Basking Lamps & Holders

Basking lamps are generally a radiant heat source in the form of a bulb positioned towards the top of and at one end of a vivarium. If reptiles need more heat than is available to them from the ambient air temperature throughout the vivarium, for example to aid digestion after eating or to warm up after a cooler night time temperature then they will position themselves beneath the lamp for a short period until their body temperature rises sufficiently.

Some basking bulbs concentrate the heat emitted into a narrow angle, these are known as "Tight Beam" basking lamps and others are more akin to a standard bulb type and give heat off in a wider angle to create a less intense heat over a larger area,

Heat bulbs must be mounted in a holder that is specially designed for them and if the vivarium contains reptiles that can reach up such as snakes or arboreal species than fitting a bulb guard is recommended to avoid potentially harmful contact with the lamp.