Instructions
Get a cage recommended for the size of your pet. It will vary depending on which type of basking reptile you own. Go to an exotic pet store or shop online for appropriate cages. It should be big enough so that one end of the cage can be used for basking and the other end can be cooler for those times when your pet needs to cool off.
Choose a bulb to place in the cage for basking. Choosing what type of bulb to use for your heat lamp is one of the most important parts of setting up your basking cage. To simulate sunlight, consider a fluorescent UVB light. A higher wattage, such as 100 watts or more, will generate the amount of heat needed for your pet to get a high enough body temperature. Check with the store where you purchased your pet for specific needs of that animal.
Place a heat lamp with your chosen bulb inside the cage. You can use a metal hood around the bulb and hang this from the top of the cage or just use a bare bulb screwed into a socket and hang this from the roof the cage. Exotic pet stores carry special roofs for basking cages with built-in places from which you can easily hang a heat lamp or bulb. Set the lamp above the surface of the basking area of the cage, with at least a foot or more of separation, so that your exotic pet will have enough room to fit under the bulb without being too close. Your pet may enjoy a ledge or branch to sit on for basking, so make sure the bulb is a foot above any platform you choose for the basking location.
Keep track of the temperature under the basking lamp, using an ordinary weather thermometer. It should be at least 90 to 95 degrees F under the bulb, as reptiles that need to bask are used to such a temperature and will need that heat to get warm. When your pet needs to cool off, it will simply move from under the lamp to another part of the cage. The ambient cage temperature that's not the basking area should stay at around 80 degrees.
How to Make a Basking Cage
If you have a reptilian pet that relies on external temperatures to regulate its body temperature, you know you most likely need to create a basking area or basking cage for your exotic pet. In the wild, when animals such as iguanas or bearded dragons need to warm themselves, they will sit in the sun to raise their body temperature. As many exotic pet owners will not be able to provide a natural warm climate due to location, creating an artificial warm environment is the answer.