What temperature and humidity does a bearded dragon need?
This is the single most important number in bearded dragon care. Basking 95–105°F (35–41°C), cool side 75–85°F (24–29°C), with humidity around 30–40%. Everything else — appetite, shedding, activity — follows from getting this right.
Target temperature
- Warm side / basking
- Basking 95–105°F (35–41°C)
- Cool side
- cool side 75–85°F (24–29°C)
- Humidity
- 30–40%
- Lighting
- Strong UVB tube, 12–14 hour day cycle
Why a gradient matters more than one number
A bearded dragon cannot choose a temperature if you only give it one. Provide a warm end and a cool end so it can move between them — that behaviour is how it regulates its own body temperature. Measure both ends with a digital probe; the stick-on dial gauges sold in pet shops are unreliable.
How to control it
- Heat: use a thermostatically controlled heat source. An unregulated heat source is the single most common cause of burns in captive reptiles.
- Humidity: adjust substrate, water surface area and ventilation rather than just misting. Misting spikes humidity briefly and then drops it again.
- Measurement: digital probes at animal level, not on the wall above it.
- Night: most species tolerate a night drop. Check what your species needs rather than heating 24 hours a day.
Species target: Basking 95–105°F (35–41°C), cool side 75–85°F (24–29°C), humidity 30–40%. Strong UVB tube, 12–14 hour day cycle.
Signs your numbers are off
- Too cold: a bearded dragon that stops eating, stays hidden and becomes lethargic.
- Too hot: an animal that permanently sits at the cool end, gapes or avoids the basking spot entirely.
- Humidity wrong: shedding problems, or a constantly damp enclosure that never dries out.
Related questions
What temperature should a bearded dragon basking spot be?
Surface temperature of about 95–105°F (35–41°C) for adults, measured with an infrared thermometer on the basking surface. The cool end should sit around 75–85°F so the dragon can choose.
How far should the UVB light be?
Follow the tube manufacturer's chart — commonly 12–18 inches from the basking surface for a 10.0 tube mounted inside the enclosure, with no glass or fine mesh between bulb and animal.
How often do bearded dragons eat?
Adults get a daily salad plus insects two or three times a week. Juveniles under eight months need insects two or three times daily because they are growing fast.
Not veterinary advice. This guide covers husbandry. If your bearded dragon is injured, off food unusually long, or behaving abnormally, contact a veterinarian.