Do you want to provide the best habitat for your ball python?
Do you want to ensure your ball python stays healthy and thrives in captivity?
When you are researching what you need to give your ball python the best home, you are likely to find you need to look into heat lamps.
But what are the best heat lamps for ball pythons?
There are so many options on the market, and we are here to help you sift through the options.
Please keep reading for more information and our reviews of heat lamps.
Table of Contents
Optimal Temperatures For Ball Pythons
Ball pythons, like other reptiles, are cold-blooded, meaning they rely on external temperatures to regulate their bodies and aid with bodily functions like digestion.
Because of this, the ball python will need a home with a temperature gradient to give them different options.
It is essential to maintain optimal temperatures in the ball python’s tank to help keep their health up.
The basking area in the tank should be between 95° to 105° degrees Fahrenheit (35° – 40° C), and the ambient temperature of the air needs to fall within a range of 82° and 86° degrees Fahrenheit (28° – 30° C).
At night, the temperatures in the enclosure should drop down to 72° to 78° degrees Fahrenheit (22° – 26° C).
To maintain warmer temperatures in the tank, you have a few choices, but heat lamps are one of the best options.
Do I Need A Heat Lamp For My Ball Python?
Heat lamps are a great way to simulate the sun, heat the air in the tank, or mimic natural day and night patterns.
It is good to have a timer or manually switch the heat lamp off and on to mimic those patterns.
A timer will also allow you to avoid interfering with your pet’s natural day and night cycles.
As discussed above, a heat lamp will help maintain temperatures in the tank, directly aiding your pet’s health and digestion.
In some cases, a heat lamp is not completely necessary if the temperature in your home is in the range.
But, it isn’t easy to maintain the required temperatures throughout the year, so a heat lamp is a great idea.
What To Know About Bulbs
Heat lamp bulbs will come in a variety of wattages.
This variety allows you the ability to reach and maintain the proper temperatures you need in the tank.
If you have a smaller tank, you will not need a bulb with a higher wattage, but the larger the tank, the larger the wattage will need to be.
In a small tank, too high of a wattage, like a 150-watt bulb, will make the tank too hot and can harm your ball python.
In addition to wattages, you also need to be aware of the kind of bulb you are purchasing.
Heat lamp bulbs will come in incandescent, white light, or infrared, red light.
A red light will help with sleep cycles, and incandescents are great for heating.
When using an incandescent light bulb, getting a heat lamp with a ceramic socket is best to prevent melting.
Incandescent light bulbs will get hot and melt a plastic socket, but ceramic won’t melt.
Our list also features options for ceramic heat emitters.
These do not provide any light, focusing only on heat.
Because they do not produce any light, you will be able to use them as a 24-hour heat source.
Reviews Of The Best Heat Lamps For Ball Pythons
Here we break down the best heat lamp options we have found for ball pythons.
These reviews are a great way to gather information, go over the pros and cons of each product, and help you shop with confidence.
Evergreen Pet Supplies 100 Watt UVA UVB Mercury Vapor Bulb
- Ideal Daylight Bulb For Your Critter: A Powerful source of heat and UVA / UVB / visible light - completely self-ballasted (no harmful UVC). Our mercury vapor bulb provides animals warmth & vitamin production necessary for health - just like daylight
- Ideal For A Wide Variety Of Reptiles And Amphibians: Our UVA UVB reptile light is ideal for bearded dragons, tortoises, turtles, geckos, snakes (pythons, boas, etc.), iguanas, lizards, chameleons, frogs, toads & more. An excellent reptile bulb!
- Compatible With Virtually All Enclosures: Our large UVA UVB bulb is compatible with a variety of enclosures, including vivariums, tanks, terrariums, vision cages, chicken coops, and more. Great for those in need of reptile UVB light and UVB bulbs (light for reptiles)
This bulb for a heat lamp is an excellent choice for your ball python’s tank.
If you are already the owner of a heat lamp, this bulb is an option you really should check out.
Not only will this bulb provide a powerful source of heat, but it also provides UVA and UVB high.
The company has tested this bulb to make sure it is good quality and works properly, offering a best-in-class lifespan for your pet.
This will work not only for your ball python but other reptiles and amphibians in your home, including bearded dragons, lizards, chameleons, frogs, turtles, and so many more.
It is also compatible with many enclosures from tanks, terrariums, vivariums, plus other types of enclosures you might have.
You will have to experiment with finding the proper placement when using this bulb to find the ideal location and desired temperature.
Before buying, be sure to check the bulb will fit in the socket of your heat lamp fixture.
The bulb should be used with a standard U.S. size ceramic socket designed to handle high-wattage bulbs.
You will not be able to use this with dimmers.
Pros For This Product
- Provides Great Heat
- Works With A Variety Of Enclosures
- Easy To Use With Standard U.S. Size Ceramic Socket
Cons For This Product
- Takes A Few Minutes To Heat Up
- Cannot Use With Dimmers
- More Expensive Than Other Members Of Our List
Exo Terra Repti-Glo 5.0 Compact Fluorescent Tropical Terrarium Lamp
- 26-watt compact fluorescent bulb ideal for all tropical and sub-tropical reptiles
- High UVB output effective up to 12 inches (30 cm)
- Provides necessary UVB rays for optimal calcium metabolism
Exo Terra’s Repti-Glo 5.0 is another excellent option when it comes to lighting in your ball python’s tank.
This bulb produces a UVB output effective up to 15″ inches.
With its low wattage, this bulb produces very little heat but instead provides UVB rays.
Using this bulb in conjunction with natural light or another bulb is recommended to give a well-rounded light output.
This bulb mimics the levels of UVB rays produced in shady environments like rain forests or tropical locations.
The bulb will fit in a standard screw fitting.
Pros For This Product
- Provides UVB Rays
- Very Inexpensive
- Works With A Standard Light Socket
Cons For This Product
- Produces Very Little Heat
Reptile Heat Lamp Bulb 60W Ceramic Heat Emitter
- ✔ Perfect 24 Hours Heat Sources – Ceramic heat emitter is a radiant heat source which creates a natural sunlike heat with a uniform pattern, last up to 10000 hours.
- ✔ 100% Heat Efficiency – Reptile heat lamp the long wave infrared heat produced by this emitter will warm reptiles very efficiently. It also increases the ambient air temperature in the terrarium.
- ✔ No Light Emitted – Reptile heat bulb does not disturb normal sleeping habits of reptiles, chickens coops and outside pets. Available for daily use.
Our next light source to make the list is the ceramic infrared heater.
This is a perfect 24-hour heat source providing radiant heat lasting up to 10,000 hours.
The tank’s ambient air temperature is essential for your ball python, and this heat emitter is an efficient way to provide the ideal temperatures.
Since there is zero light emitted with this product, only heat, your ball python’s day and night time cycles will not be disturbed.
This heat emitter does get very hot and will require you to let it cool down for at least an hour before you attempt to touch it.
Because it is so hot, you will also need to keep it the proper distance away from your snake and the enclosure.
If you have the lamp too close, you risk getting the tank too hot and even burning or otherwise injuring your ball python.
The ceramic lamp is made of pottery clay of high purity, making it an anti-crack product, and it Ok to use if humidity levels are high.
It is shaped with a flat face design to provide heat more efficiently, plus it will last longer than conical-shaped heat emitters.
This is because, with a conical-shaped design, the heat is not dispersed as well, causing an internal build-up of excess heat, leading to the carbonizing of the element inside.
We also like how these bulbs fit in a standard light socket.
Besides being used for reptiles, these bulbs keep a dog or cat warm outside or as a chick brooder.
Pros For This Product
- Flat Faced Design Provides An Efficient Heat Source
- Anti-Crack
- Long-Lasting Product
- Works As A 24 Hour Heat Source Without Interfering With Day And Night Cycles
- Low Wattage
- Fits In A Standard Light Socket
Cons For This Product
- This Product Gets Very Hot
- Needs To Be Kept At A Safe Distance So As Not To Overheat Or Harm Your Snake
80W 2 Pack Ceramic Heat Emitter Infrared Reptile Heat Lamp Bulb
Another option for a heat emitter is this option from Aomryom, and we especially like this product because it comes in a two-pack.
Whether you have multiple tanks you need to provide heat for or want a backup; the two-pack is a great option.
This is an 80-watt heat emitter providing radiant heat, with a flat-faced design made of high purity pottery clay.
Like the other heat emitter on our list, this one does not produce any light.
Use this as a 24-hour heat source, and since it does not produce any light will not interfere with the day and night cycle of your ball python or any other animal you choose to use this with.
The infrared heat produced from this ceramic heat emitter will penetrate the skin and scales of your pet to keep them healthy and happy.
Besides directly warming the ball python in your care, the heat emitter will also increase the ambient air temperature in the cage.
This product gets very hot.
You will need to install the heat emitter at a safe distance to avoid harming or burning your snake.
Also, never touch the product while in use and wait at least one hour before attempting to handle it.
Pros For This Product
- Flat Faced Design Provides An Efficient Heat Source
- Comes In A Two Pack
- Anti-Crack Due To Use Of A High Purity Pottery Clay
- Lasts Up To 9,0000-15,000 Hours Or More Of Use
- Use As 24 Hour Heat Source Without Interfering With Day And Night Cycles
- Fits In A Standard Light Socket
Cons For This Product
- Use Caution When Handling The Bulb As It Gets Very Hot
- You Will Have To Wait At Least An Hour After Turning Off Before Touching
- Install At A Safe Distance To Avoid Overheating Or Harming Your Snake
2pc Reptile Light Bulb 75W Reptile Infrared Basking Spot Lamp
This is one of our top choices for a bulb for a reason.
This two-piece 75-watt reptile light bulb is a great buy, and it effectively provides an even temperature in the enclosure.
This bulb’s ambient heat will help create a healthy environment and give your ball python just what it needs.
On top of this, it emits soft moonlight and won’t interfere as you try to provide and maintain a day and night cycle.
You will be able to use this light during evening hours to view the ball python as it goes about its business, and you won’t disturb any regular nocturnal routines.
Since ball pythons are most active in the twilight hours, this is the perfect choice for observing your pet.
We love how this bulb fits in a standard U.S. size socket, so you don’t have to worry about buying anything special to use it.
It is also free of toxic or other hazardous substances.
There are practices to employ to prolong the life of your lightbulb, but it has been noted these particular bulbs don’t last a considerable amount of time, and you will need to replace them, so have some extras on hand.
Pros For This Product
- Creates Ambient Heat To Promote An Even Temperature
- Allows You To Watch Your Ball Python In The Twilight Hours, When They Are Most Active
- Doesn’t Interfere With Their Nocturnal Routines Or Day And Night Cycles
Cons For This Product
- Doesn’t Always Last A Very Long Time
Conclusion
We hope you now have a better idea of the best choices for heat lamps and bulbs for your ball python.
Remember to look for an option fitting for your needs and set up of the tank.
With some good research and an understanding of what you need, you will better find the best heat lamp for your ball python and your home.
If you enjoyed the information in this post check out our other one on the best names for ball pythons.