Reptiles make terrific pets, but they aren't always easy to look after. You will not need to take your reptile for a walk daily, but you will need to supply it with a healthy environment with the right reptile heating and lighting. And to do that, you will need the reptile heating and lighting devices from a store you can trust.
There is a fundamental reason reptiles require extra heat: Reptiles are cold-blooded. They can not manage their body heat. In nature, reptiles control their body temperature by changing their environment. They get sun on a rock. They burrow into the ground. But reptiles in a cage do not have that choice. They require you to provide heat for them. Some reptiles, like geckos and ball pythons, need extra heat 24/7.
Reptile heating isn't quite as easy as placing a heating unit in a cage. Many heating units emit light. Using them to keep a pet reptile warm can be like creating 24-hour daylight, so your pet would certainly not have a typical cycle of activity and rest. Heating for reptiles at night needs to come from an infrared source, like a heated ceramic, instead of from a heat lamp. On the other hand, reptiles you keep indoors also require supplemental lighting. They require the same wavelengths of light given by sunshine so their bodies can make vitamin D. They need a daytime source of light along with a supplementary heat source regularly. And different reptiles need different reptile heating and lighting. Here is a rundown of reptile heating and lighting needs by species.
Ball python heating and lighting: Ball pythons require 8 to 12 hours of light daily, with several breaks of 1 to 2 hours during the day. They like a nocturnal source of light to imitate conditions in the wild; infrared light is great at night (just not a glowing light bulb).
Bearded dragon heating and lighting: Bearded dragons need continuous heat, preferably from a ceramic heat source 24 hours a day. They also like to be able to indulge in the "sun light" you provide with an incandescent bulb, but ensure it's only switched on during the day.
Chameleon heating and lighting: Chameleons absolutely needs to have UV-B light during the day so their bodies can make vitamin D. They prefer lower temperatures at night from an infrared bulb.
Corn snake heating and lighting: Corn snakes need 8 to 12 hours of light everyday with a "night light" or infrared light at night. Don't provide too much white light.
Gecko heating and lighting: Geckos are nocturnal, so they do not need lights that provide UV-B. A regular incandescent bulb for daytime lighting works great, but they need ceramic heat or a nocturnal heat bulb at all hours.
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