11 Best Lights and Heat Lamps for Bearded Dragons

With so many lights and heat lamps available for bearded dragons, it can be quite difficult to know which ones you really need. So to keep it really simple, your beardie MUST have:
- UVB Lamp
- Heat Lamp
Note: Since no lights should be on at night, your bearded dragons tank may drop below 80 F in which case, you may want to invest in a ceramic heat emitter.
There are then a few other things which you MAY want to get to make things easier such as:
- Ceramic Heat Emitters
- Lamp Fixtures
So let’s get straight into it and find out what the best lights are for your bearded dragon. Keep an eye out for the (Recommended) tag, these are the items that are best suited for an ideal setup.
Basking Bulbs
These are the first lights that you require. Bearded dragons need to live at specific temperatures to ensure their organs all operate effectively.
Depending on your budget, there are a couple of options you have available:
1. Exo Terra Solar-Glo Bulb
(Recommended) A mercury vapor bulb is an ideal basking bulb. It gives off a full spectrum of light and is expertly designed to promote appetite and calcium absorption for your beardie via Vitamin D production.
They are designed to last and also give an added benefit of a little UVB light too!
Note: You will require a fixture for this bulb. The recommended one is the Repti Zoo Dome Fixture.
2. Bright White Bulbs
This 50-Watt light bulb may seem like a standard house bulb, and well, that’s because it is. Halogen light will provide your beardie with some perfect basking light.
The bright bulb supplies 50 watts of warm, white light that gives great focus within your beardie’s terrarium. It is also not too bright to be harsh for your beardie’s eyes.
Basking Bulb Fixtures
3. Repti Zoo Dome Fixture
(Recommended) One of the most common fixtures purchased by beardie owners is the Repti Zoo dome fixture.
It feels very solid with a thick, premium aluminum finish for that glossy, reflective surface and can be used with a basking bulb of up to 200W.
It is perfect for bearded dragons, you can confidently set up high-powered basking lights without any risk of overloading the light fixture.
4. Fluker’s Clamp Fixture
Because it is always good to have a choice, here is another fixture for your basking bulb. With Fluker’s clamp fixture, you can setup the perfect lighting environment within seconds.
The lamp comes equipped with a dimmable switch, which allows you to control how much light and heat, your pet receives from the bulb.
That means you get to adjust lighting and temperature without having to purchase a new bulb. Awesome, right?!
It also has safety clamps that are easily attached to the rim of your beardie’s terrarium.
UVB Light
So now that you have the basking bulb and an appropriate fixture ticked off, you next need a UVB Light Setup.
5. ReptiSun UVB Light
(Recommended) The Zoo Med ReptiSun light is a 24-inch UVB lamp that will supply your beardie with the much-needed UVB rays.
This bulb is powerful enough to prevent and, in some cases, even reverse metabolic bone disease. It is clear why this bulb is the most highly recommended product among beardie owners.
Note: You must replace the bulb every 12-14 months. This is because, over time, the UVB emissions begin to fade.
6. NanoTech UVB Light + Reflector
This is a 2-foot UVB light with an added bonus of a reflector. Making use of the reflector increases light emission by as much as 300%.
It is an ideal size for almost all terrariums as it supplies enough light to fill the tank yet can still give your beardie room to seek shade from the full force of UV light.
Another advantage is how easily the Sunblaster can be setup, making it effortless to provide the appropriate lighting.
Simply use the two brackets, to suspend this fixture with absolute ease.
7. UVB Light + Basking Bulb (Two-in-One)
This product is the ultimate addition to your bearded dragon lighting setup. It provides you with a UVB bulb and an additional basking bulb.
Similar to the NanoTech light above, this product also has a reflector which will ensure that the light covers at least 70% of the terrarium.
With this, your beardie will be exposed to optimal light, even whilst moving around the tank.
Remarkably lightweight this lighting setup comes with a set of clips and hooks which makes mounting this fixture incredibly simple.
Ceramic Heat Emitters
Now that we have ticked off basking bulbs and UVB lights there is just one more area we need to cover and that is the ceramic heat emitter.
At night, when the temperature drops, it might be necessary to provide a little more heat.
You don’t want to be putting a light on at night as this will disturb your beardie.
That is why the ceramic heat emitter is so good. It doesn’t give out any visible light.
Here are 3 of the best heat emitters on the market:
8. Repticare Ceramic Heat Emitter
(Recommended) The Repticare heat emitter has been proven to last up to 25,000 hours. That’s about five years and up to 20 times longer than most heat lamps on the market today!
It really is one of the most popular heat emitters available.
Note: You only need a ceramic heat emitter if temperatures fall too low at night. Most regions will be fine without one.
9. Fluker’s Ceramic Heat Emitter
This heat emitter is a 100-watt ceramic heat emitter and is ideal for keeping bearded dragons warm at night without giving off any visible light.
It is just as good as the Repticare one, but at least you have a choice!
Note: Always make sure there is a safe distance between the emitter and your pet beardie to avoid any injuries.
Light Schedule for a Bearded Dragon
10. Light Timer
Typically, a bearded dragon requires between 10-12 hours of light each day. Without a light timer, it can be hard to ensure your bearded dragon is getting the optimal lighting that it needs.
To make this really simple, you could invest in a light timer and program it to switch on and off at regular times. This will also help your beardie create a consistent light pattern.
11. Infrared Thermometer
This handy infrared thermometer has been a popular pick among beardie owners. It allows you to take safe and precise temperature readings within your beardie’s enclosure.
This is made possible by an infrared temperature scanner and a built-in laser used to pick out the exact area you want to measure.
With this, you can closely monitor temperature changes within your lighting setup and know when it’s going to be uncomfortable for your bearded dragon.
The Optimum Setup
If you are unsure about how to set up and establish your lights and heat lamps then check out this optimum lighting guide for bearded dragons.
You will find out all about the right temperatures and how to create different zones to keep your beardie happy and healthy.
Summary
Getting the lighting setup correct is important for your bearded dragon. There are some great products on the market, and it can be hard to know which ones to select.
Just remember that you simply need two things:
- UVB Lamp
- Basking Lamp
If you include both of these items in your lighting setup, then your bearded dragon is going to be just fine and you will avoid many health issues along the way.
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