If you’re looking for the best heat lamp for Iguanas, you either are looking to get one for a new iguana enclosure, or you might be having trouble finding a heat lamp that is powerful enough to keep your iguana warm in their large habitat. No matter what situation you might find yourself in, the following list of heat lamps will help point you in the right direction.
Best Heat Lamp for Iguanas
Best Basking Lights for Iguanas
BYB – 150W 110V Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter
The BYB – 150W 110V Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter (Buy Online) is one of the most popular high power IR emitters on the market. This heat lamp will fit in any standard heat lamp reflector with a porcelain socket. It also won’t fail as quickly as regular heat lamps since it is rated to last for up to 10,000 hours.
A strong infrared heat emitter like this one is perfect for keeping adult iguanas warm in very large habitats. A high power infrared emitter is also very helpful if you live in cold northern climates.
This emitter can also be used at night since it has no visible light output. That means you can use this infrared emitter 24 hours a day since it won’t disturb your iguana’s sleep cycle.
If you have had trouble delivering enough heat all the way to the base of your iguana’s habitat then this heat emitter can definitely help solve your problem, In most cases, the best way to keep your iguana warm is just to go for raw power. This 150-Watt emitter should keep your iguana warm and comfortable, without having to struggle with heat lamps that just don’t output enough power.
Learn More: What Do Baby Iguanas Eat?
REPTI ZOO Reptile Heat Lamp Full Spectrum UVA UVB Reptile Sun Lamp Self-Ballasted Vapor Basking Spot Lamp
The REPTI ZOO Watt Mercury Vapor Bulb (Buy Online) is a great lamp if you want a heat lamp and a UV bulb in one convenient package. This bulb will fit into any standard E27 porcelain socket, and it has a longer lifespan than regular incandescent heat lamps.
Mercury vapor bulbs are one of the most versatile heat lamp bulbs you can get for your iguana. These bulbs are very bright, and they tend to emit more of their light in the blue part of the spectrum. Blue light plays a strong role in regulating an Iguanas sleep /wake cycle by stimulating their pineal gland.
Mercury vapor bulbs also produce a significant amount of heat, which can reach deep into your iguana’s habitat. The infrared emission is also more natural since the heat they emit is closer to the IR spectrum found in solar radiation.
The best thing about using a mercury vapor bulb as a heat lamp is that you won’t have to get a UV light for your iguana. Mercury vapor bulbs emit a significant amount of UV radiation. When mercury is electrically ionized it has strong emission lines in the UV part of the spectrum. This same process happens in fluorescent UV bulbs, but mercury vapor bulbs are much more powerful.
Fluker’s Ceramic Heat Emitter for Reptiles
Fluker’s Ceramic Heat Emitter for Reptiles (Buy Online) is a great heat emitter made by a company who really knows reptiles. This heat lamp is also built to last since it is rated for continuous 24/7 operation for up to 25,000 hours.
You can get this heat emitter in three different sizes. The 60-watt bulb is perfect for young iguanas who live in small habitats. While the 100-Watt and 150-Watt lamps are the perfect lights for adult iguanas who need the extra power.
This heat lamp will fit any standard reflector, but it should only be used with light fixtures with a porcelain socket. This bulb also tends to be a little wide, so you want to make sure you get a reflector that can accommodate it. The Fluker’s Repta-Clamp with Dimmable Switch (Buy Online) is the reflector we recommend for this emitter since it will fit Fluker’s bulbs without any problems.
Exo Terra Heat-Glo Infrared Spot Lamp, 120-Volt
The Exo Terra Heat-Glo Infrared Spot Lamp (Buy Online) is an incandescent heat lamp that comes in a wide range of power outputs. You can either get the 50-Watt or 75-Watt models to heat a small iguana tank that is less than 55 gallons, or you can get the 100-Watt or 150-Watt lamps to heat an adult iguanas habitat.
The really nice thing about this heat lamp is that it only emits visible light in the red part of the spectrum. Red lights can be used at night since they won’t disrupt your iguana’s sleep cycle. The reason why red light won’t cause sleep problems is that an iguanas pineal gland is only stimulated by the blue part of the spectrum.
This light won’t disturb humans as much either since red light has minimal impact on our night vision, and it also won’t disrupt our natural melatonin production. The red glow can also act as a nice night light, and it will also let you easily check in on your iguana while they are sleeping.
Heat Lamp Fixtures
SUNVIE Pet Reptile Heat Lamp Infrared Heating Lamp
The SUNVIE Pet Reptile Heat Lamp Infrared Heating Lamp (Buy Online) is a great fixture if you want to provide your iguana with some added protection. This fixture has a high-quality metal mesh cage surrounding the bulb in order to protect your reptile from coming into direct contact with the heat lamp.
The metal mesh enclosure also helps evenly distribute the heat, so it can help prevent cold spots from forming in your iguana’s habitat. This fixture also comes with a 100-Watt infrared heat emitter included in the package.
The SUNVIE Pet Reptile Heat Lamp fixture also has a convenient hook that can be used to mount it on the side of an iguanas habitat. Also, the cord is protected by a flexible metal sheath that will keep it safe if your iguana decides to chew on it. In addition, the socket is made of ceramic, which means it can handle extremely high temperatures.
Zoo Med Mini Combo Deep Dome Lamp Fixture
The Zoo Med Mini Combo Deep Dome Lamp Fixture (Buy Online) is a great option if you only want to buy one light fixture for your iguana’s habitat. The two sockets in this reflector will house both your heat lamp and UVB bulb in one convenient package. This fixture will also make it so you can have a more organized and attractive looking iguana habitat.
The two sockets that are in this fixture are made of high-quality durable heat-resistant ceramic. Each one of the sockets can handle a bulb that uses up to 100-Watts of power. You can also control each socket individually using the separate on/off switches. That makes it possible to use this fixture if you want to run a daytime heat lamp in one socket, and a nighttime heat emitter in the other.
Each one of the reflectors has a highly polished aluminum surface for optimal light dispersal. The reflectors on this fixture are deeper than most reflectors on the market, which means they will protect the heat lamp and your iguana from any accidental contact.
REPTIZOO Dual Lamp Fixture
The REPTIZOO Dual Lamp Fixture (Buy Online) is another excellent dual lamp fixture you can use on an iguanas habitat. This fixture can be used to house a heat lamp and a UVB bulb, or it can house two heat lamps if you need the extra heating power. This fixture also has excellent ventilation which means it can handle higher wattage bulbs than the Zoo Med Mini Combo Fixture.
Each one of the sockets can each handle bulbs that use up to 150-watts of power. That is 50-watts more than the Zoo Med Mini Combo fixture, which means this fixture is a better choice if you need to heat a very large habitat.
You can control each one of the sockets in this fixture individually since both cords have their own power switches. In addition, this fixture also has a sturdy hook that can be used to hang it above any size habitat. You can also rest it on the lid of an iguanas cage since the reflectors are deeply recessed. The deep reflectors will keep almost any size bulb from sticking out, and they will reduce the risk of accidental contact with the heat lamps.
Zilla Premium Reflector Dome
The Zilla Premium Reflector Dome (Buy Online) is a very affordable reflector that you can use with almost any heat lamp. This reflector can handle bulbs that use up to 150-Watts of power, and it has a ceramic socket that can withstand very high temperatures.
The reflector itself is made of solid polished aluminum that has ventilation holes near the socket, and it also has small vent holes just above the rim of the reflector. You can get this reflector in either a 5.5-inch or 8.5-inch diameter depending on the size of your iguana habitat. It also has a 6-foot cord with an in-line power switch, and it comes with a 1-year limited warranty.
Iguana Heat Lamp Wattage
If you have a young iguana living in a small habitat then a 50-watt to 75-watt heat lamp will be more than adequate. Otherwise, a large adult iguana will need a 100-watt to 150-watt heat lamp at a minimum.
If you have a young iguana in a small 55-gallon aquarium then a 50-watt to 75-watt heat lamp is more than enough power. If you get a heat lamp that is too powerful it can overheat a small enclosure, which can lead to heat stress that can cause harm to your iguana.
A large adult iguana will need a more powerful heat lamp to help them properly thermoregulate. The amount of power you will need will vary depending on the size of the habitat. If you plan on keeping your iguana in a very large habitat you might even need to get a 250-watt heat lamp (Buy Online).
The only real way to be sure how well your heat lamp is working is to measure the temperature inside your iguana’s habitat. The best way to do this is to use an infrared thermometer (Buy Online) to take heat readings on multiple surfaces inside the habitat. This will allow you to judge if your lamp is close enough to your iguana, or you will easily be able to see if the heat lamp isn’t outputting enough infrared radiation.
