The Zoo Med Repti Basking Spot Lamp provides a focused area of heat so your box turtle can “sun” herself and absorb heat. It emits UVA rays, which are important for turtle health, but not UVB, which they also need. So unless your turtles go outside, you will also need a UVB light source. If you handle the bulbs carefully, they should give your boxie months of basking enjoyment.

Keep reading for more about the Zoo Med Repti Basking Spot Lamp:

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Light and Heat Output           Life Expectancy           Pros & Cons
.                                  Check Prices and Availability

Light and Heat Output

The Zoo Med Repti Basking Spot Lamp creates a nice hot basking spot for your box turtle. It puts out a concentrated beam of bright light so most of the heat and light focuses on one spot. Its patented double reflector makes this possible.

Plus, it warms nearby air. So in some habitats, it helps create a nice heat gradient, so your turtle can regulate her body temperature more easily. How much of the habitat it heats will depend on the size of your enclosure and the size of the bulb.

Keep in mind that this bulb is not actually intended to heat the whole cage, but it may do so in smaller enclosures. You will want to be sure you get the right wattage for the size of your habitat. Using too big a bulb in a small enclosure may overheat the whole thing. Remember, your turtle needs a spot where he can cool off, too.

To help, it comes in six different wattages:

• 25 watts
• 50 watts
• 75 watts
• 100 watts
• 150 watts
• 250 watts

The 50W, 75W and 100W bulbs also come in value-priced 2-packs to save you money.

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Basking Spot Lamp Life Expectancy

According to Zoo Med, this bulb can last up to about 2,000 hours. Keep in mind this is a maximum. Bulbs of all sorts burn out well before reaching their maximum lifespan. The cause can be something as simple as oil from your fingers causing a hot spot on the bulb.

Also, this type of bulb is somewhat more fragile than others, and reviewers experiences were very mixed in terms of how long their bulbs lasted. Some had their bulbs for six months or even a year. Others had multiple bulbs burn out within weeks or even days.

You will need to decide for yourself if you think these bulbs are worth trying, but there are a few tips you can use to maximize their life:

• Use them only in a ceramic lamp.
• Do not touch the bulb with bare hands. Wear gloves (cotton or latex is fine) when handling and installing. Or hold the bulb with a tissue or clean cloth.
• Do not get them wet while turned on. If you regularly mist your turtle habitat, make sure you do not accidentally hit the bulb.
• Do not move the lamp while bulb is hot. Even if you’ve turned it off. Let it cool down first. The filament is more likely to break if jostled while hot.
• Move the bulb as little as possible, even when cool.

The Zoo Med website claims a 3-month warranty on this bulb, so if you do have problems, exchange it for a replacement.

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Pros and Cons Summary for the Zoo Med Basking Spot Lamp

Repti Basking Spot Lamp

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Most of the reviews focused on how long the bulbs last and whether the price is worth it. And most reviewers either 5-star loved them or 1-star hated them. So here’s a quick overview of the best and worst of these bulbs:
Pros:

• Turtles love the heat!
• Warms up quickly
• Heat and light output are very good
• Sold in 2-bulb value packs (50W, 75W and 100W bulbs only)
• Works in any regular bulb socket (but works best in a ceramic socket)
• 3-month warranty

Cons:

• Fragile; moisture or excessive handling makes it likely to burn out prematurely
• Price (this is really only a con if they’re burning out regularly)
• Can get too hot … make sure you get the right size for your enclosure and keep it far enough away from your pet

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Check Prices and Availability

If you’d like to try this basking bulb, these sellers offer some very good prices. They don’t all sell every wattage (the 50 watt, 75 watt and 100 watt are most common), so depending on what you need, you may need to check a couple sources. And if price is a concern, it’s always worth checking out if anyone has a sale today.

• Find the 50, 75, 100 and 150 watt Zoo Med Basking Lamp at PetSmart. This site also sells the 2-packs of the 50, 75 and 100 watt bulbs.
• You can find all wattages of the Repti Basking Spot Lamp at Amazon. Including the 2-bulb value packs.
• As of this writing, Buy.com sells all strengths of Zoo Med’s Basking Lamp.

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