Reptiles are cold-blooded animals which is a fact. Animals that rely on external heat sources to keep themselves warm are called cold-blooded blooded aka Poikilotherms.
Wild bearded dragons usually bask in the sun to warm up. But if you own one as a pet then it may need a heat lamp as they (pet dragons) only get little time outside or live with their owner in a less sunny area.
In this case, a Basking lamp and UVB Lamps can become really useful as they produce heat.
In this article, we’ll discuss how much UVB lamps are effective for bearded dragons along with some perfect suggestions for your dear pet.
What are Basking and UVB lamps?
A bearded dragon needs a heat source that keeps him warm even in dark and cold areas (like someone’s bedroom). If they don’t get enough UVB sunlight they may develop nutritional disease that can sometimes be fatal. Also from the sun, they get Vitamin D3 just like humans which supports their immune system.
But if they can’t get enough sunlight for some reason you can provide them with a Basking lamp or UVB lamp to fulfill their warming needs.
Basking lamps and UVB lamps provide the necessary heat and sunlight to bearded dragons. The basking lamp creates a warm spot, important for digestion and thermoregulation, while UVB lamps fulfill their need for calcium and prevent bone disease.
Considering a heat lamp for a bearded dragon is a great idea but buy it with caution. There are so many heat lamps and UVB lamps available online but some may fool you by only generating electric heat. Do your research before investing.
And if you don’t want to, then we’ve finalized 5 best heat lamps from genuine brands that will help your Beardy grow healthy.
5 Best heat lamps for bearded dragons
After trying almost 40 brands personally and researching almost 60 different products I’ve found these 5 best at their work.
Before buying consider these few things:
- Bearded dragons need both heat lamps and (UVA, UVB) light.
- Consider the size of the terrarium.
- Home’s average temperature
- Distance of your bearded dragon from the lamp Setup.
- Use 50 to 150 watts bulbs According to the size of their habitat, and room temperature.
- Do not use a red light bulb as that may damage their eyes and cause stress and Anxiety.
- Consider buying a combo of a heat bulb and a UVB bulb (as only UVB light does not generate much heat).
LUCKY HERP Ceramic Heat Emitter
Lucky Harp makes some quality electric products for reptiles especially when it comes to heat emitters. A ceramic emitter heat lamp generates heat during use but the best thing is —it works without emitting light. It provides enough heat to your bearded dragon so he can feel the warmth in the cold environment.
Within a few minutes, you can feel the heat coming from the lamp and it’ll reach its peak within 4 to 5 minutes.
It’s available in different powers like 75W, 50W, 100W, AND 150W. —each has different prices. Personally, I’ve once tried 75W power which is just right for maintaining a consistent and comfortable temperature for my pet reptile (which was a gecko BTW).
If we talk about durability then its ceramic build is just impressive. As it’s strong, diapers heat evenly and prevent any hotspot that could be harmful to the beardies.
Just fit the heat lamp into a standard bulb socket and it’ll work silently, without emitting any light that could disrupt the sleep of the gecko.
The only drawback I found is that it doesn’t have an indication light, so you have to keep in mind when to start it and switch off it.
OMAYKEY Ceremjc Heat Lamp with a digital thermometer
Another Heat lamp that will surely live up to your expectations is OMAYKEY. It comes in 3 variants that are 75, 100, and 150 watts. For the bearded dragons, I suggest to prefer the 75W one as the other two are for pet turtles, snakes,, and any other big reptiles.
When plugged in, it provides perfect heat radiation with no lightt-emitting. Just simply fit it in a standard E27 screw socket.
(Company suggests to use only the porcelain socket because the plastic sockets may melt the holder of lamp).
The one where it beats the other lamps is that it comes with a digital thermometer to check the heat of the environment. So you can make sure your bearded dragon gets comfortable surroundings— not too cold and not too hot.
The reason it’s not number one (as it’s the most demanding heat lamp on Amazon) is that it has two drawbacks. One is of course it doesn’t have an Indication light and the second one is that people have complained about its bun resistance. It can burn you if they’re on which is likely and it takes around 1 hour to cool down after turning off. So it’s just about precautions.
However, it’s a great and efficient heat lamp for your bearded dragon.
WUHOSTAM 75W Ceramic Reptile Heat Lamp
WUHOSTAN Pet supplies manufacturers the quality products for pets, especially related to porcelain and ceramic products like bowls, heat lamps, etc.
A heat lamp made from high-purity pottery clay ensures that it does not crack and doesn’t get damaged when in contact with water.
Its spiral design expands the heating area and increases the filament temperature in a short time. Just like other lamps it does not emit light which is good news for your bearded dragon. They’ll get sufficient heat from it to keep themselves warm in cold environments.
It claims to emit 24 hours of heat with a life span of 10k to 15k hours. The infrared heat penetrates the scales and skin tissue which promotes health and healing in your beardy.
It warms up the covered terrarium gently from 60 to 70 degrees in 5 to 10 minutes. However, make sure to use it with a porcelain plug (E26) to avoid damage.
BOEESPAT Heat Emitter Lamp
Not so different from the other options and as good as them. BOEESPAT heat lamp is a great option for your bearded dragon.
Made with ceramic these heat lamps provide a sleep-friendly solution for beardies, emitting natural heat.
It doesn’t emit light which makes it more comfortable during sleep time. The product is both waterproof and explosion proof, making it ideal for the environment.
With a lifespan of 9000 hrs you can use it for 24hrs straight. It’s another good option I found and I believe it will also last long with your expectations.
Conclusion
Heat lamps are a must-need instrument if you live in colder areas and own a bearded dragon. They need to bask in the sun to keep themselves warm. The ceramic lamps are a great option as they don’t emit light which won’t cause disruption in their sleep. If you believe you need a UVB and UVA light lamp then you will find some great options here.
