Reptile homes are always well-lit by a high intensity lightbulb that provides heating temperatures for your pet beardies.
But what’s the use of heat if your beardies cannot reach and bask in the heat and shining light?
That’s exactly why every reptile terrarium must have a basking platform for keeping your pets comfortably warm in their home.
Basking rocks like PENN PLAX Reptology Shale Scape Hideout are not only good for basking. It also decorates your reptile tank.
Let’s see some more cool basking rock designs that you can buy!
Our Top 7 basking rocks at a glance
- PENN PLAX Step Ledge & Cave Hideout
- Orchid Valley Basking Rock
- HRRIVE Reptile Basking Cave
- WACOOL Reptology Shale Step Basking Rock
- PAULOZYN Reptile Cave Hideout
- RunXF Multifunctional Climbing Platform
- MINYULUA Reptile Hideout Cave
7 Best Basking Rocks for Bearded Dragons
Basking rocks come in all kinds of different shapes, sizes, and designs. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and confused when buying a basking rock for your dragon’s habitat. We recommend buying a basking platform that is both durable and suitable for your tank.
Here are our 7 best basking rocks for bearded dragons.
1. PENN PLAX Step Ledge & Cave Hideout
Best Overall
The PENN PLAX Reptology Shale Scape Step Ledge & Basking Cave is an excellent choice of tank accessory for your bearded dragons. It is very well-designed to serve as a suitable decorating piece for your home terrariums.
Made out of resin, the basking cave is perfectly safe for all the amphibious reptiles. Its dimensions are 8.25 x 11 x 4 inches, and it weighs 1.6 pounds. The cave is available in five different sizes, so you can buy the one that can fit easily into your dragon tank.
With a thick, sturdy base, the cave has a hole and an upper platform for basking heat as needed. The steps are designed to make it easy for your beardies to climb atop the platform.
Pros
- Best for decorating your home terrariums.
- Easy to install.
- Sturdy base, so it stays put all the time.
Cons
- Sharp edges that need smoothing.
2. Orchid Valley Basking Rock
Blends Perfectly
Orchid Valley Corner Reptile Basking Rock makes a great basking platform for your pet beardies. It fits nicely in most of the home terrariums and blends in with the overall desert habitat.
The rock cave is 6.5 inches tall, which means it brings your pet reptiles pretty close to the heating bulb. This way, your bearded dragons get enough light and energy to keep them warm for hours.
The basking rock has a design that facilitates climbing behavior in your pet, so it stays active. This realistic basking rock is hand-painted to match the interior of your reptile tanks without looking odd or extra.
Pros
- Decorates terrariums.
- Give a high platform for better basking.
- Pretty easy to install.
Cons
- Flimsy and doesn’t fit into the corner.
3. HRRIVE Reptile Basking Cave
Realistic looking
The HRRIVE Reptile Hideout Cave is a must-have tank accessory for your bearded dragons, best suited for all tropical rainforest habitats.
The combination of brown and grey gives your tank a nice, realistic look. Your beardies can easily climb over the top and enjoy the soothing heat for long hours. Made with resin material, the cave is polished around the corners to protect your dragon’s skin.
The cave is 6.69″ in length, 5.12″ wide, and 2.56″ high. So, you can easily fit it inside your small terrarium.
Pros
- Shaped like a real cave.
- Fine carving to give it a natural look.
- Smooth around the edges to protect your reptiles from getting hurt.
Cons
- Not big enough for larger reptiles.
- Lightweight and easily displaced.
4. WACOOL Reptology Shale Step Basking Rock
Budget-friendly
No products found.With its cool features, you get a basking platform of premium quality at a cheap price, easily affordable for all.
The step ledge basking rock is made up of resin. So, it’s pretty durable and waterproof. The material doesn’t wear off easily, so you can get a sturdy product that works for a long time.
Pros
- Ideal for thermo-regulating bearded dragons.
- Very easy to place inside your tanks.
- Pretty durable and sturdy.
Cons
- Not big enough and has sharp edges.
5. PAULOZYN Reptile Cave Hideout
The best natural rock option
The PAULOZYN Basking Cave is designed to match the reptile-like habitat of your tank.
The rock is made of resin material, which makes it pretty durable. Its dimensions are 8.5″ in length, 4.7″ wide, and 3.9″ high, making it perfect for a medium sized terrarium. The rock cave weighs 1.37 lbs. and it’s very easy to clean.
Pros
- Can easily be placed inside your medium-sized terrariums.
- Serves as a hiding spot as well.
Cons
- Not good for bigger terrariums.
6. RunXF Multifunctional Climbing Platform
Multifunctional
This is a bit different from the other options; it’s not a rock but a basking ladder and that makes it all the more interesting.
Made of polyresin material, it’s very flexible yet sturdy. Its dimensions are 8.3 x 3.5 x 3.1 inches, making it best suited for large terrariums with high rooftops. However, if you have a small terrarium, it’s also available in medium size, with 5.9 x 2.8 x 2.4 inch dimensions.
Designed with moss decor, the ladder can be used by your pets for basking, climbing, as well as hiding purposes.
Pros
- Polyresin material is good for durability.
- Decorative piece for terrariums and aquariums.
- Provide your pet beardies with a high basking platform.
Cons
- Sharp jagged edges.
7. MINYULUA Reptile Hideout Cave
Perfect for smaller reptiles
The MINYULUA Reptile Hideout is made of the good old resin material, which gives durability and sturdiness to the rock.
The rock is 8.6 inches in length and width, while the platform has a height of 3.8 inches. So, it makes a good hiding spot under the raised basking platform.
It is a very useful tank accessory for your pet bearded dragons, geckos, lizards, as well as turtles. It can be easily cleaned using warm soapy water.
Pros
- Natural looking shape and ideal size
- Easy to clean with warm soapy water.
- Provide an elevated basking platform for reptiles.
- A beautiful addition to your home terrarium.
Cons
- Lightweight, easily moves away from spot.
What To Look For When Choosing A Basking Rock For Bearded Dragons
Basking caves are an essential part of every reptile tank because they bring your beardies close to the high temperatures of your tank bulbs. So, it’s important that you pay close attention to details and only buy a quality product.
Here is a detailed guide to explain which features are important for buying a quality basking rock for your terrarium.
Size of the Basking Rock
The size of your basking rock should be determined by your home terrarium. Make sure the rock is high enough to bring your beardies close to the high heating bulbs but not too close.
Weight Of The Cave
The basking cave should not be light in weight or else it would easily move away from the spot.
Surface Edges
The surface and edges of the basking rock should be smooth and not sharp. You can use sandpaper to smoothen the sharp edges, but it will scratch your dragon’s skin.
Natural Design
The basking rock should not look odd when placed in your reptile tanks. Buy a basking platform that matches your terrarium habitat.
Stay clear of fakes and flukes. Avoid buying cheap quality basking rocks that easily break under the weight of your beardies. As in some cases, a DIY version would probably be better if you have the tools and time to make one yourself rather than a cheapie.
Conclusion
I hope you have found a good match for your home terrarium.
The best bearded dragon basking rock, as per our testing, is the PENN PLAX Step Ledge & Cave Hideout.
However, the other options are just as good. For example, the Orchid Valley Basking Rock and HRRIVE Reptile Basking Cave are worthy alternatives.
Just make sure to keep your basking cave clean to avoid any health issues and double-check for sharp edges.
