How to Get Enough Heat for Lizards

Lizards are cold blooded animals, which means that they are unable to burn calories in order to maintain their body temperature. When keeping lizards as pets, you must provide lizards with alternative heating sources to maintain an overall temperature of 78 to 83 degrees Fahrenheit. Some areas of the tank should be as low as 70 degrees and others between 100 and 110 degrees during resting and digestion periods.

Things You'll Need

  • Combo light fixture
  • UVA/B light bulb, 30 to 75 watts, 2 each
  • Ceramic heat bulb 30 to 75 watts
  • 2 aquarium thermometers
  • Heat lamp
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the backing of an aquarium thermometer. Insert the thermometer inside the aquarium. Position the thermometer in the bottom of the back corner on the left side. Push the thermometer against the wall to adhere the thermometer into place. This thermometer will measure the basking temperature of the tank.

    • 2

      Remove the backing of the second aquarium thermometer. Insert the thermometer inside the aquarium. Position the thermometer on the back of the right side halfway along the depth of the tank. Push the thermometer against the wall to adhere the thermometer into place. This thermometer will measure the ambient temperature of the tank.

    • 3

      Position a heat lamp on the left side of the tank so it points slightly down and slightly back, hitting the back corner on the left side. Raise the heat lamp to direct the light appropriately. The beam of light should cover 1/2 the depth of the tank and approximately 1/4 of the length.

    • 4

      Place a UVA/B bulb into the heat lamp.

    • 5

      Screw a UVA/B bulb into the combo light fixture. Screw a ceramic heat bulb into the remaining port of the combo light fixture.

    • 6

      Turn on the heat lamp and the UVA/B portion of the combo light fixture. Allow the tank to sit for approximately 2 hours. Read the temperatures on the basking thermometer and ambient thermometer.

    • 7

      Move the heat lamp closer to the tank if the temperature is too low or farther from the tank if the temperature is too high. Lower the position of the combo light fixture to increase the ambient temperature and raise the position to decrease the ambient temperature. Allow the tank to sit for approximately 2 hours. Read the thermometers again and repeat the steps until the proper temperatures are achieved.