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Best Insulation For Bearded Dragon Vivariums

Does your bearded dragon tank seem to always have cold spots despite your best efforts to heat it?

Are you looking for an affordable way to make your big reptile vivarium hold heat better in the cold, winter months?

Everything can seem fine with your tank until the cold weather comes.

Then you may wonder if it’s possible to insulate the enclosure, and if so, what the best insulation for a bearded dragon vivarium is.

Insulation for bearded dragon vivarium prevents heat from escaping and reflects heat into the tank.

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Read ahead for more details and our reviews below.


What To Look For In Bearded Dragon Tank Insulation

When you hear the word insulation, you may imagine the foam or pink panels you put between your siding and the walls of your house.

While the idea is solid, you don’t need to do anything this extreme for your beardy.

There are three main ways to trap more heat in a bearded dragon tank.

Thicker Layers – By adding a thicker layer, the heat doesn’t escape the sides or bottom of the tank as easily.

This will keep the heat in better and make the tank overall warmer.

This is the method most like the insulation analogy above.

Covering either the bottom or the sides of the tank with thicker material such as cork or a reptile carpet will make a noticeable difference in the temperature of the tank.

Solid Top – Most vivarium tops are some form of secure screen top.

And most of the time, this works fine.

The screen top will even help keep fresh air moving in the tank.

But if it’s just too cold, this is a huge source of heat loss.

After all, warmer air rises, and with a screen top, a lot of heat is escaping.

Replacing this top with a glass or other solid material will go a long way in keeping things warm.

Under the tank heater – Some may argue this doesn’t qualify as true insulation because you’re just adding another heater.

However, the heat rising from the bottom will do more to heat the colder lower parts of the tank in colder weather.

This doesn’t mean you should replace your basking light.

The beardy will still need it.

Learn more about what temperature a bearded dragon should be.


Review Of The Best Insulation For Bearded Dragon Vivarium

best insulation for bearded dragon vivarium

With the three main methods of insulation for bearded dragons in mind, we can turn to the products on our list.

In this section, we’ll break down each of the insulators and how they may be of use to you.

Reptile Carpet, Natural Coconut Fiber Mat

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This reptile carpet was made with pets in mind.

The affordable product is thick enough to use on the bottom of your tank and helps trap heat during cold weather.

It’s made from safe and natural coconut fiber.

It looks natural and is healthier than many other flooring alternatives.

The mat holds water and other droppings for easy cleaning.

All you need to do is wipe off, rinse with cold water, and dry.

Bearded dragons tend to eat flooring made of small pieces, but this won’t be a problem with this flooring.

Pros For This Product:

  • Affordable pricing
  • Easy cleanup
  • Provides some insulation
  • Natural and safe

Cons For This Product:

  • May collect mold over time

iPower Reptile Heat Mat

Reptile Heat Mat Under Tank Heater
  • Variety of uses: perfect for reptile, lizard, amphibian, small animal or plant terrariums. Also perfect for germination, home brewing, or Kampuchea Tea
  • Energy efficient: new PTC heating material and insulation increases overall heat transfer uniformly across the mat. Reach desired temperatures within minutes
  • Specifications: 8" X 18" Size, 120 volts, 24 watts, 6 ft. Power cord, US standard plug and No adapter needed
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This heating mat by iPower is a medium-priced item designed specifically for use in pet tanks such as reptiles.

The material by itself will help to insulate and trap in heat, but its heating element also heats the whole tent from the bottom up.

Sometimes in winter, the bottom of the tank will struggle to stay warm, but this product fixes it.

The 3M adhesive grip secures the mat in place and prevents the beardy from digging on it and moving it around.

It’s energy-efficient with a heating film for maximum heat release and insulation to prevent further heat loss.

It’s waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about your pet making a mess and breaking it.

The mat also comes with a 6′ foot power cord for easy connections.

Pros For This Product:

  • Insulates against heat loss
  • Gives off uniform heat
  • Good value for durability

Cons For This Product:

  • Needs to be plugged in

H2Pro Glass Canopy

H2Pro Glass Canopy 2Piece Set
  • Fits one side of 70/75/90/110gal marine land, perfecto, and Tetra Tank. There are different Aquarium manufactures. Please measure your tank opening to the closest millimeter before purchasing!
  • Dimensions per piece includes plastic strip: 22.68 x 16.93 x 0.16in (57.6 x 43 X 0.4cm)
  • Features new and improved Tempered glass; durable and reduces evaporation
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If you’re struggling with heating your tank and you don’t have a solid top, you need to get one like this H2Pro Glass Canopy.

This product was originally designed for aquariums, but with the right dimensions will fit your bearded dragon tank.

On top of this, the top is made from tempered glass, which is very effective at trapping heat and heating the tank well.

Going from a screen top to this will result in a huge temperature increase.

The plastic is trimmable somewhat to help fit different sized tanks.

Pros For This Product:

  • Great way to save heat when replacing the screen top
  • Easy to install
  • Fits different tanks

Cons For This Product:

  • You have to measure yourself for your specific tank

Zoo Med Natural Cork Tile Background

Knock out two problems with one product using this Zoo Med cork background.

The thick cork resists mold and bacteria, as well as preventing heat loss on its side of the vivarium.

This background comes in tiles or panels, so you just need to piece them together to fit the walls you want it to.

The natural cork is safe for bearded dragons, and the style is rugged and similar to the natural look of many bearded dragon pieces of furniture.

Pros For This Product:

  • Affordable
  • Insulates for heat retention
  • Easy to install
  • Safe and clean
  • Looks similar to natural bearded dragon style

Cons For This Product:

  • None were found at this time

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed learning about the best insulation for bearded dragon vivarium.

You don’t have to buy a whole new tank or stuff it with heaters to keep it warm; a few small tricks will do the job just fine.

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