In the recent years, there have been many debates that have to do with the snake’s lights. In some ball python owners that have an experience of taking care of other reptiles, have used the same set of lightings for their ball pythons. But little do they know that there are some lighting that isn’t necessary for ball pythons.
Ball pythons are great pets for new snake owners, they are very easy to take care of and are not difficult to maintain. However, it is still important to properly set up their habitat like the other reptiles. Let’s find out more about the perfect lighting for ball pythons.
Contents
- Does A Ball Python Need UVB Lighting?
- Heat Lights for Ball Pythons
- 10 Best Light for Ball Python
- 1. OMAYKEY 75W Ceramic Heat Lamp
- 2.Wuhostam 50W Black Infrared Bulb
- 3. Evergreen Pet Supplies 75W Infrared Heat Lamp
- 4. Blue Spotted 75W Sunning Heat Lamp
- 5. Zoo Med Day and Night Reptile 60W Bulb
- 6. Exo Terra Repti-Glo 2.0 Fluorescent Lamp 26W
- 7. Glolux 11W LED Light Bulb
- 8. Aiicioo 60W Ceramic Heat Bulb
- 9. Zoo Med Nightlight Bulb 60W
- 10. Zoo Med Basking Spot Lamp 75W
- Conclusion
Does A Ball Python Need UVB Lighting?
With some exception of uncommon pet snakes like a Burmese python, boa constrictor, and green snakes, using a UVB light in a snake’s enclosure is unnecessary. Will it negatively affect your snake’s health without UVB lighting? No, in fact, it would somehow increase their activity and coloration. Ball pythons and other common pet snakes can be perfectly healthy without the use of UVB lights.
But if you decided to use one for your pet, make sure that the UVB bulb is about 10 to 12 inches away from your pet snake, and change the bulb every 6 months even if it’s still working out just fine. The UVB is made up of an invisible spectrum of light before the visible spectrum runs out the invisible spectrum of light will expire. Therefore, a UVB bulb doesn’t usually last more than 6 months, unless if the manufacturer of the bulb has proven it otherwise.
Heat Lights for Ball Pythons
Depending on your home’s temperature or your country’s temperature, you may or may not use a heat light to maintain a proper temperature in your snake’s enclosure. Like other pet snakes, a ball python also needs their own basking spot. Their basking spot’s temperature should be around 90 degrees, while their ambient temperature should be below the 80’s.
To make sure that you have the right amount of temperature in your snake’s enclosure, you should put an analog or digital thermometer on the side of your pet’s tank. Some bulbs that are often used for houses, would also emit enough heat to heat up your ball python’s tank. Some snake owners would use a heating pad instead of lights, it may heat up the tank, but it can be a bit difficult to maintaining and monitoring the proper temperature of the tank.
10 Best Light for Ball Python
Using a light bulb for your pet’s enclosure is not just about randomly choosing a bulb in the market, you should also consider the number of watts the light bulb has. Since a ball python doesn’t really require the use of UVB lights, getting a light bulb that could provide enough heat should do just fine.
And honestly, you shouldn’t really have to use a light bulb with more than 75W. And for a full-time lighting, you should just use a black/red bulb. If you need more visible light for your pet snake, you could use an LED or Fluorescent lamp.
Here are the best lights that you could use for your pet ball python:
1. OMAYKEY 75W Ceramic Heat Lamp
- ✔ The 75W infrared heat lamp is made of solid ceramics element, it has a perfect heat radiation feature and no light emitted, not disturb reptile's normal sleep schedule (day or night), great for pet, lizard, coop, chicken, turtle, snake, chameleon, bearded dragon
- ✔ This ceramic heat lamp is simple and easy to install, just screw it into a standard porcelain E27 screw socket (ATTENTION: Use only with a porcelain socket, because the plastic socket may melt the lamp holder)
- ✔ This white heat lamp bulb is ETL Listed, input voltage is AC 90-120V, power is 75-Watts, full size is diameter 2.95 inch x height 3.94 inch
- ✔ This infrared ceramic heat emitter bulb is the perfect 24 hour heat source for reptiles and amphibians. It could last 9000-15,000 hours, even longer
- ✔ This bulb‘s surface temperature is very high when working, please do not use your hand to test the temperature. Do not touch the heat lamp immediately after turning off, please wait at least 1 hour to cool down. Also please adjust the distance between the heat lamp and the pets
This 75W heat lamp is made up of solid ceramic elements, which could perfectly provide a heat radiation feature without emitting lights. This ceramic light is very simple to use and install, just screw it in an E27 screw socket and it will instantly provide your snake’s needs. The bulb is perfect to be used for 24 hours as your pet’s main heat source. Perfect for all kinds of reptiles and amphibians alike, the bulb can last for 9,000 to 15,000 hours or 375 to 625 days. It could last for 2 years or even more.
Since the ceramic heat lamp doesn’t emit light, meaning it can be used during the night without it disturbing your pet’s sleeping pattern. When installing the bulb in your pet’s enclosure, make sure that your pet cannot reach or touch the bulb to avoid complications.
2.Wuhostam 50W Black Infrared Bulb
[asin=B071GKDXBL]
Here is another good ceramic bulb, but this time it comes with a black bulb. Like the previous light bulb, this ceramic does not also emit light, meaning it can be used in your ball python’s enclosure for 24-hours, day and night. The lamp’s input voltage should be around 90 to 120V with a power of 50W. The amount of power that this bulb emits would be enough for your pet’s needs.
The bulb could work for 9,000 to 15,000 hours, so there is no rush in changing it every 6 months. This bulb could emit heat that can be a perfect heat source for a lot of amphibians and reptiles. Note: while the bulb is in use, the surface would be very hot so please do not touch it. Also, make sure that there’s enough distance between the bulb and your ball python.
3. Evergreen Pet Supplies 75W Infrared Heat Lamp
Since ball pythons also need a good basking spot, this light bulb could just provide them with enough basking light. This infrared heat lamp could provide a powerful source of heat emission for your pet at night, the light bulb does not emit light is can be used to provide heat for your pet during the night.
This light is perfect to be used with a wide variety of amphibians and reptiles including snakes, hermit crabs, chameleons, lizards, geckos, bearded dragons, monitors, chuckwallas, iguanas, and more. However, the light bulbs are small, meaning the expected lifetime of the light bulb could only be 800 to 1,000 hours. The manufacturer of this product has conducted a 3-step test on their light bulbs upon production, the conducted steps ensure that the bulb works properly for the benefits of pet owners.
4. Blue Spotted 75W Sunning Heat Lamp
[asin=B00LMS3330]
These Sunning Heat Lamps provides a really nice basking heat for amphibians, reptiles, birds, farm animals, and small animals. To avoid overheating, you should use the light for only 10 to 12 hours a day. The heat lamp emits a broad-spectrum of light that is good for live plants in your pet’s terrarium, it could also provide UVA rays and heat for your ball python, which is good for their health.
The UVA and heat that the light bulb emits can also provide a good thermoregulation. It could stimulate the natural effect of sunlight to promote a strong and healthy reptile, which also includes your ball python. Aside from UVA and Heat, this heating lamp could also facilitate the natural behaviors in reptiles. The light bulb could last for 2,000 hours or more.
5. Zoo Med Day and Night Reptile 60W Bulb
- Pack of two bulbs - one daylight blue and one nightlight red
- Blue bulb provides heat with bright naturalistic light for day
- True red glass heat lamp offers 24 hour heating
The package includes one blue daylight bulb to use during the day and one red nightlight bulb to use during the night. This is a perfect combo pack that could provide all the needs of your pet ball python. The Zoo Med Day and Night Combo Pack could help you control the temperature, keeping your ball python comfortable and warm.
The daylight bulb is perfect for heating amphibian and reptile terrariums, while also providing a bright, naturalistic light for a good view. The nightlight bulb provides a 24-hour heat source for all kinds of reptiles, especially for the nocturnal reptiles. When changing out the light bulbs, make sure to turn it off and at least let it cool down for an hour before touching the bulb. This is to prevent yourself from getting burned by the bulb’s hot surface, also make sure to put enough distance between the bulb and your snake.
6. Exo Terra Repti-Glo 2.0 Fluorescent Lamp 26W
[asin=B00101IC7G]
Here is an ideal spectrum for all types of reptiles and amphibians. This Exo Terra fluorescent lamp could help stimulate your ball python’s activities, appetite, and its reproductive behavior through the bulb’s UVA radiation. However, the light has a visual light output so it is not ideal to be used during the night.
Aside from stimulating appetite, activity, and the reproductive behavior of your pet, the fluorescent lamp could also stimulate the live plant’s growth in your pet’s terrarium. The Exo Terra 2.0 fluorescent lamp could emit 2% of UVB light, ball pythons don’t really need UVB lights, but since they usually get exposed with sunlight when in the wild, being exposed with a few UVB rays won’t do any harm on them.
7. Glolux 11W LED Light Bulb
- Ideal for energy saving – this 11 watt LED bulb saves 80% more energy, replacing standard incandescent 75 watt light bulbs.
- Exceptionally long life - guaranteed lifespan of 25,000 hours, lasting over 22 years, significantly reducing the hassle of replacing bulbs often.
- Qualified safety approval – UL listed as safe, environmentally friendly, and mercury free. With 5 years warranty and 30 day money-back guarantee.
- Easy installation – designed to have the same shape and size as incandescent bulbs with standard E26 socket,so you can replace your traditional bulbs easily.Install indoor or outdoor, directly on ceiling or pendant fixtures, and table or floor lamps.
- 5 Years Warranty: Hassle-free 30 days money back guarantee & 5 years warranty with friendly customer service.
I have somehow mentioned earlier that some household light bulbs, can also be used as a ball pythons source of heat and light. Here is a good household light bulb that can provide your ball python’s needs. This light bulb has a small power of 11watts, this is ideal for you if you want to provide the best light for your pet, and at the same time save energy.
Also, it has a very long lifespan that can last for up to 22 years. It has a guaranteed lifespan of 25,000 hours, this will reduce your hassle of replacing your pet’s light bulb frequently. The bulb is safe, mercury-free, and environment-friendly, perfectly safe for your ball python.
8. Aiicioo 60W Ceramic Heat Bulb
[asin=B017RCQ4JO]
Here is another ceramic light bulb that will emit a 24-hour heat source for your pet. It creates a natural sunlight effect in a uniform pattern and could last for up to 10,000 hours. This ceramic bulb produces a long wave of infrared heat that will effectively warm up your pet snake. It also increases the air temperature in its terrarium.
It is a no light emitted bulb, meaning you can also use it by night without disturbing your pet’s sleeping pattern, perfect for an everyday use. The heating bulb is made up of high-purity pot clay, suitable for environments that have a high level of humidity. The pot clay also has an anti-crack ability, preventing the bulb from breaking in high humidity terrariums.
9. Zoo Med Nightlight Bulb 60W
- Economical 24 hour heat source to keep you pet comfortable.
- Recommended for all types of reptiles, amphibians, birds, or small animals.
- Bulb is made from true red glass, not painted or coated, so it transfers heat better.
- Little visible light won't disturb sleep patterns.
- European quality for a long lasting burn life.
For those who are looking for a light bulb to use at night for their ball pythons, then this nightlight bulb is what you need. The red glass of the bulb is not painted, it is a real red glass. It’s also very economical and reliably provides heat and light for your pet 24-hours. It only emits a little bit of light so that it won’t disturb your snake’s sleeping pattern.
Zoo Med lights can last long and most pet owners have reported that their pet’s love the product, both reptiles and amphibians alike. The light emits a power of 60 watts, this is sufficient for ball pythons.
10. Zoo Med Basking Spot Lamp 75W
[asin=B00025YW8E]
Ball pythons, like all other reptiles and amphibians, also needs a good basking spot in captivity. This could help them shed their skin, improves health and appetite. This is a spotlight lamp, you can focus the light in a certain area in your snake’s terrarium.
You can use this light bulb 10 to 12 hours a day, though make sure to place where your pet can’t touch. When used, the bulb’s surface can be very hot, it can burn your pet when the bulb is placed too close. This bulb is ideal for reptiles that thermo-regulates their body by basking, that includes your ball python and other tropical and desert species.
Conclusion
Ball pythons are primarily nocturnal, they don’t really need a UVB light to live during captivity. However, it’s also not bad to use a full spectrum light with a small output of UVB light, like a 2.0 bulb. The small output of UVB light can improve your snake’s colors, it can also help grow the live plants that you use in your pet’s terrarium.
Since ball pythons are tropical snakes, they may not need UVB light but they do need a good heat source in their enclosure. They need a daytime temperature of 80 degrees and a nighttime temperature of 70 degrees or lower.