Box turtle is on the preference list of many pet owners, but to keep them happy and healthy for long times, you need to arrange for some very necessary equipment. A heat lamp is on the list of such equipment.
Now you can check the list where we have handpicked a few heat emitter bulbs from different brands and with different price ranges and features.
Contents
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEST OVERALL | BEST OVERALL |
Zoo med aquatic turtle UVB |
|
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| BEST VALUE | BEST VALUE |
Iootsea reptile aquarium heat lamp |
|
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| PREMIUM CHOICE | PREMIUM CHOICE |
Dadypet reptile heat lamp |
|
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Full Review of Best Heat Lamp For Box Turtle
1. Zoo med aquatic turtle UVB Heat lighting kit:
The brand Zoo Med has brought us one of the most useful turtle lamps which you can use safely on the tank of your box turtle. The lamp comes with a polished metal dome made from aluminum which works wonderfully when it comes to reflecting the light and heat in the right way. There are dual ceramic sockets in this kit which makes sure that you can adjust two different lamps at the same place. The dome is much deep and thus it extends to a wider area and gives more heat and light throughout the tank.
There are two lamps available in this kit, a heat lamp, and a sun lamp. You can use either one at a time, keeping the need in mind. The heat lamp also provides UVB rays and thus you need not worry about the source of UVB in the tank of the box turtle.
Pros:
- Two lamps
- Wide dome
- Two different sockets
- Provides UVB light
Cons:
- Extension cord needed to connect with the source
2. Iootsea reptile aquarium heat lamp:
This is a good choice to keep the tank of the box turtle warm. It provides UV rays which are quite effective in maintaining the health of the turtle. From initiating hunger to keeping digestion normal, UV rays are a must to keep the turtles healthy. Also, it improves bone growth. The lamp holder that comes with the set is made with ceramic and, is a heat-resisting product.
The temperature can be adjusted and you will be able to also manually change the brightness and temperature, so at night time you can manage it to keep the interior of the tank suitable for the turtle to sleep. For the different times, you can manage to change the light accordingly.
Pros:
- Ceramic holder
- Provides UV lights and normal light with heat
- Temperature adjustment
Cons:
- Some users complain about flickering bulb
3. Dadypet reptile heat lamp
This heat lamp provides UVB rays along with regular light so it will be an ideal solution for offering heat and light to your box turtle’s tank. Basking under this light will offer an ample amount of UV rays which will benefit the box turtle in several ways. The lamp can be rotated to 360 degrees, which means you can fit it at the central point of the ceiling of the tank and yet can manage to keep the whole tank warm.
The bone health and overall immunity of the box turtle will be covered by the UV rays emitted by this heat lamp. Positioning of the lamp is much easy and you can mount it both on the wall or ceiling. The lamp comes with a clip that is high-quality plastic and never gives up even at high heat.
Pros:
- A good amount of UV ray emission
- 360-degree rotation of the lamp
- Easy mounting
Cons:
- No on-off switch
4. Diyeeni reptile heat lamp with guard:
This is a heat emitter which is good for the basking point as well as the allover heating of the box turtle tank. This lamp heats fast and makes the tank a warm place. Then it keeps working and the temperature level stays constant. The heat that it provides is good for the blood circulation of the box turtle. It also works on the metabolism of the turtle and keeps it healthy and fit. There is a pet cage along with the lamp which is made from ceramic. This cage keeps the bulb safe and also keeps the lamp away from the turtle so it does not accidentally touch it or go near it.
There is a hook on the other side of the cage which can be used to put the lamp at any corner of the cage. The bulb works for 20,000 hours so you can trust this brand to offer some good products for your pet box turtle. This ceramic bulb does not emit any light but only heat, so if you are planning to get something that will provide heat on the winter nights, then it is the right choice.
Pros:
- Healthy for a box turtle
- Heat emitter
- No light so can be used at nights
Cons:
- Complained by a customer that the wire melted
5. Coospider ceramic infrared heat emitter:
This heat emitter comes with a 360-degree clip-on system which makes the heat source easy to fit on the tank of the box turtle. This is a 100W ceramic heater which comes in black color. As it is made from solid ceramic elements, it comes with the perfect solution for the heat emission in the turtle tank. The light fixture that comes with the emitter is pretty solid and will work for long years.
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This product is much simple to install. You can use this heat emitter for 24 hours as there will be no light emerging from the source. Only remember to fit the emitter at a height so the turtle can never reach it, as there can be chances of an accident by burning. The plastic knobs to the screws are not much trustworthy though, and you may have to change them once after six months. The 110V bulb will use minimum energy to provide a healthy environment for your box turtle, so it is a definite buy for your pet.
Pros:
- Long-lasting
- Low on energy consumption
- Black in color so no light
- Can be used 24 hours
Cons:
- Plastic screw not long-lasting.
Buyers guide for best heat lamp:
When buying a heat lamp for the box turtle tank you should keep in mind a few points.
Not all incandescent bulbs provide UVB radiation:
If you are buying an incandescent heat lamp, you should remember that this lamp can provide your turtle the UVB rays, or it may not. Check the box for the UVB radiation before you buy it. Or else you would have to arrange for a separate UVB source into the tank.
The wattage of the bulb should be checked:
The wattage of the bulb should be checked before buying it for the turtle tank. If the tank is too small do not go for a higher wattage bulb, as that will be disturbing for the box turtle. On the other hand, do not buy a small heat lamp when you have a huge tank for your turtles. The output always depends upon the wattage of the bulb consumed. For the moderate-sized tank, you should get a 50 to the 70-watt bulb to keep the whole place warm and the basking spot hot.
The ceramic lamp is good for keeping the sleeping cycle intact:
When you are looking for some heat source that will work fine at night time, go for ceramic heat lamps. No visible light will be produced so it will not disturb the box turtle when it will be resting. On the cold winter nights you can keep the ceramic heat emitter on, and also when the temperature is too low, you can keep it on along with the regular heating lamp.
Ceramic heat emitters are more durable:
When you are using the ceramic heat emitters, there are fewer chances of cracking so your box turtle may have no chance of suffering from any mishap. The regular glass-made bulbs can sometimes crack when they are switched on for too long hours.
For a large basking spot, you need to use a high wattage bulb:
As the basking spot is the warmest area of the turtle tank you should arrange the heat lamp precisely on the top of it. If you have bought a large tank then usually the basking area will be wider. Then you should not restrict yourself to the 80-watt bulb and proceed to buy a 100-watt bulb for the bigger tank, which will keep the place adequately warm.
Common Faqs
Can the turtle survive without a heat lamp?
No, you should never experiment with the turtle and always keep a heat lamp at the shelter of the box turtle. They cannot survive without the external heat, and they would not get that in the normal way like they do when they are in the wilderness. The reason for this circumstance is, they are cold-blooded creatures and they need heat from the exterior. Without any external heat, they are unable to live.
Do box turtles need a heat lamp?
Box turtles need heat to survive, so naturally, you should arrange for a good quality heat lamp for the enclosure of the box turtle. The heat lamp should have a regulator which will allow you to manually change the temperature. 21 to 32 degrees Celsius temperature is ideal for the living of box turtle.
Can natural light be the replacement for a heat lamp for a box turtle?
Box turtles need natural sunlight for some hours in a day, but that is not sufficient. They cannot stand the heat of the midday sun as they usually go to their burrows or under the water when the sun is too hot at the sky. In the shelter, you need to make a similar arrangement. You have to keep the heat lamps at the tank of the box turtle so the turtle does not suffer from the lack of heat.
Do the turtles need a heat lamp at night?
If the box turtle is at the time of hatching, then the heat may be needed at night time also. The turtle, that is going to hatch, often rests on the basking area or basking stone of the shelter. The extra heat is needed for the body warming procedure which takes place at the time of hatching.
Is red light better for the nighttime or the blue one?
For the box turtle’s shelter, it is not important for the pets to keep light of any particular color. It does not matter much to them that they are getting the red light at night or the blue light. They often sleep at night time and that too in the basking area. If you think that your pet box turtle does not like any light at all, go for the ceramic heater which will not emit any light but will provide heat.
What are the various kinds of heat lamps for box turtles?
There are UVB lamps, heat lamps, and night lamps in red or blue light for the box turtle’s tank. You can always use the UVB lamp as that one is mandatory to be put on the cage of the box turtle. Regarding nighttime light, you should arrange for the ceramic heat emitter that does not provide any light at all. Or else you can check the blue or red light bulbs that offer dim light and some amount of heat to keep the box turtle warm at night.
How long the heat lamp of the turtle tank should be on?
The heating lamp should be switched on for a maximum of 10 hours in the box turtle tank. Following the day-night cycle at the cage is important so you can arrange for a night lamp or ceramic heater for the nighttime and a bright lamp for the daytime. This way you will be able to manage the sleeping cycle of your box turtle.
What happens when the temperature is too low at the box turtle’s tank?
The cold weather can get your box turtle some respiratory malfunction. There can be an infection that often leads to fatal consequences. Always need to keep the temperature of the basking area higher than the rest part of the tank. To arrange for the heating, you need to fix a heating lamp at the cage of the turtle. The temperature of the tank will be provided by the heating lamp or regular lamp.
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