Reptiles cannot make their own body heat, so the heat you provide runs their digestion, immune system and energy. Good heating means two things: a warm end and a cool end so the animal can choose its temperature, and a thermostat on every single heat source so that choice is never dangerous. This guide compares the heaters, explains the three kinds of thermostat, and shows where the probe goes.
The short version
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Basking bulb (halogen) Zoo Med Repti Tuff Splashproof Halogen Lamp, 75W (2 pack) Amazon - Basking bulb (halogen) Halogen flood basking bulb, 75W (E27) Amazon UK
- Deep heat projector Arcadia Deep Heat Projector Amazon
- Deep heat projector Arcadia Deep Heat Projector Amazon UK
- Ceramic heat emitter Zoo Med ReptiCare Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter, 100W Amazon
- Radiant heat panel Reptile radiant heat panel, ceiling mounted (about 40 to 80W) Amazon
- Radiant heat panel Reptile radiant heat panel, ceiling mounted (about 40 to 80W) Amazon UK
- Dimming thermostat Exo Terra Thermostat with Day and Night Timer (600 W) Amazon
- Dimming thermostat Habistat Dimming Thermostat, 600W Amazon UK
- On/off thermostat for heat mats Inkbird ITC-306T Heating Thermostat with Timer Amazon
- On/off thermostat for heat mats Inkbird ITC-306T Heating Thermostat with Timer Amazon UK
- Infrared temp gun Etekcity Lasergrip Infrared Thermometer Amazon
- Infrared temp gun Etekcity Lasergrip Infrared Thermometer Amazon UK
- Probe thermometer Exo Terra Digital Thermometer with probe Amazon
- Probe thermometer Exo Terra Digital Thermometer with probe Amazon UK
Surface heat vs air heat
Every heater warms the animal in one of two ways, and it helps to know which.
- Radiant heat from above shines down and warms whatever it lands on: the basking rock, the floor, the animal’s back. This is how the sun works.
- Contact heat from below warms the surface the animal lies on, and the animal through its belly.
Both raise the air temperature a little, but neither is mainly an air heater. That is why you measure the basking surface with a temp gun and the air with a probe thermometer.
ReptiFiles adds one more layer. Infrared comes in three bands. IR-A, from halogen bulbs and the sun, reaches deepest into the body. IR-B comes from halogen bulbs and deep heat projectors. IR-C, from deep heat projectors, ceramic emitters, radiant panels and heat mats, is the weakest and does not get past the skin surface. That is the reason halogen is the usual first choice for a basking spot.
The heat sources compared
| Heat source | Light? | What it warms | Best use | Thermostat type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halogen basking bulb | Yes, bright | Basking surface and the animal, deep heat | Daytime basking spot for lizards | Dimming |
| Deep heat projector | No | Surfaces below it, IR-B and IR-C | Overhead heat for snakes, night heat | Dimming or proportional |
| Ceramic heat emitter | No | Mostly the air and surfaces nearby | Night heat in a cold room | On/off, dimming or rheostat |
| Radiant heat panel | No | Floor and air below it | Background heat in solid-top enclosures | Dimming or proportional |
| Heat mat | No | Only the surface it touches | Belly heat in small or hatchling setups | On/off or pulse |
The thermostat column comes from ReptiFiles: panels and projectors should run on a dimming or proportional thermostat, while ceramic emitters can use a rheostat or an on/off thermostat.
Halogen basking bulbs
A halogen bulb in a dome over a flat stone is the standard basking spot for lizards like bearded dragons and leopard geckos. It gives bright light and deep heat at the same time, much like sunshine. It goes off at night with the lights.
Halogen basking bulb (US)
Zoo Med Repti Tuff Splashproof Halogen Lamp, 75W (2 pack)
A 75W halogen heat lamp from Zoo Med, sold as a two-pack. Halogen bulbs give the bright, intense heat that basking lizards use, and two side by side warm the whole body rather than one small spot.
- Type
- Halogen heat lamp
- Wattage
- 75W
- Pack
- 2 bulbs
- Rated life
- Up to 2,500 hours (per Zoo Med)
Best for
Building a basking spot in a US setup, two bulbs in two domes over a flat stone.
Worth knowing
Zoo Med markets it for turtle tanks, but it is a standard halogen heat bulb. Use a dome with a ceramic socket rated for the wattage, and always run it through a thermostat.
Halogen basking bulb (UK)
Halogen flood basking bulb, 75W (E27)
The UK equivalent of a halogen basking bulb: a 75W halogen flood with an E27 screw fitting. A flood spreads heat over a wider patch than a narrow spot bulb, which suits a dragon that basks full length.
- Type
- Halogen flood
- Wattage
- 75W (try 50W or 100W if the basking spot is too hot or too cool)
- Fitting
- E27 screw
Best for
UK keepers building a basking spot; two bulbs side by side cover a large adult.
Worth knowing
Pick a halogen flood made for reptile use, not a mercury vapor bulb (those cannot go on a thermostat). Run it through a dimming thermostat and fit a bulb guard inside a wooden viv.
Deep heat projectors
A deep heat projector looks like a bulb but gives off infrared with no visible light. It suits snakes and other animals that do not need a bright basking light, and it can run day and night. It gets very hot, so it needs a ceramic socket.
Deep heat projector
Arcadia Deep Heat Projector
A lamp that gives off infrared heat (IR-A and IR-B) with no visible light, so it can run by day and at night without disturbing the snake. Arcadia lists it for use with a dimming thermostat.
- Output
- Infrared A and B, no visible light
- Wattages
- 50 W and 80 W
- Fitting
- Screw (E26 in the US, E27 in the UK)
- Control
- Suitable for dimming thermostats (per Arcadia)
Best for
The main overhead heat source in a 4 ft enclosure, warming the hide and the ground below it.
Worth knowing
The surface gets very hot. It needs a ceramic holder, a guard if it is inside the enclosure, and a thermostat. Pick the wattage to suit your room and enclosure.
Ceramic heat emitters
A ceramic heat emitter screws into a lamp socket and gives heat with no light. It is mostly useful as night heat when your room gets colder than your species allows. The RSPCA suggests a non-light-emitting heater such as a ceramic for night heat for royal pythons.
Ceramic heat emitter (US)
Zoo Med ReptiCare Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter, 100W
A ceramic heater that gives off heat but no light. Zoo Med says it can raise the air temperature 10 to 20°F above the room. Use it only if your room gets colder at night than your sources allow.
- Type
- Ceramic infrared heat emitter (no light)
- Wattage
- 100W
- Effect
- Raises air 10 to 20°F above room temperature (per Zoo Med)
Best for
Cold homes where night temperatures in the enclosure fall below the range your vet or care sheet gives.
Worth knowing
It gets very hot, needs a ceramic-socket dome, and must run on a thermostat. Many homes never need it; measure first.
Radiant heat panels
A radiant heat panel screws flat to the ceiling of a solid-top enclosure. ReptiFiles notes these panels are built specifically to prevent contact burns, which makes them a good choice for PVC and wooden enclosures where there is no mesh top to hold a dome.
Radiant heat panel
Reptile radiant heat panel, ceiling mounted (about 40 to 80W)
Not one product but the type to shop for: a flat panel that screws to the ceiling of a solid-top enclosure and gives off heat with no light. ReptiFiles notes that radiant panels are built to prevent contact burns, which makes them a safe choice for background warmth.
- Output
- Infrared heat, no light
- Mounting
- Screws to the enclosure ceiling
- Look for
- Built-in thermal cut-out, guarded face
- Control
- Dimming or pulse proportional thermostat
Best for
Ambient and night heat in PVC or wooden enclosures, where there is no mesh top to hold a dome lamp.
Worth knowing
It needs a solid ceiling to mount to and a dimming or proportional thermostat. One maker says a 40W panel suits a 4 x 2 ft enclosure in a room above 75°F (24°C), with 80W for colder rooms; check the maker's own sizing.
Heat mats
A heat mat warms only the patch it touches. The RSPCA suggests mats for small hatchling snake setups, on an on/off thermostat with the probe directly over the mat, and either a mat guard or the mat placed under the enclosure so the snake cannot touch it. The MSD Veterinary Manual says heat pads should cover no more than 30% of the floor, so there is always somewhere cooler to go. PetMD adds that an under-tank pad needs substrate between it and the animal.
Heat mat
Zoo Med ReptiTherm Under Tank Heater
A stick-on heat mat for the underside of a glass tank, sold in sizes matched to tank volume. Zoo Med lists the small pad at 6 x 8 inches and 8 watts for 10 to 20 gallon tanks.
- Mounting
- Adhesive, under a glass tank
- Small size
- 6 x 8 in, 8W, 10 to 20 gallons
- Control
- Thermostat required
Best for
Belly heat under the warm hide, alongside overhead heat.
Worth knowing
Always run it through a thermostat with the probe inside the warm hide. An uncontrolled mat can burn a gecko.
Why every heat source needs a thermostat
A heater on its own just keeps getting hotter until the room, the season or a failure decides otherwise. A thermostat reads a probe and cuts the power when the set temperature is reached.
The RSPCA says a thermostat must be used with every heat source. The MSD Veterinary Manual says the same, and warns that temperatures only 10°F (about 6°C) above a species’ upper limit can kill some animals. Heat lamps, it adds, should be used with extreme caution because overheating is common.
Dimming, on/off and pulse proportional
| Type | How it works | Use it with |
|---|---|---|
| Dimming | Turns the power up or down smoothly | Halogen bulbs and deep heat projectors. The light stays steady instead of flicking. |
| On/off | Full power until the set point, then off | Heat mats and ceramic emitters. It makes light bulbs flash on and off, so not for basking bulbs. |
| Pulse proportional | Rapid bursts of full power, shorter as it nears the set point | Non-light heaters: mats, ceramics, radiant panels. It makes bulbs flicker. |
Many thermostats combine modes. Exo Terra’s 600W unit, for example, offers dimming and pulse proportional control with separate day and night settings switched by a light sensor on the probe.
Dimming and pulse thermostat (US)
Exo Terra Thermostat with Day and Night Timer (600 W)
A reptile thermostat that offers both dimming and pulse-proportional control, so it can run a heat lamp smoothly or a non-light heater such as a ceramic emitter or radiant panel. A built-in timer lets you set a lower target at night.
- Max load
- 600 W
- Control modes
- Dimming and pulse proportional
- Timer
- Day and night settings
Best for
Controlling a Deep Heat Projector, halogen lamp or ceramic emitter in a US setup.
Worth knowing
Put the probe where the snake actually sits (in or by the warm hide), and check it against a separate thermometer.
Dimming thermostat (UK)
Habistat Dimming Thermostat, 600W
A dimming thermostat made for light-emitting heat bulbs. Instead of switching the bulb on and off, it turns the power up or down to hold the temperature, so the light stays steady.
- Type
- Dimming thermostat
- Max load
- 600W
- Min load
- 40W
- Made for
- Light-emitting heat bulbs
Best for
UK setups running halogen basking bulbs.
Worth knowing
It needs a minimum load of 40W, so it will not run a very small bulb on its own.
Pulse thermostat for non-light heaters (UK)
Habistat Pulse Proportional Thermostat
A UK thermostat that feeds a heater short, fast pulses of full power and changes their length as the temperature nears the set point. That holds a steadier temperature than plain on/off switching. Habistat makes it for heaters that give no light.
- Control
- Pulse proportional
- Use with
- Ceramic heaters, heat mats, heat cables
- Not for
- Light-emitting bulbs
Best for
UK keepers running a ceramic heat emitter, radiant heat panel or heat mat.
Worth knowing
Not for bulbs that give light: the pulsing makes them flicker. Use a dimming thermostat for halogen basking lamps and deep heat projectors.
On/off thermostat for heat mats
Inkbird ITC-306T Heating Thermostat with Timer
A plug-in on/off thermostat with a probe and two heating outlets, plus day and night time periods with separate targets. On/off control suits heat mats and other heaters that do not give off light.
- Control
- On/off, heating only
- Outlets
- 2 (heating)
- Max output
- 10 A
- Timer
- Day and night set points
Best for
Keeping a heat mat or heat cable under safe control, as a low-cost option.
Worth knowing
On/off control makes a light bulb flash on and off, so use a dimming stat for any lamp that gives light. Tape the probe in place so it cannot be moved.
Where the probe goes
Put the probe where you want the temperature held, at animal level.
- Overhead heat: the RSPCA says the probe sits just above the substrate where the animal sits, under the heat source. The MSD Veterinary Manual also says to check the temperature just above the substrate where the pet rests.
- Heat mat: directly over the mat, inside the warm hide if there is one.
- Fix it in place. A probe that gets moved or buried reads the wrong spot, and the thermostat then drives the heater too hard or too soft.
Temp guns vs probe thermometers
The RSPCA warns that thermostats are not always accurate and says to record temperatures daily. That means owning separate thermometers, not just reading the thermostat’s display.
- Infrared temp gun: reads a surface in a second. Use it on the basking stone and the cool floor. ReptiFiles says to take readings once the heat has been on for about three hours.
- Digital probe thermometer: reads the air where the probe sits, and many models store the highs and lows. The MSD Veterinary Manual says every enclosure should have at least two thermometers; VCA suggests one at each end.
ReptiFiles’ advice is to use both, because each reads something the other cannot.
Infrared temp gun
Etekcity Lasergrip Infrared Thermometer
A handheld infrared thermometer that reads surface temperature without touching it. That is the reading that matters for a basking stone, which gets hotter than the air above it.
- Measures
- Surface temperature, no contact
- Units
- °F and °C
- Use
- Basking spot, cool end and night checks
Best for
Checking the basking surface and the cool end in seconds.
Worth knowing
It reads surfaces, not air. Pair it with a probe thermometer, and take readings once the lamps have been on for a few hours.
Probe thermometer
Exo Terra Digital Thermometer with probe
A small digital thermometer with a remote probe and minimum/maximum memory, so you can see how cold the enclosure got overnight without being up to check.
- Type
- Digital, remote probe
- Units
- °C and °F
- Memory
- Minimum and maximum
Best for
Leaving in place to track air temperature at the cool end and overnight lows.
Worth knowing
One probe reads one spot. Use two (warm and cool end) or move it around during your first week.
Night heat
Many homes stay warm enough that no night heat is needed. The RSPCA, for example, says corn snake heat can be switched off at night as long as the enclosure stays around 16 to 20°C (61 to 68°F). Check your species’ night range on its page, then measure your room before buying anything. A thermometer with min and max memory shows you the coldest point of the night without staying up to watch it.
If you do need night heat, it must give no light. The RSPCA recommends a non-light-emitting heater such as a ceramic, on a thermostat. Red, blue and purple “night” bulbs still give off light and break up the dark period, so we leave them out.
Burn and fire safety
Burns are one of the most common heating injuries, and they are preventable.
- No heat rocks. PetMD calls basking “hot rocks” among the most dangerous heating methods and the most common cause of burns in reptiles. VCA and the MSD Veterinary Manual also say not to use them.
- Reptiles do not always move away. PetMD explains that reptiles often fail to pull away from dangerously hot surfaces, and that a burn can take days to show.
- Keep bulbs out of reach. VCA advises placing heat sources outside the enclosure, over a screen top, so the animal cannot touch the bulb. The RSPCA says heat lamps must be guarded, to prevent burns and injuries if a bulb shatters. In a wooden or PVC vivarium, where lamps mount inside, that means a wire guard around every bulb.
- Use the right fitting. Heat bulbs and projectors need a ceramic socket. Check the maximum wattage printed on the dome against your bulb.
- Keep climbing decor low under any lamp, so the animal cannot get its back against the mesh or the guard.
- Do not cover a heat mat’s wiring or run cables where water can reach them. Plug everything into a power strip you can see.
Dome with ceramic socket
Exo Terra Reptile Dome Fixture, Large (PT2349)
An aluminum reflector dome with a heat-resistant ceramic socket and a 6 ft cord with an inline switch. It holds a basking bulb or ceramic heater over the mesh top of an enclosure.
- Diameter
- 21 cm (about 8.3 in)
- Socket
- Heat-resistant ceramic
- Cord
- 180 cm (6 ft) with inline switch
- Model
- PT2349
Best for
Holding halogen basking bulbs over a mesh top; buy two for a two-bulb basking spot.
Worth knowing
Check the maximum wattage printed on the fixture against your bulb. The dome sits on mesh, so the mesh will block some heat and light.
By species
- Leopard gecko: halogen over a flat stone, plus a mat under the warm hide if wanted. See leopard gecko lighting and heating.
- Bearded dragon: two halogen bulbs side by side for a full-body basking spot. See bearded dragon lighting and heating.
- Ball python: a deep heat projector or radiant panel on a proportional thermostat. See ball python lighting and heating.
- Crested gecko: often no added heat at all in a normal room; overheating is the bigger risk. If the room runs cold, a low-wattage heat source on a thermostat. See crested gecko lighting and heating.
- Corn snake: a halogen over the basking spot as the main heat, with a mat under a hide only as a backup. See corn snake lighting and heating.
- Veiled chameleon: a basking bulb over the top branches on a dimming thermostat, and no heat at the bottom of the enclosure. See veiled chameleon lighting and heating.
See a reptile vet about any burn, however small it looks. This page is general guidance, not veterinary advice.
A heater makes the warmth; a thermostat makes it safe; a thermometer tells you the truth. Buy all three together, every time.