How to Make a Cage Light

Proper lighting and heating is crucial to the health and well-being of any reptile. Reptiles require special full-spectrum UV bulbs that mimic the sun's rays. You can buy these at any pet store. These bulbs get extremely hot and can be dangerous to have exposed in your reptile's cage. When installing a heat lamp, protect your pet from burns by constructing a wire enclosure around the bulb.

Things You'll Need

Full spectrum UV bulb
Ceramic light socket
Wire mesh
Wire cutters

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the wire mesh into four panels of roughly 6-by-5 inches, using a pair of wire cutters. The panels may be slightly larger or smaller, depending on the size of your bulb and socket. Arrange these panels into a cube shape and cut two more squares of mesh to fit onto the top and bottom of the cube.
- 2
  Measure the base of the socket. These are generally between 3 to 4 inches, but an accurate reading is necessary because you want the socket to fit snugly into the panel. Add an extra 1/16 inch to this measurement to help the socket fit and cut a circular hole in the center of the top panel of the cube.
- 3
  Secure the top panel and the four side panels of the cube together, using four evenly spaced zip ties on each side of the panels. Tighten them as much as you can and use scissors to cut off the excess on the ties. Use zip ties to secure only one side of the bottom panel so you can access it to change the bulb.
- 4
  Secure the opposite sides with twist ties, which are easily removable for maintenance. Place the ends of the twist ties up into the enclosure so they can't injure your reptile.
- 5
  Insert the light socket into the hole on the top panel, facing down into the enclosure. Push the zip ties through the screw holes on each side of the socket and attach these tightly to the wire mesh panel close to the edge of the hole.
- 6
  Insert a full spectrum UV light bulb into the socket through the accessible bottom panel of the enclosure.