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"Pet Bearded Dragon Care & Information (Pogona vitticeps)"

Bearded Dragon Heat & Heating Accessories

Bearded Dragon Heating

By taking a closer look at the Australian deserts (and most other deserts for that matter) you can get an idea of the type of climates Bearded dragons live in. I can tell you that these deserts have no place for sissies. With mid-day temperatures rising to around 40 ºC / 104 ºF and night time temperatures dropping to as to as low as 17 ºC / 63 ºF it can be quite a challenge to adapt. The same goes for recreating these Bearded dragon temperatures in captivity.

Bearded Dragon Heating Accessories

Fortunately Bearded dragon heating can be controlled quite efficiently in captivity. Compact lighting as a Bearded dragon heat source is probably the second biggest advance leading to  the keeping of Bearded dragons as pets (first being the production of Bearded dragon ultraviolet lighting).

In a small terrarium it is generally only necessary to increase the temperatures to create the recommended upper temperature range for Bearded dragons. If this is done properly and the recommended enclosure size is used, the temperature gradient will follow naturally. Remember that it is recommended to create a 40 ºC / 104 ºF hot spot on one side with a 24 - 34 ºC / 75 - 93 ºF temperature gradient towards the other side.

Most smaller vivariums will only need a single primary Bearded dragon heat source installed on one side to reach hot spot temperatures. 

Popular Bearded Dragon Heating Equipment

A very popular way to create a Bearded dragon hot spot is by using a single spotlight shining over the basking area. This Bearded dragon heat lamp or spotlight fitting is mounted about 20 cm / 7.8 " above and shined directly on the basking rock. By using a thermometer or a thermostat the temperatures can be closely monitored.

Bearded Dragon Heat Lamps

Various incandescent heat light sources or so called basking lamps has been used for Bearded dragon heating. My advice is, if it cause the desired increase in environmental temperature it is adequate. Some people believe only in more expensive infra red heating bulbs available from pet shops, but regular cheaper spotlight bulbs available from most shops also works fine.

Other Bearded Dragon Heating Equipment

A Bearded dragon heat pad or heat strip and Bearded dragon heat rock can also be used for this purpose but these heating accessories are generally less desired.

A Bearded dragon heating pads rarely reach high enough temperatures to be used as a primary Bearded dragon basking heat source. Another disadvantage it that can only be mounted below a thin layer of substrate with a high heat conduction ratio. Heat strips and heat pads are thus both inefficient and unpractical Bearded dragon heaters.

Bearded dragon heat rocks has been proven to come with a lot of potential problems. Electric wiring has been a problem and some Heat rock brands shows unpredictable temperatures, making them a potential danger as a Bearded dragon heater. A Bearded dragon heat rock also has the disadvantage of only heating from the bottom, and not from both sides as with a Bearded dragon heat lamp.

The Advanced Bearded Dragon Manual
For Basic & Advanced Bearded dragon care incl. Bearded dragon heating accessories & more...
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