This article is intended to help you understand the basics of heating and lighting. Sometimes choosing the correct heating and lighting options can be a difficult and stressful thing. The below article is split up into three parts. Part 1, describes the different types of heaters and lights out there. Part 2, goes over setting them up and thermo regulation. Part3, goes over examples of setups for different species.
Types of lighting and heaters
Basking day bulb: The basking day bulb is a UVA heat producing light. They generally range from 40 watts to 150 watts. Basking day bulbs are great to produce heat spots to allow thermo regulation for most species of reptiles. You can also easily increase or decrease the temperature of the hot spot by increase/ decreasing the wattage, and/or increasing or decreasing the distance from the cage.
Day glow bulb: Sometimes called the day blue, day white bulb. This bulb is a standard rounded bulb that produces UVA rays and is great for producing ambient temperatures. They usually range in wattage from 25 watt to 150 watt.
Night glow bulb: These bulbs usually produce red color. They are not a sufficient source of UVA rays. They are best used to help hold up the ambient temperature in the cage, without interfering with your reptiles 12/12 photo period. They are somewhat of an essential up north and during the cooler months.
Night bask bulb: These bulbs are the same as the Night glow bulbs , except they produce a more concentrated beam of heat. Ceramic heat emitter: These bulbs produce no light and no UV rays. These are an excellent investment (depending on the circumstances). Most bulbs will last 3-5 years. These bulbs are best used when you want to produce ample heat with no light. They can also be used 24 hours a day.
Power Compacts: These lights produce both UVA and UVB rays. They generally come in two UVB rating 5.0 and 10.0. These lights are great for species that are in tall narrow tank setups suck as day geckos. They produce more then efficient UV rays, but have a very low heat output.
Reptile Halogens: These bulbs produce UVA rays, and more heat then regular basking bulbs. They also last about 2-3 times longer then regular . Many manufactures report the bulbs burn for an average of 2,000 to 2,500 hours.
ZooMed Powersun: Our favorite light of all times. These light have both a high UVB and UVA output. They are a self ballasted mercury vapor lamp, with an average light and UV output of 12 months. They are somewhat expensive but a wise investment for large enclosure and aviaries. Great for desert species and large tortoises.
ZooMed Turtle Tuff: This bulb is the basically a basic reptile halogen bulb. But it is splash resistant and will not be destroyed when wet. Slightly more expensive then standard reptile halogens but a wise investment for turtle keepers.
Fluorescent reptile bulbs: These bulbs generally range in size from 18” to 48”. They produce UVB rays and are essential for the metabolism of calcium. They should be replaced once every 6 months. We also recommend that you do not purchase these online. Fluorescent lights generally do not ship well. For these bulbs, you will need to purchased a fluorescent light fixture. We recommend that you do not purchase the fixture from your local pet shops. You can generally find these fixtures at your local hardware store or even Walmart at about 50% of the cost of a pet shop. Although they will generally not be as attractive. These lights produce very little to no heat.
Under tank heaters: These are a staple in the reptile trade. They generally produce heat about 20 degrees higher then room temperature. They are easily placed underneath the tank and produce 24 hours of heat. Great for snakes, nocturnal geckos, and invertebrates.
Heat Mats: The same as under tank heaters, but on steroids. These are great for large species of snakes like adult Burmese pythons and reticulated pythons.
Heat rope: The same concept as under tank heaters but in a rope. They are great for use in multiple tank setups or reptile racks. They can also be setup and wrapped around terrarium furniture, plus they are water proof. Remember when setting these up they generally come with about 6 ft of cool cord. Which runs from the plug to a part that is generally marked with a black or red line. This part of the rope produces no heat and is excluded from the marketed heat production measurement. So for example the ZooMed 14.75 ft heat cable is actually a 20.75 ft cable with 14.75ft of heat production.
Reptile thermostats and timers: These help regulate the temperature produced by your devices by inserting probe inside the tank. They are great for breeding, and are essential for heat tape. Timers are used to turn of certain lights and heating devices at certain times. We recommend just getting one from your local hardware store. They are generally about ½ the cost. Also most reptile hobbyist, don’t need them. They only time we use them is with feather picking birds, or with reptile/ amphibians we are breeding that need periodic and precise increase/ decrease in there photo period.
Natural sunlight: Yes, this comes in bottle no... J/K. There is no replacement for natural sunlight. When ever possible it’s always a good idea to give your herp pet some natural sunlight. Just remember, don’t place them in a glass tank and provide them with sufficient shade. Also, do not use during winter months either. We keep our tortoises outside almost year round once they get to a sufficient size. DO NOT put nocturnal species outside or amphibians (they don’t need it).
Setting it up
Okay, now that we have gone over the heating options, we are going to go over there importance and setting them up. Reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids are ecthotherms. That means that they cannot produce they’re own body heat therefore need to be temperature regulated by external factors. Factors such as sunlight, heat lights and under tank heaters. Mammals such as us are endotherms meaning that we can control our own body temperatures.
Now for thermoregulation. Thermoregulation in reptiles is one of the least understood and many times over look things in reptiles. Thermoregulation goes back to them being ectotherms. Since reptiles cannot regulate there body temperature, they must be allowed to move back and fourth or up and down, in ordered to regulate there body temperature. Thermoregulation is basically setup into three zones.
Basking: This is the side that has the highest temperature and should be on one far side opposite of the water bowl. Bulbs to use for basking spots are: Ceramic heat emitters, Basking bulbs and Halogen bulbs.
Ambient: Ambient is the overall temperature of the enclosure and is generally measured in the middle of the enclosure. Ambient bulbs will be the day light bulbs, our night time glows.
Cool Side: Cool side is the side on the far opposite of the basking side and should be where the water bowl is placed. No lighting required.
Here is an example of a proper thermoregulation setup for a bearded dragon setup in a 40 gallon breeder tank.
If you are facing the tank and it is in front of you. You would setup a 100 watt basking day bulb on the far left side of the tank. In the middle you would setup a 75 watt day glow bulb. Also you would include a 36” 5.0 rating or higher fluorescent bulb. This will allow the dragon to go to the right when he wants to cool down, or go to the left when he wants to warm up. One more important note: it is imperative when setting up the lighting that the UVB bulb reaches from one side to another. I have seen more then a hand full of medical cases of Metabolic Bone Disease, where the owner used a 18” bulb, when they needed a 48” one instead.
Setups
This part we are going to go over some examples of setups. We are not going to go to much into detail, for that email us at gaiaexotics.com and we will be more then willing to help you setup your species.
Nocturnal /terrestrial species: Example of these are most snakes and most geckos ( leopards, fat tails). We use and recommend either an under tank heater, heat cable or ceramic heat emitters. For these species they require no UV output just heat to allow them to regulate.
Arboreal diurnal species: Generally Reptisuns, Power compacts, or UVA and UVB combination. Remember when setting up the species, to put into consideration if they are a desert species, tropical, etc. Desert species will require a higher temperature and UV output, where as tropical/ neo tropical species will require lower temperatures and UV outputs.
Arboreal nocturnal species: These include nocturnal species such as tokay geckos. We recommend keeping it simple such as night time glow bulbs or night time basking bulbs. Arachnids: For large collections we just keep them in a warm room. Most species of arachnids do fine at room temperatures (70-80 degrees). Desert species are best kept warm by the use of under tank heaters.
Conclusion
We hope that this article helps you choose the correct type of heating/ lighting for your pet. If you do have questions or still need help please contact us, that’s what were are here for. Also not trying to bag on them… But generally do not trust your local pet shop employee. In addition to owning Gaia Exotics, I am also the exotic Veterinarian technician for a large mix animal practice in Florida, and the wildlife coordinator for a Florida based medical wildlife rescue program. There isn’t a day that goes by that I do not have an sick exotic come in because the pet shop employee set them up with the wrong diet, lighting, substrate etc. 3 out of 5 times these employees have no idea what they are doing. They just know they need to make a sale. So remember pet shop people = Idiots (generally). And Gaia Exotics, reputable breeders, and veterinarians = smart and indispensable resources. Not trying to bag on pet shops (I started off working for one as a kid). But until the owners better educate there employees and themselves. I will never recommend a pet shop as a reliable source of knowledge or expertise. I have seen way to many pets and owners suffer because of in correct information.
Remember, Gaia Exotics is here for you. So feel free to contact us with your questions. If you’re a pet shop feel free to send in the hate mail. If you’re the 2 out 5 good knowledge pet shops, I applaud you and think you will understand.
