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Top 4 Best Heat Lamps For Bearded Dragons

Do you want to make sure your bearded dragon is happy and healthy?

Are you looking for the best heat bulb for bearded dragons to make life better for you and your pet?

We can help!

There are a lot of heat lamps out there for sale geared towards reptile pets.

But this doesn’t mean they’re all right for bearded dragons.

It’s essential to get one to provide the right wattage and temperature for the desert-dwelling lizards.

If it’s not, your beardy may end up getting sick.

This is why we looked and found the best heat lamps for bearded dragons.

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Read on for more details and our review below. 


Temperature Guidelines For Bearded Dragons

Heat lamps are to keep your bearded dragon’s tank up at the right temperature range.

This is important for these desert-dwelling creatures since bearded dragons cannot go long extended periods without heat.

A bearded dragon tank should be kept at an overall temperature range of 90° – 95° degrees Fahrenheit (32° – 35° C) during the day.

The basking spot should be closer to 100° degrees Fahrenheit (38° C).

At night, turn the heat lamps off, but you still need to make sure the temperature doesn’t dip below 65° degrees Fahrenheit (18° C).

On top of this, bearded dragons spend so much time in the wild under the sun, they’ve evolved the ability to absorb a vast amount of nutrients through UV rays.

On the downside, this means you need to provide a lot of artificial UV through bulbs.

They don’t have to come with your heat lamp, but there are bulbs made to give off heat and the UV rays.

Pro-tip: Use a timer switch to help control the lamps for day and night.

This makes it easier for you, and it prevents potential danger if you forget to turn the lights back on again in the morning.


What Watt Should A Light Bulb Be For Bearded Dragons?

Before you look into the right heat lamps, you need to know what wattage of heat lamp for bearded dragons you should get.

Remember, this light should keep the ambient temperature of the tank at 90° – 93° degrees Fahrenheit (32° – 34° C) during the day.

So make sure it fits in this range for wattage.

The higher the wattage, the more heat the bulb gives off.

The general answer to this question is between 50-150 watts.

It all depends on how large your tank is and how close the bulb is to the beardy itself.

A general number to aim for is 75 watts.

This is an excellent place to start as it will heat most tanks, but it won’t burn your bearded dragon.

Pro-tip: Start with this wattage and then notice the temperature as it stays on.

Use one of the best thermometers for bearded dragons.

Adjust as you notice it gets too hot or too cold.

You may also want to consider a night light bulb which keeps the from dipping below the 65° degrees Fahrenheit (18° C) mark.

This one by Exo Terra works well in my experience.


Review Of The Best Heat Lamps For Bearded Dragon

In this section, we’ll discuss each of our picks for the best heat lamps.

Keep these features in mind as you read and shop, and then make your purchase with confidence.

best heat lamp for bearded dragon

Zoo Med Deluxe Porcelain Clamp Lamp

Zoo Med DLX Porcelain Clamp Lamp (Blk UL Listed) 5.5"
  • 5.5 inch ceramic reptile lamp
  • The ceramic socket is rated up to 100 watts
  • Includes on/off switch on the cord for greater convenience
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This heat lamp by Zoo Med is a simple but effective heat lamp for your bearded dragon tank setup.

The lamp comes in 5.5″ or 8.5″ widths to fit the size of your tank. 

A ceramic socket gives this lamp more heat efficiency and can handle up to the hotter 100-watt varieties.

On the lamp itself, is an easy-to-use on/off switch which makes finding the switch at night easier. 

The domes of the heat lamp are critical to how much light and heat are given.

Zoo Med’s choice to make this dome out of polished aluminum increases light, heat, and UV output by around 30%.

Choose the bulb you use with it to match your tank’s size.

If you have a large tank, get a higher wattage.

This lamp itself is used with heat bulbs, ceramic heat emitters, and UVB bulbs.

Pros For This Product

  • Heats efficiently
  • Ceramic socket handles different wattages
  • Switch is easy to use
  • Clamp is simple but useful

Cons For This Product

  • Over-use of ceramic emitters may damage the lamp
  • Lamp is heavy

Wuhostam 50W 2 Pack Ceramic Heat Lamp

Wuhostam 50W 2 Pack Ceramic Heat Lamp
  • This 50W black infrared heat lamp is made of solid ceramics element, it has a perfect heat radiation feature and no light emitted 24hr Heat Source 100% Heat Efficiency
  • This heat lamp's input voltage is AC 90-120V, power is 50-Watts, full size is diameter 3.14 inch x height 4.13 inch
  • This ceramic heat bulb is simple and easy to install, just screw it into a standard porcelain E26 screw socket (ATTENTION: Use only with a porcelain socket, because the plastic socket may melt the lamp holder), great for pet, coop, chicken, lizard, turtle, birds, snake, chameleon, bearded dragon
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Wuhostam’s 50W ceramic bulbs may be just what you’re looking for.

The ceramic nature of the emitter makes it specific to heating enclosures such as a bearded dragon tank.

If you already have a heat lamp itself, these are the bulbs you may want to use.

The black ceramic of these emitters is ideal for radiating heat efficiently.

Many bearded dragon owners prefer using ceramic because it dramatically decreases the chance of burning, dehydration, and harming the reptile.

The emitter isn’t a light bulb.

It emits no light or UV, so the purpose of the ceramic is to heat the tank.

To use it, all you need to do is screw it into a standard heat lamp.

You should make sure the socket is porcelain or (less ideal) another ceramic socket.

Anything less than these may result in the melting of the socket, lamp, and holder.

These ceramic emitters are used with bearded dragons, but use them with other animal enclosures as well, including:

  • Chicken
  • Turtle
  • Birds
  • Other lizards
  • Snakes
  • Chameleons

The size of the emitter is 3.14″ in diameter and 3.94″ in height.

Be sure your current lamp can handle this. 

Wuhostam claims this heat emitter could last for 15,000 hours or longer without burning out.

1.71 years without stopping!

While this isn’t exactly proven, I can say they do last for a LONG time.

Warning! It takes a while for this to cool down.

Don’t touch it for one hour after you turn it off.

Pros For This Product

  • Very long life span
  • Heats the tanks well
  • Easy to use with ceramic or porcelain sockets
  • Great value

Cons For This Product

  • Not for use with plastic sockets
  • Doesn’t emit UVB or light

Zilla Premium Reflector Domes

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Zilla’s premium reflector domes are an easy to use and affordable heat lamp dome.

These heat lamps have powder-coated black or silver finish on the outside.

The inside is a reflective white.

Not only does this look nice, but, more importantly, it protects the luster and life of the light.

The white inside does an excellent job of reflecting and disbursing heat from the bulb or emitter of your choosing.

Buy this Zilla product in both 5.5″ and 8.5″ varieties and silver or black finish.

The heat lamp can handle incandescent, fluorescent, and ceramic heat emitters or bulbs.

This is because the socket is ceramic, which can handle high heat from the bulbs much better than plastic or lesser metals.

This lamp is easy to clamp onto the tank with a durable spring clip and plugin.

The cord is 6′ long and has an easy-to-use on/off switch on the cord itself.

Zilla includes a one year warranty with this product.

Pros For This Product

  • Disburses heat well and efficiently
  • Strong clip for secure lamp
  • Handles different types of bulbs
  • White dome reflects heat and UVB
  • The cord is long and convenient for plugging in

Cons For This Product

  • Cord quality is iffy; it may crack over time

Exo Terra Breeder Basking 4pk Halogen Basking Spot Lamp 75W

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These Exo Terra basking bulbs cost more, but the quality is so high this makes it a great value.

When you buy this 4-pack of halogen bulbs, you’re getting a steady 75 watts to heat any small, medium, or medium-large enclosure.

Exo Terra designed this bulb to be highly energy-efficient and cover a broad spectrum.

This means it heats in different ways, including through infrared levels. 

As a basking bulb, it gives off heat and UVB rays.

This bulb is best placed in a lamp directly above the basking spot to get it to the 95° – 100° degrees Fahrenheit (35° – 38° C) amount.

Exo Terra claims this bulb and its UV rays can help stimulate breeding and calm the bearded dragons.

While this is a lofty claim, it IS true a suitable, stable temperature and UV exposure makes bearded dragons more relaxed, healthier, and happier.

These bulbs are hot, and while they may not need a specialized socket, a ceramic or porcelain socket would be able to handle this heat better.

Pros For This Product

  • Heats very well
  • Gives off UV rays
  • Perfect for basking
  • Easy to install and use
  • Uses energy more efficiently

Cons For This Product

  • Higher price

Conclusion

Now you know the best heat lamps for bearded dragons.

Keep in mind what you’re looking for in your setup and what watt heat bulb you need for your size of the tank, and your pet will be happy and warm!

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