need to replace
- Good for large enclosures
- Can use higher 150W bulbs
3. Mercury vapor bulbs
- Emits UVB, UVA, and heat
- All-in-one daytime solution
- More expensive but longer lasting
- Very strong, best mounted outside enclosure
- 100-160W bulbs available
Essential UVB Lighting
In addition to heat, proper UVB lighting is crucial for bearded dragons to produce vitamin D3 for calcium metabolism.
Use a long UVB fluorescent or mercury vapor bulb that spans 2/3 of the enclosure. Replace fluorescent bulbs every 6 months.
Avoid compact UVB bulbs – they can cause eye and skin damage.
Best Heat Lamp Fixtures and Placement
You need a good fixture to hold your heat bulb securely. Make sure it’s rated for the wattage you plan to use. Clamp lamps that mount to the tank are ideal.
For safety, install the fixture outside the tank. Place it at one end about 10-12 inches above the basking area. This creates a hot zone directly under the beam.
Monitoring Temperatures is Critical
Invest in a digital thermometer with a probe. Check the temperatures daily in the basking area, warm side and cool side.
Make adjustments as needed. For example, raise the lamp higher to reduce heat or use a lower wattage bulb if it’s too hot. Maintaining the proper temperature range is crucial!
Signs of Improper Heating
If temperatures are off, you may notice your bearded dragon:
- Has little appetite or stops eating
- Is sluggish and inactive
- Spends too much time sleeping
- Seems ill or has eye issues
Take immediate action to correct temperatures if you observe these behaviors. Proper heating is vital!
Provide Consistent Heat 24/7
While daylight hours require focused heating, you should strive to keep temperatures stable all the time.
Your heat lamp, ceramic emitter and/or under tank heater should combine to maintain the enclosure within the acceptable range of 75-110°F around the clock.
Don’t allow nighttime temps to plummet – this can negatively impact digestion and immunity.
In Summary
Setting up proper heat lamp wattage, temperature zones and gradients, day/night cycles, and continually monitoring temps are all key to keeping your bearded dragon healthy.
Invest in good quality digital thermometers and bulbs, research the ideal heat range for your dragon’s age, and make adjustments as needed. A warm dragon is a happy dragon!
Bearded Dragon Light Schedule:
Being a diurnal species, bearded dragons need a day and night cycle. According to data on sunrise and sunset times in bearded dragons’ natural habitat in Australia, a cycle of 14 hours/day during summer and 10 hours/day during winter (with gradual adjustments in-between) is appropriate.
The basking area should be placed as follows:
- UVB mounted over mesh: basking area 7-11” below UVB lamp
- UVB mounted under mesh: basking area 12-18” below UVB lamp
(These recommendations are approximations based on available data. For best results, use a Solarmeter 6.5 to determine the best placement to achieve a UVI of 4.0-6.0 in the basking area.)
Bright light with a color temperature of 6000-7000K is suggested by experts to be important to bearded dragons’ mental health. Bearded dragons with additional “daylight” lighting in their enclosure seem to be more alert and active than those without, as well as demonstrating better appetite and more natural behaviors.
Full-spectrum lighting is not the same as reptile UVB lighting, so you will need two separate lamps.
What Wattage Heat Lamp Do You Need For Reptiles!
FAQ
What heat lamp does a bearded dragon need?
ReptiFiles recommends using a cluster of at least 2 halogen flood bulbs to provide high-quality Infrared A and B radiation to help your pet thermoregulate most efficiently. I recommend the following bulbs: Reptile Systems Infrared Gold Unit, 200w. Arcadia Halogen Heat Lamp.
Is it OK to leave a heat lamp on overnight for a bearded dragon?
No, the heat lamp should not be left on all night. Bearded dragons need a day-night cycle. During the night, there needs to be a decrease in visible lighting and temperature. Otherwise, the beardie’s circadian rhythm could be disrupted and they could become lethargic as their quality of sleep is decreased.
How many hours a day does a bearded dragon need a heat lamp?
The basking lamp is left on for 10-12 hours per day. At night, all of the lights should go off and the enclosure should be completely dark. This will make sure that the dragon has a clear day and night cycle. During the night time the enclosure should get cooler but we still provide some warmth throughout the night.
How long can bearded dragons go without heat?
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General Survival Time:A healthy adult bearded dragon can usually tolerate being without a heat source for 24-48 hours, but this is the absolute maximum.
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Factors Affecting Tolerance:
- Age and Health: Younger, smaller, or unhealthy bearded dragons may only withstand a few hours without heat before their body temperature drops dangerously low.
- Ambient Temperature: The lower the surrounding temperature, the shorter the time a bearded dragon can go without supplemental heat.
- Age and Health: Younger, smaller, or unhealthy bearded dragons may only withstand a few hours without heat before their body temperature drops dangerously low.
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Potential Risks of Prolonged Cold Exposure:
- Lethargy and Reduced Activity: Bearded dragons may become inactive and lethargic.
- Digestive Issues: Their digestion can slow down, leading to bacterial overgrowth and potentially dangerous health problems.
- Organ Failure: In severe cases, prolonged exposure to cold can lead to organ failure.
- Lethargy and Reduced Activity: Bearded dragons may become inactive and lethargic.
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Recommendations:
- If you experience a power outage or other situation where your bearded dragon’s heat source is unavailable, monitor the ambient temperature closely.
- If the temperature drops below 59°F (15°C), consider providing alternative heating, such as a ceramic heat emitter or a warm blanket, as long as it doesn’t emit light.
- Avoid feeding your bearded dragon until the heat source is restored, as they cannot properly digest food without the correct basking temperatures.
- If you experience a power outage or other situation where your bearded dragon’s heat source is unavailable, monitor the ambient temperature closely.
Do bearded dragons need a heat lamp?
Bearded dragons do not need a source of UVA or UVB at night. As such, you’ll want to turn both their heat lamp and UVB off at night. Leaving these bulbs on will make your beardie think it’s still daytime and can seriously disrupt their sleeping schedule.
How long do bearded dragon lights last?
A popular choice amongst reptile owners, these ceramic heat lamp bulbs offer 75W of heat and can last a whopping 9,000-15,000 hours each! Hopefully by now, you’ve come to understand how simple it really can be to absolutely nail your bearded dragon’s lighting and temperatures.
Do bearded dragons need a light bulb?
Hopefully by now, you’ve come to understand how simple it really can be to absolutely nail your bearded dragon’s lighting and temperatures. In fact, having the right UVB bulb and a bright white basking bulb that puts out enough heat (but not too much) is essentially 90% of the battle.
Are terrarium heat lamps good for bearded dragons?
Proper use of terrarium heat lamps can improve the comfort, health, and longevity of your bearded dragon significantly. Remember, mimicking the natural habitat is the key to a happy and healthy dragon. UVB lighting plays a significant role in the wellbeing of your pet bearded dragons and other reptiles.
Do bearded dragons need heat rocks?
Never use heat rocks to supplement heat. These heating devices can burn the bearded dragon Heat basking lamps are incandescent bulbs designed to provide radiant heat for your bearded dragon. They can range in size from 10 watts to 150 watts and come in different variations.
Do bearded dragons need nighttime lights?
Nighttime bulbs provide a small amount of heat without lighting up the cage and disrupting the bearded dragon’s sleep cycle. However, these should only be applied when necessary. In conclusion, it is necessary to use a mixture of these different types of lights to imitate the natural environment of your pet.