Having a calm little pet reptile in your home terrarium is simply a treat. You can always admire the beauty of his scaly skin, wonder about his unique amphibious nature, or scratch his shiny bearded chin.
Only the healthiest bearded dragons have the shiniest scales. To keep your beardies healthy, you must either bask them in enough sunlight or, in the absence of sunlight, they must be exposed to UVB light to fulfill their need for Vitamin D3.
For this, you must find the best UVB light for a bearded dragon such as our first pick, the Zoo Med 60 Watts Day & Night, which is not an easy task considering the overwhelming market options.
Don’t worry, you won’t have to spend hours finding the right UVB light because we have a quick guide here to tell you all about the top 10 best UVB light lamps on the market.
Our Top 10 Best Uvb Light at a Glance
- Zoo Med 60 Watts Day & Night Combo Kit for Reptiles
- Zilla 15 Watt UVB Lamp With T8 Light Bulb for Desert Habitat
- Exo Terra Repti-Glo 10.0 UVB Light Bulb for Desert Terrarium
- Simple Deluxe 25 Watt UVA, UVB Light Lamp For Reptile Amphibians
- Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB Mini Fluorescent Lamp (13 watts)
- Zilla Mini 100 Watts UVB Heating Fixture for Desert and Tropical Amphibians
- Simple Deluxe 25/50 Watts Dimmable UVB Heat Lamp For Amphibian Tanks
- Zilla 15 Watt 50.0 UVB T8 Bulb Strip For Desert Habitat Reptiles
- Fluker’s 60 Watts Super High UVB Basking Spotlight For Desert Dweller Reptiles
- Zilla Natural 13 Watts UVB, UVA Bulb For Tropical Reptiles
10 Best Uvb Light For Bearded Dragons
UVB lamps are the best way to balance the calcium that your beardies need in their captivity. The installed UVB provides your bearded dragon with enough light and heat that helps to keep its growth steady.
Here are 10 amazing UVB light lamps that you can get for your pet bearded dragons trapped in shaded terrariums.
1. Zoo Med 60 Watts Day & Night Combo Kit for Reptiles
Best UVB Combo Kit for all Diurnal Desert Reptiles
Item Weight: 3.2 ounces | Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 2.5 x 2.3 inches | Wattage: 60 watts
The Zoo Med 60 Watt Desert UVB Combo Kit is a great way of providing your beardies with the heat and light that they’re missing. The special daylight blue bulb used in the lamp kit is good for illuminating your reptile aquariums with bright, natural light.
Featuring a true red glass bulb of 60 watts as a heating source, this combo kit gives your bearded dragon the warmth it needs for growth. Besides the heat, your dragon also gets UV rays that help in calcium absorption inside its body to prevent various skin infections.
The kit is designed by combining a basking spot lamp with a special UVB light emitter in a compact deep dome lamp style. The uncoated basking spot lamp offers two different bulbs to provide heat and light for 24 hours.
Available with dual ceramic sockets having easy on/off switches, this kit is ideal for all your diurnal and nocturnal reptiles, including bearded dragons.
Pros
- High dual lamp technology.
- Ideal for thermo-regulating reptiles that need basking.
- Lightweight with only 0.2 lbs.
- Accurate and easy to use.
Cons
- The UVB bulb that comes inside is quite dim.
- The UVB light only reaches up to 8 inches away from the emitting bulb.
2. Zilla 15 Watt UVB Lamp With T8 Light Bulb
Effective UVB T8 Bulb for pets of all ages!
Item Weight: 3.2 ounces | Product Dimensions: 2 x 19.9 x 1.4 inches | Wattage: 15 watts
The Zilla 15 Watt UVB Dessert Lamp makes a perfect T8 bulb, emitting essential UVB light for your bearded reptile friend. Plus, its 0.2 lb weight makes it very light and easy to attach to your reptile aquariums.
With its effective full spectrum fluorescent light, your beardies receive the optimal amount of light and heat energy. It is important for metabolizing calcium to strengthen its bones, giving it a firmer stature.
Emitting white UVB light essential for your desert-dwelling reptiles, this lamp is good for your amphibian pets of all age groups.
The UVB light comes with a controller for switching the light on and off. The controller works with push-button technology to easily switch the bulbs as you want.
Pros
- High-intensity light gives enough heat.
- Effective light for pets of multi-age groups.
- Easy-to-use Push-control switch.
- Easily fitted within your desert habitat aquarium.
Cons
- Not very durable.
- Too much flickering light.
3. Exo Terra Repti-Glo 10.0 UVB Light Bulb
Robust Repti-Glo Bulb with Ultra High UVB output up to 20 inches.
No products found.Item Weight: 4.8 ounces |Product Dimensions: 9 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches | Wattage: 26 watts
Next on our list is the Exo Terra Repti-Glo UVB lamp, designed especially for small-sized corner sockets. It is made to fit perfectly into the corners of reptile terrariums with its compact size.
With its full spectrum fluorescent light, Exo Repto-Glo provides a high UVB output very similar to natural light. It’s perfect for your desert-dwelling beardies, who are fond of basking in direct sunlight all day long.
You can attach a dense screen to control the intensity of light. It’s effective in protecting your pet from burning out as it can filter out up to 50% of harsh UVB rays.
With a 26-watt bulb, the lamp can light up the terrariums to 50 cm (20″) and keep your pet beardies warm even at night. It requires no battery but just a push controller to turn the light bulb on.
Pros
- Bulb covers a larger area for illumination by about 50x.
- Light emitted is rich in UV intensity.
- Good to be used in desert terrariums.
- Compact lamp to fit small spaces.
Cons
- The light bulb fuses faster.
- The bulb might give off radiations of high harmful frequencies.
4. Simple Deluxe 25 Watt UVA, UVB Light Lamp
Best Adjustable Basking Spotlight Lamp with a Dimmable Switch!
Item Weight: 1.41lbs | Product Dimensions: 8.23 x 6.1 x 4.57 inches | Wattage: 25 watts
The Simple Deluxe Adjustable UVB Lamp is an excellent choice for areas having alternate weather extremities. This helps to balance the heat and light in your terrariums when you want to control the temperatures.
With the dimmable switch on the basking spot lamp, you can protect your beardies from burning out in the scorching heat. Switch the lamp on high if the temperatures go lower than what your bearded dragon needs.
The ceramic holder has a 360 rotary fixture for angling the lamp in just the right direction. The holder works with both E26 and E27 lamps, supporting various light resources such as:
- Fluorescent light
- Incandescent light
- Normal bulbs
- Halogen bulbs
- LEDs, etc.
Plus, the Deluxe Lamp comes with heavy-duty clamps. So, it’s very easy to attach the lamp inside your reptile terrariums and create a nice basking light for your bearded dragon.
Pros
- Multipurpose lamps at cheap rates.
- Easily adjustable light intensity
- Perfect clamping light lamp for your terrariums
- Good sturdy UVB equipment.
Cons
- Not much warm light, just bright.
- The bulbs melt easily and quickly.
5. Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB Mini Fluorescent Lamp
Compact 10.0 UVB mini fluorescent light bulb for Reptiles
Item Weight: 3.17 ounces | Product Dimensions: 6 x 2 x 2 inches | Wattage: 13 watts
Another Zoo Med product, this ReptiSun 10.0 UVB lamp is simply perfect for all kinds of desert-dwelling reptiles who like basking in the sunlight.
With its compact design, it can be easily fitted into small-sized fish aquariums or terrariums of your bearded dragons. The lamps offer 10% extra UVB output and 30% UVA output with full spectrum light for absorbing the maximum warmth possible.
The unique quartz-made glass used for transmitting UVB rays accounts for maximum light penetration. The mini fluorescent bulb is fitted into a threaded ceramic socket that screws it tightly into the right place.
This ReptiSun UVB lamp can be attached both in a vertical or horizontal position. You can also clamp lamps inside your terrariums.
Pros
- Brightness is good.
- Cheap UVB Bulbs
- Compact 13-watt bulb for small spaces.
- Effective for reptiles that need sunbathing.
Cons
- The very dim light doesn’t produce enough warmth.
- Quick blowout.
6. Zilla Mini 100 Watts UVB Heating Fixture
Most discounted Double UVB lamp for desert & tropical amphibians.
Item Weight: 14.4 ounces | Product Dimensions: 6.13 x 3 x 9.63 inches | Wattage: 100 watts
Next on the list is this super handy 3-in-1 solution by Zilla for your pet reptiles. Whether you have a tropical amphibian or a desert dweller crawling around in the terrarium at your house, this UVB fixture supports both pet kinds equally.
It has a dual-socket design for fitting your light sources within the lamp. You can use a ceramic heat emitter, halogen bulbs, UVB light, or LED illuminators.
This lamp is capable of emitting three types of energy rays and gives off heat, UVB light, and visible light as well. So, you can either warm your terrariums, keep them brightly illuminated, or soak your pet dwellers in the UVB light for as long as you want.
With its unique compact design, you can easily fit the light fixture into a corner of your reptile terrarium.
Pros
- You get value for money.
- 3-in-1 solution, so you don’t have to buy different light fixtures.
- Great heating and lighting output.
- It can be used for both tropical as well as desert reptiles.
Cons
- Mini-supported bulbs are very hard to find with a 2-pin base.
- Too small to provide enough light and heat.
7. Simple Deluxe 25/50 Watts Dimmable UVB
Budget Dimmable UVB Heat Lamp for Amphibians
Item Weight: 1.5 lbs | Product Dimensions: 5.12 x 5.51 x 8.86 inches | Wattage: 25 watts
The Simple Deluxe UVB Heat Lamp gives you an easy solution to provide your bearded dragons with the warmth that they lack using a full spectrum basking spotlight. The lamp supports both 25-wattage as well as 50-wattage bulbs.
You can attach the lamp to your bearded dragon’s home by using the wide clip clamps that come with it. The deep bulb socket holds the lamp bulbs firmly in place to light up your pet’s closure box.
The best part about this UVB is that it has a dimmable switch for controlling the intensity level of the emitting light. You can control the temperatures according to the needs of your little beardies.
With the help of a deep round base, the lamp has improved strength, offering a roundup 360 rotatable fixture. It helps to easily adjust the angle of your UVB light for maximum exposure.
Pros
- Full spectrum natural UVB light for basking.
- Perfect for aquariums and reptile terrariums.
- Safety lamp with explosion-proof glass.
- Warm your bearded dragons
Cons
- Inflammable bulb.
- Not very durable.
8. Zilla 15 Watt 50.0 UVB T8 Bulb Strip
Wide Coverage UVB strip with T8 bulb.
Item Weight: 2.1 lbs | Product Dimensions: 23.5 x 5.4 x 2.95 inches | Wattage: 15 watts
Zilla brings another effective UVB light model to help provide your bearded dragons with essential light and warmth. You can use the Zilla 50.0 UVB bulb strip that covers a wide area with its illuminating power.
Using a fluorescent light source, this UVB fixture can light your terrariums up to a distance of 24 inches. The fixture can support a variety of basking light sources that seem almost natural.
With its T8 bulb size and 15 wattages, the desert-style 50.0 UVB fulfills all the photo-biological requirements of your bearded dragon.
The light starts without even a flicker and illuminates the area with sufficient electric-powered light and heat energy. The efficient electronic ballast used in the lamp is good for instant-on situations, giving natural sunlight to your little one.
Pros
- Illuminate the box with white daylight.
- Best for darkened areas or large terrariums.
- Very quick application with its instant-on
- Easy fixation and high illumination
Cons
- The bulb starts to flicker (quickly).
- Very expensive.
9. Fluker’s 60 Watts Super High UVB Basking Spotlight
Best budget option as Super high UVB Basking Spotlight
Item Weight: 0.16 ounces | Product Dimensions: 4.26 x 2.52 x 2.48 inches | Wattage: 60 watts
The Fluker’s Super High UVB light is the best option if you have a little desert dweller who loves extreme temperatures. This bulb can alone emit a light beam of super high intensity, unlike any other lamp.
The incandescent type of light used in the UVB lamp works on 120 volts and has a wattage of around 60 watts. This means it consumes more power, so you must put it in a strong, unmeltable socket that can bear the extra heat.
It is designed especially for animals who are accustomed to living in the extreme environments of deserts. Such animals have thick scaly skin to protect them from scorching heat while absorbing some light to produce vit-D3, a vitamin that metabolizes calcium.
The bulb comes with an E26 bulb base for its placement in your reptile terrariums. Due to its high UVB output, it is best to be used with a dense screen for avoiding any skin burns or dry outs.
Pros
- Super high UVB output, perfect for basking.
- Promotes calcium metabolism by providing high-intensity infrared light.
- Good for illuminating large-sized terrariums.
- It makes a suitable habitat for extreme desert dwellers.
Cons
- Quick burst out.
- Not good for tropical amphibians.
10. Zilla Natural 13 Watts UVB, UVA Bulb
Best for Tropical Reptiles needing natural low-light intensity!
Item Weight: 3.84 ounces | Product Dimensions: 6.65 x 3.03 x 2.83 inches | Wattage: 13 watts
Lastly, we have a very effective low light emitter in the Zilla Natural UVB and UVA Bulb. The bulb has a fluorescent light source that produces a beam of light that is almost similar to toned-down sun rays.
The bulb works on a mere 13 watts, emitting a natural light of very low intensity. It is best for tropical baby reptiles who can’t bear to stand under a scorching light of high intensity.
With the help of clamps and a ceramic holder, the bulb can easily be fitted into an 8.5-inch socket or even a much larger dome using a few rubber fixtures. It’s a great illuminating source for brightening up your amphibian terrariums.
With its fluorescent bulb, it emits 6 to 8 microwatts of UVB light that can reach up to a distance of 12 inches from its origin. This is best for keeping your baby bearded dragons and other nocturnal reptiles warm and healthy.
Pros
- Unique canopy fluorescent light for illumination.
- Easy fit for all larger dome sockets that are 8.5 or higher in size.
- Low light intensity protects the terrarium from overheating.
- Best for baby pet reptiles
Cons
- Lights start flickering soon.
- The bulb might burst suddenly.
What To Look For When Choosing A UVB Light For Your Bearded Dragon
The best UVB light for bearded dragons is the one that offers great heating and lighting output.
Unfortunately, the markets are thick with all kinds of products, so choosing the right UVB lamp is a little trickier than it looks.
However, focusing on the following aspects can help you choose the right lamp for your bearded dragon’s tank.
Wattage
Bulbs that have 50-100 wattage are best for heating the closure tank up to 33°-43° Celsius of your beardies.
Illuminating Bulb
Make sure the illuminating light source is suitable for providing your beardies with enough natural light.
Longevity
UVB bulbs should at least work for 5-6 months. Because you must change the UVB bulbs every 6 months for effective temperature maintenance.
Attachment Clamps And Sockets
Look for tight and wide clamps that can hold the light in place once you attach it. The bulb sockets should be made to withstand high heating temperatures and not melt under the light.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about the best UVB light for bearded dragons.
What Watt UVB Does A Bearded Dragon Need?
Your beardies are fond of living in desert areas with extreme temperature conditions. To provide a similar environment in its tank, any reptile bulb of high UVB wattage (50-100 watts) will be suitable.
How Often Should I Change My Bearded Dragon’s UVB Bulb?
For sage and better light exposure, it is ideal to change the UVB bulb in your bearded dragon tank every 6 months. UVB light is essential for providing your bearded dragon with the natural light that it lacks in its closed terrarium home.
Do Bearded Dragons Need UVB At Night?
Bearded Dragons need UVB at night as well, because their small bodies are built to bask in the heat. Without enough light exposure, they may develop various bone diseases.
What Happens If A Bearded Dragon Doesn’t Get Enough UVB?
Without enough heat and light, the reptiles develop calcium deficiency because they can’t get enough light to process Vitamin D3 minerals needed to form calcium in their bones. This may lead to serious metabolic bone disease.
How Do I Know If My Bearded Dragon Is Warm Enough?
Bearded dragons enjoy basking themselves in warm temperatures with their mouths slightly open. If the tank temperature is between 90° and 110° Fahrenheit or 33° and 43° Celsius, the bearded dragon changes its skin color to a nice warm yellow.
How can I tell if my bearded dragon is cold?
The ideal body temperature for a bearded dragon is usually 35° centigrade as it continuously basks in the light. If the dragon doesn’t get enough light, its body changes color to a dark brown shade, indicating that it doesn’t like the cold environment.
Conclusion
So that’s it, folks. I hope this article has made you realize how important it is to only use the best UVB light for bearded dragons. Your bearded friend will love its tank if it has a nice heated environment.
The Zoo Med 60-watt desert UVB combo kit is the best option as a UVB lamp to illuminate and heat the tank.
The Zilla UVB lamp with T8 light bulb and the Exo Terra Repti-Glo 10.0 UVB Light also make excellent options for your terrariums.
You should make sure that your beardies are getting the right amount of light and warmth. This will help you protect them against unnecessary calcium deficiencies.
