Bearded dragons are ectotherms or cold-blooded, meaning that they regulate their body temperature depending on external ambient or environmental temperature. Their most preferred body temperature is 34–35 degrees Celsius.
If you live in places with colder weather, you need to use various heating sources to warm your bearded dragons. Some of the familiar terrarium heat sources are:
- Infrared lamps
- Incandescent bulbs (halogen basking lambs)
- Ceramic heaters
- Mercury vapor lamps
- Metallic halide lamps
- Heat pads or mats
- Heat rocks
- Heating cable or strips
- Space heaters
- Reptile deep heat projectors
We have a separate post that elaborates more on these heat sources. See terrarium, vivarium, or tank heat sources.
On the other hand, if you want to buy a heat lamp or heating device (heater) for your bearded dragons, we have the best 9 bearded dragon heat lamps and heaters.
Basking temperature and gradient
To properly keep your bearded dragons warm, you need to create a thermal gradient with a hotter basking side and a cooler side inside their terrariums. This way, they will be able to warm and cool themselves.
Such an arrangement demands a correct vivarium size (volume and dimensions). For instance, if you have a small tank, it may be impossible to create a temperature gradient. This challenge also applies to tall cages with a smaller surface area (shorter ones). Therefore, ensure your enclosure is long enough.
Also, depending on nighttime temperatures, you may need heater, especially those that don’t emit light.
Bearded dragon basking area – Heat and light
Ideal daytime basking conditions should have a sun-like visible light and a source of heat. You should also overlap the basking area with a UVA/UVB light source. Some basking bulbs can produce light, warmth, and UV rays while others do not.
The ideal basking area temperature should be 100 -110 °F (about 38- 43 °C) and the warmer end. This temperature should not be the temperature of the air below the heating bulb but on the basking platform surface.
In the case of small hatchling, a temperature of 95 -100 °F is sufficient, implying you need to go for a lower wattage bulb or put it a little far from their basking area.
Therefore, ensure you invest in the right heating lamp (basking lights, basking bulbs, or spotlights) that can maintain this temperature range. We will see some of the best brands later in the discussion.
Secondly, you need to create an elevated basking surface directly below the heat source. A basking spot can be stable and easy to climb rock, slate, log, or branch. It should be large enough to allow this pet to stretch and encourage longer basking time.
We recommend a basking rock since it absorbs and retains heat well. Also, it will help wear your pet’s nail, reducing the need to trim them frequently. Remember that sharp claws can easily break their skin, leading to wounds.
Thirdly, ensure the heating source is well guarded or inaccessible by your bearded dragons as it will burn them if they go so near or touch it.
Maintain the recommended distance between your basking rock and heat source since putting it nearer or further will influence on the surface temperature achieved.
Behaviorally, it is normal for these pets to gape once it has reached its optimal temperature. Don’t worry.
Finally, install a thermometer and a thermostat to help regulate the temperature. Temperatures higher than 45℃ will make your beardie to overheat, something that is fatal. Also, the bulb should not shatter as it will burn or injure them.
Cooler side temperature
Here, you need another heat lamp set to a lower temperature. Ideally, set the temperature on the cooler side to be about 75-90°F (about 24 to 32°C). It should cover only 20-30% of your tank’s surface area. However, if you have a small vivarium, you may not need a bulb on this side.
These second warmth source should have slightly lower a wattage than that on the basking area.
Also, on the colder side, you need a thermometer and thermostat and guard the bulb to avoid burns, or these pets cannot reach the bulbs.
Finally, the cooler side should be sheltered or has a shade. Something like the hammock, artificial plants, hideouts, etc., can help in creating a shadow.
Do bearded dragons need heat at night?
During the night, you should turn off the basking lamps as well as the UVB lights since these pets will sleep well in darkness. A digital plug timer such as Zilla Reptile Habitat Lighting & Terrarium Heat Power Center will help you turn these lamps on and off during the night and day cycle.
Whether to warm your vivarium at night or not will depend on the ambient temperature. These pets can tolerate temperatures as low as 65°F (about 18°C) and above. Therefore, should temperatures fall way below 65°F, such as below 60°F (15.5°C), you need a heating system.
Since you don’t need light as they will disrupt these pets’ sleep and wake cycle, to warm their vivarium, go for ceramic under tank heaters. We prefer ceramic.
Once you have one, set the temperature to 65 °F and 75°F, with the ideal one being 21°C (70°F). You will need a thermostat to help maintain this temperature range.
Otherwise, if the nighttime temperatures remain above 65°F, you don’t need a nighttime vivarium heating.
While some may advise you to use duvet or blanket to keep this pet warm, while it may work, ensure it doesn’t affect ventilation to avoid humidity build-up.
Can I use red, blue, or purple heat bulbs at night?
Ceramic heaters supplemented by under the tank or heat cables (strips) are the best options touse at night. However, some people go for incandescent blue, red, or purple heat bulbs, including the moonlight or night glow bulbs. There is no consensus on their effect on your bearded dragon’s sleep.
However, since these pets require darkness to sleep well, avoid them as they may disrupt your pet’s sleep making them an insomniac. Also, painted bulbs are not ok.
Finally, these pets are not nocturnal. You don’t have to use the red incandescent bulbs to keep them warm. Such should be for nocturnal pets.
What else?
Besides maintaining correct terrarium temperature, bearded dragons need UV light and should be feed properly with the right food (prey food, greens and veggies, and safe plants and flowers, and fruits).
Also, you must house them in a correct tank size with a safe substrate, humidity, some enrichment or furniture, water bowl, and feeding bowls.