How to Hook a Heat Lamp on a Lizard Cage

Do not fill the entire cage with heat.

Hooking a heating lamp to the outside of a reptile cage is often safer than setting up a light stand outside the cage, since a stand could fall over and pose a fire hazard. Fortunately, heat lamps usually have clamps that let you attach the light in a secure way. When attaching the lamp, ensure you follow several safety precautions, since heating lamps often pose a fire hazard and might kill the reptile.

Instructions

1. Squeeze the handles on the clamp, if the lamp is attached to a clamp. Place the clamp on one of the cage bars and tug gently on the lamp to ensure that the clamp is secure. Some clamp lamps have a gooseneck, allowing you to move the lamp wherever you want, shining the light into the cage.

2. Clamp the light on top of the cage if the lamp does not have a gooseneck, so the light points down into the cage. If the cage is small, point the lamp at a corner of the cage to ensure that the cage has a hot and cold area.

3. Point the light at only one part of the cage, to allow the reptile to move closer or farther away from the heat to maintain its body temperature.

4. Plug the light into a timer and plug the timer into the wall. The timer ensures the reptile receives light during a certain time frame, since reptiles need a period of light and a period of darkness.

5. Replace the heating bulb after a certain time period based on the manufacturer’s specifications. Some bulbs will appear lit but will not actually emit enough heat or UV light. Give the bulb time to cool down before removing it from the light source.

Tips & Warnings

• Not all heat lamps are the same. Some are designed specifically for reptiles in desert environments and others for tropical environments. Reptiles need a certain amount of light to produce Vitamin D.

• Diurnal reptiles need a basking area, which is the part of the cage that is the hottest. Place an object in the cage, such as a decorative rock. The reptile will often climb on the object to bask in the heat.

• Keep the heat lamp outside the cage so the reptile is not exposed to it, which can lead to serious burns.

• Use heat lamps with guards. These guards prevent the lamp from touching combustible material when the lamp falls.

• Do not run the power cord through an area that the animal might reach. Do not place the lamp in a circuit that is overloaded, since heat lamps use a lot of voltage.

References

• Doctors Foster and Smith: Heat Lamp Reptile
• Pet Smart: Reptile Habitat Heating and Lighting Guide