Bearded Dragon Cages

Beardies require a temperature gradient in their enclosures because they can not regulate their body temperature like. They have to thermo regulate, which means they have to move between areas of different temperatures to regulate their internal temperature. To produce heat and a basking spot in your case, you can use a ceramic heat emitter, a reptile basking light (red, blue or white) or just a plain old household light bulb.

The best device for one of these choices is a porcelain
ceiling light fixture. This type of device is a must with a ceramic heat emitter due to the amount of heat they produce. The temperature of this place you have created pilgrim should be approximately 110oF for youth and may be about 95oF for adults.

Your Beardie also need a space to cool it's too hot. At the other end of the tank, you should try to keep the temperature around 75-85oF. A few degrees in this temperature are very good. Night time should not be allowed to go below 60oF, while 70-75OF is more comfortable for them. Do not guess the time - you can cook or freeze your Beardie! Use a good thermometer, one on the cold side and one near the basking site.

A thermometer on the hot end and another on the cold part of the enclosure will ensure that your time is of the order they should be in. Do not use hot rocks as they are potentially dangerous! Dragons do not feel the heat of their stomachs, and can be burned to death without realizing.

A good source of heat for the night is a ceramic heating element (CHE). HEC is non-light emitting heaters. They become very hot but disperse heat on 15 very narrow (diameter) and shallow areas. The range of 60 watt CHE is 8 "down, the range of 100 watt CHE is 10" to low range for CHE 150 watt 12 "down, and the range of 250 watt 14" down.

HEC are not effective for heating large enclosures and a rheostat or dimmer switch may be used for small enclosures so as not to overheat. It is very important that Che only be used in porcelain / ceramic sockets as the amount of heat they produce is enough to melt regular plastic sleeves.