What should a bearded dragon's basking temperature be?
A bearded dragon's basking surface should sit at 38–42°C (100–108°F), with a cooler end around 26–29°C (79–84°F) so it can thermoregulate. Get the basking spot and the gradient right and most feeding, digestion and activity problems look after themselves.
The numbers that matter
Aim for a basking surface of 38–42°C (100–108°F) for an adult, the spot the dragon actually sits on to warm up and digest. Growing juveniles sit at the warmer end of that range. The cool side should be 26–29°C (79–84°F). This spread lets the dragon shuttle between hot and cool to hold its ideal body temperature.
Measure at basking height, with a probe
Temperature is meaningless without the right measurement. Read the surface the dragon basks on, the top of the log or rock, not the air or the enclosure floor, because a raised basking platform sits much closer to the bulb and runs hotter. Use a digital probe thermometer or an infrared temperature gun; avoid stick-on dial gauges, which are slow and inaccurate.
Building the gradient
A dragon can't self-regulate in a box that's one temperature throughout. Put the heat source at one end and leave the other end unheated so a clear warm-to-cool gradient runs across the enclosure. Control the basking bulb with a thermostat so it holds the target rather than climbing, and raise or lower the basking platform to fine-tune the surface temperature. This is separate from UVB, which the dragon also needs.
The night-time drop
At night the temperature should fall, a drop to around 18–24°C (64–75°F) is healthy and mimics the wild. Most homes cool to a safe night temperature on their own with all heating off, so no night-time heat is usually needed. Avoid coloured or bright night bulbs, which disturb sleep; if a room genuinely gets too cold, use a thermostat-controlled ceramic heat emitter that gives off no light.
When to see a vet
Temperature itself is a husbandry fix rather than a veterinary one, but see an exotics vet if a dragon kept at correct temperatures still won't eat or digest, or shows lethargy, weight loss, or abnormal stool, persistent problems on a correct setup point to something beyond heat.
One reading rarely tells the story. What matters is whether it's an isolated blip or part of a trend, so look at recent weight, feeding intervals, shedding, temperature and behaviour together.
baskr keeps those records in one place and watches the pattern for you, so you can see whether something has genuinely changed with your bearded dragon, before it becomes a problem.
Track my bearded dragon freeRelated questions
How hot should a bearded dragon's basking spot be?+
The basking surface an adult sits on should be 38–42°C (100–108°F). Juveniles sit at the warmer end. Measure the surface itself at basking height with a digital probe or infrared gun, not the surrounding air.
What temperature should the cool side of a bearded dragon tank be?+
Around 26–29°C (79–84°F). Keeping the cool end distinctly cooler than the basking spot gives the dragon the gradient it needs to move between hot and cool and regulate its body temperature.
Do bearded dragons need heat at night?+
Usually not. A night-time drop to around 18–24°C (64–75°F) is healthy, and most homes reach a safe temperature on their own. Only add heat if the room gets genuinely cold, and use a light-free, thermostat-controlled ceramic heat emitter.
How do I measure my bearded dragon's basking temperature?+
Read the actual surface the dragon basks on, at basking height, using a digital probe thermometer or infrared temperature gun. Stick-on dial gauges are too slow and inaccurate to trust for the basking spot.
More Bearded Dragon questions
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- Why is my bearded dragon glass surfing?
- Why is my bearded dragon's beard turning black?
- Is my bearded dragon brumating?
- What are the signs of metabolic bone disease in a bearded dragon?
- Why is my bearded dragon waving its arm?
baskr provides husbandry guidance, not veterinary advice. For anything involving weight loss, injury or illness, always verify with an experienced keeper or an exotics vet.