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Does a Bearded Dragon Need Heat at Night? Vet-Reviewed Facts and FAQs

Sarah Psaradelis

By Sarah Psaradelis

bearded dragon in terrarium

Vet approved

Dr. Paola Cuevas Photo

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Paola Cuevas

MVZ (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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Heat is incredibly important for this popular desert-dwelling reptile. Bearded Dragons rely on heat to survive, and although they should be getting most of their heat during the day, it is also usually necessary at night. They are most comfortable when kept in heated enclosures, and it prevents your Bearded Dragon from being exposed to chilly conditions.

If you find that the temperature drops significantly during the night or below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, you should be looking into additional heating for your Bearded Dragon.

bearded dragon divider

Why Do Bearded Dragons Need Heat?

Heat isn’t a luxury for many pet lizards, it is a necessity for their survival.

Lizards like Bearded Dragons are ectothermic (cold-blooded) and rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature. Unlike us, Bearded Dragons can’t keep themselves warm by snuggling in a blanket or going for a jog. Instead, Bearded Dragons need to bask underneath a heating lamp to warm themselves up.

An overall warm enclosure with temperature gradients will be most comfortable for your Bearded Dragon. A temperature gradient in your Bearded Dragon’s enclosure allows them to choose between a cold, warm, and hot spot to warm up or cool down. For example:

Basking zone: 95 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit
Ambient temperature: 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit
Cooler side: 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit

The temperature should never drop below 65 degrees Fahrenheit in your Bearded Dragon’s enclosure. This is too cold for Bearded Dragons and prolonged exposure to cold conditions can be detrimental to your Bearded Dragon’s health.

Without heat, Bearded Dragons will have issues digesting their food and absorbing their calcium. This is because colder temperatures can slow down your Bearded Dragon’s metabolism and cause them to be more sluggish. Aside from an overhead heating source, Bearded Dragons will need a bulb that produces UVB and UVA, which allows your Bearded Dragon to properly synthesize vitamin D3.

dunner bearded dragon
Image By: Worraket, Shutterstock

Does Your Bearded Dragon Need Heat During the Night?

While some Bearded Dragon enclosures maintain a steady ambient temperature throughout the night, if you find that the temperature is dropping below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, night-time heating will be beneficial for them. Using a thermometer in the enclosure will allow you to determine whether the temperature is dropping too much during the night.

While a temperature drop of a few degrees is expected during the night, keeping the ambient temperature warm is important for your Bearded Dragon. All daytime lighting sources will need to be switched off during the night to give your Bearded Dragon a period of darkness to sleep. This darkness also allows your Bearded Dragon to experience a day and night cycle like they would in the wild.

In captivity, we should try and replicate our Bearded Dragon’s environment to the one they would experience in the wild. The temperatures in your home may be much colder than what they would typically experience in the wild, especially during the colder months. Providing your Bearded Dragon with additional heat during the night prevents sudden temperature changes that may negatively affect them. It is crucial that the UV lighting and heating go off after a maximum of 12 hours during the day, and if necessary, the night-time heating sources should be turned on as it becomes dark.

Furthermore, your Bearded Dragon will not need any UV lighting during the night, and only heat is necessary.

Best Heating for Bearded Dragons at Night

When it comes to choosing a source of heating for your Bearded Dragon during the night, not just any heating source will work.

Since your Bearded Dragon requires total darkness to sleep, you should avoid using a heating bulb that produces any light. It is best to avoid heating mats and devices that provide Bearded Dragons with heat underneath them.

While they might seem like a good choice for nighttime because they don’t produce any light, heat mats can also cause burns or poor temperature regulation.

While many pet stores market night heating bulbs that give off blue or red light for Bearded Dragons, these should be avoided. Bearded Dragons can see red lighting, and it can be a disturbance to their sleep. The blue night-time bulbs also give off light that is marketed as natural “moonlight” for reptiles, but this should still be avoided for its light disturbances.

central bearded dragon
Image By: Joyce-Mar, Shutterstock

Ceramic Heat Emitters

Many experienced reptile keepers recommend a ceramic heat emitter bulb (CHE) to use during the night for Bearded Dragons. This heating device gives off invisible infrared to heat your Bearded Dragon’s enclosure during the night without disturbing their day and night cycle. It does not emit any light, and it is an effective way to keep your Bearded Dragon’s enclosure heated.

Safety tip: Always be sure that the lighting and heating sources you use in your Bearded Dragon’s enclosure are done safely. We recommend using a high-range reptile thermostat with ceramic heat emitters to control the temperature. A thermostat can help prevent the enclosure from overheating past the set temperature and turn off the heat emitter when necessary.

Night-Time Temperatures for Bearded Dragons

At night, the temperature shouldn’t be too warm for Bearded Dragons. A small and gradual drop in temperature during the night is natural for Bearded Dragons, so be sure that the wattage of the bulb does not keep the enclosure too hot at night. A night-time temperature of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit will suffice. The temperature should not be as hot as it would be in the day, and wild Bearded Dragons will experience a slight drop in temperature naturally during the night.  This is important for their internal system regulation.

Using the right wattage of the ceramic heat emitter to gently heat the size of your Bearded Dragon’s enclosure is crucial. If your Bearded Dragon has a smaller enclosure, using a ceramic heat emitter with high wattage can make the enclosure uncomfortably warm at night.

rankins bearded dragon
Image By: davemhuntphotography, Shutterstock

bearded dragon divider

Conclusion

During the cold months or in situations where the temperatures regularly drop below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, your Bearded Dragon should have night-time heating. They will need an overhead heating source that does not emit any type of light, making ceramic heat emitters a good choice.


Featured Image Credit: Phuwadon Phichairat, Shutterstock

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