Frequently asked questions

It depends entirely on the species and on whether the animal is terrestrial or arboreal. The published adult minimums for the four species we cover are 6 ft L x 2 ft W x 2 ft H (1.8 x 0.6 x 0.6 m), or 24 cubic feet of internal volume for a bearded dragon, 36 x 18 x 18 in with at least 4.5 sq ft of floor space for a leopard gecko, 48 x 24 x 24 in (120 x 60 x 60 cm), about 8 sq ft of floor area for an adult ball python and 18 x 18 x 36 in for juveniles and adults over 12 g for a crested gecko. The full size chart is here.

Because gallon ratings hide the shape. Two 20-gallon tanks, one tall and one long, have the same rating and very different floor areas - and floor area is what the published minimum for a terrestrial species is actually stated in. 4.5 sq ft, the leopard gecko figure, is 648 square inches.

Yes, and it is the clearest yes of the four species here. Bearded dragons are open-sun baskers at the top of Ferguson Zone 3 and the published target is UVI 4.0-4.5 at the basking surface. Full answer.

They are less dependent on it than diurnal species, and the current evidence is that low-level UVB benefits them - they bask under it when offered. The target is UVI 0.5-1.5 at the basking spot, and no more than UVI 0.5-0.7 for albino and patternless morphs, which can be burned by excess. Full answer.

Not strictly - they can live on a quality prepared diet - and the published guidance recommends it anyway, at UVI 1.0-2.0 at the basking branch at the basking branch. Full answer.

It depends on the lamp, the fixture and how much your mesh blocks. Published figures range from 6 inches for a low-output gecko lamp to 18 inches for a high-output desert lamp with no mesh. The complete distance table is here.

Wattage is the wrong specification - it describes power draw, not ultraviolet output. Choose by output class and mount distance against the species Ferguson zone target.

Every 12 months for a T5 fluorescent. UVB output declines long before the visible light does, so a bulb still looking bright tells you nothing. More here.

Not yet. Reptile lighting researchers have concluded the technology is not ready for safe use with reptiles, whatever a manufacturer claims. Use T5 fluorescent.

For a bearded dragon, 108-113 F (42-45 C) surface temperature - measured as a surface temperature with an infrared gun, not an air reading. For a leopard gecko, 94-97 F (34-36 C) surface; warm hide 90-92 F (32-33 C). For a ball python the published figures are hide temperatures: Warm hide 86-90 F (30-32 C).

Yes. An uncontrolled heat source has no upper limit other than equilibrium with the room, which is a burn risk to the animal and a fire risk to the enclosure. The control type must match the source: dimming or pulse-proportional for a light-emitting lamp, on/off only for a lightless emitter or mat.

Yes, and there are three specific failure modes: an uncontrolled heat source with no thermostat, a fixture failing or contacting combustible material, and overloaded or damaged wiring. All three are controllable. The safety guide covers each.

No. Contrary to a persistent belief, reptiles do see light from colored night bulbs and it disrupts their sleep and wake cycle. If you need night heat, use a lightless ceramic heat emitter in a guarded fixture. More here.

The evidence is more nuanced than the usual warning. The published position identifies dehydration, low basking temperatures and parasite load as the causes, citing a 2017 retrospective study of 529 captive bearded dragon patients in which very few were impacted despite most being housed on loose substrate. The full discussion is here.

Calcium sand and vitamin sand, which clump in the gut because of their calcium carbonate content and can neutralize stomach acid; ground nut shell, which is dusty and causes impaction; and wood shavings and bark. Dyed substrates too - they will color the animal.

Rigid PVC panel is the mainstream commercial enclosure material and is stable at correctly controlled enclosure temperatures. The questions worth asking are about what is added to it - sealants, coatings, adhesives and backgrounds. Materials guide.

100% RTV silicone with no mildewcide for seams, fully cured. For waterproofing a wooden interior, a two-part epoxy with a published service temperature above your basking surface and a stated full cure time. Sealant guide.

Because a price written weeks ago is worse than no price - it looks authoritative while being wrong. Every buy link resolves the current figure at the retailer instead. Affiliate disclosure.

Because we did not measure them. We have no customer review data for this business, and product ratings we did not generate are not ours to publish. What you see on a roundup instead is each pick scored against criteria we state as numbers.

We earn a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases made through links on this site. It does not affect what we recommend, the order we rank in, or whether we recommend against something - and because we quote no prices, we have nothing to gain from a stale number. Full disclosure.

Bearded dragon, leopard gecko, ball python and crested gecko. Four rather than everything, because each has a different binding constraint - floor area, height, length, a temperature ceiling - and the only way to be useful about that is depth rather than breadth.

No. We are not veterinarians and there is no veterinarian on staff. If your animal is unwell, contact a qualified exotics vet. What we can help with is whether the enclosure, temperatures and lighting match published figures - which is often where a problem starts.