Our article covering the best basking fixture and bulb identified the best possible lighting setup for your bearded dragon’s basking spot. But we still get a lot of questions on specific bulb types.
There is a lot of confusing information about basking bulbs for bearded dragons, so we created this resource to help you pick the best one for your needs.
So, whether it’s a purpose-built basking light, an incandescent lightbulb, or one of three other options, let’s dig in!
Table of Contents
What’s the Best Type of Basking Bulb For Your Bearded Dragon’s Basking Spot?
The best bulb type for a bearded dragon’s basking spot is a purpose-built reptile basking lamp rated at 75-100 watts. This type of bulb not only produces a consistent level of heat over time but also creates the correct color temperature light that simulates natural sunlight the closest.
There is no reason to get any fancier than this. These bulbs are inexpensive and the healthiest solution. We buy ours in four packs here on Amazon.
That said, people sometimes use or recommend one of four other bulbs to create heat in their bearded dragon’s enclosure. Each has its pros and cons. Those alternate bulb types are:
- Incandescent
- Halogen
- CFL (compact fluorescent lamp)
- MVB (mercury vapor bulb)
Technically speaking, a purpose-built basking lamp is an incandescent bulb. But these specialty bulbs are built from the ground up to heat your reptile’s basking spot, not light up your living room.
That makes them distinctly different from standard incandescent light bulbs in your home’s lamps and light fixtures.
Bulb Comparison
| Fits standard domes? | Adequate heat? | Consistent heat? | Color temp | UVB? | Avg. cost? | Recommended? | |
| Basking Bulb | Y | Y | Y | 4500K | N | $7 ea | Y |
| Incandescent | Y | N | N | 2700K | N | na | N |
| Halogen | N | N | N | 3000K | N | na | N |
| CFL | Y | N | N | varies | N | $5-$10ea | N |
| MVB | N | Y | Y | 5600K | Y | $50 ea | Y* |
Household Incandescent Bulbs
These, along with halogen bulbs, have been made illegal to sell in the US. Many other countries have already done this, and these bulbs will be tough to find brand new.
That doesn’t mean that you (like many others) don’t have a stockpile of them in a closet somewhere. I think my Mom has several hundred stashed away, as she absolutely hates LED and CFL lights.
While these bulbs might be your favorite for lighting your home, they are a poor choice for your bearded dragon. And that’s too bad because a ton of people use and recommend them for cost reasons.
The first drawback of these is they lack consistent heat. Heat is the primary function of a basking bulb, and your beardie’s basking spot needs to be kept within a specific temperature range. Not doing so can cause serious health issues for your dragon.
We’ve seen incandescent bulbs range in temp as much as 20 degrees across a single day!
The second drawback is the color temperature of the light. One of the goals of a basking light is to simulate natural sunlight. Natural sunlight has a color temperature of 5,000 Kelvin (source).
While some incandescent bulbs are at this temperature, many are not.
The third issue with these is their lifespan. Some last a few weeks, others can last years. You need a bulb that lasts at least six months (the recommended changing time for basking and UV lights in your enclosure).
So why do so many people use them?
They are cheap, easy to find (used to be, anyway), and they get hot.