Reptile Basking Temperatures by Species

Select a reptile to learn more

Lizards  Snakes  Turtles / Tortoises 

Lizards

Ackie Monitor

Ackie Monitor

Varanus Acanthurus

Basking surface temperature:
158-172°F (70-78°C)

Warm side air temperature:
84-100°F (29-38°C)

Cool side temperature:
75-82°F (24-28°C)

African Fat-Tailed Gecko

African Fat-Tailed Gecko

Hemitheconyx caudicinctus

Warm hide temperature:
90°F (32°C)

Warm side temperature:
80-90°F (27-32°C)

Cool side temperature:
70-77°F (21-25°C)

Argentine Tegu

Argentine Tegu

Salvator Spp.

Basking surface temperature:
125-135°F (52-57°C)

Cool zone temperature:
75-85°F (24-29°C)

bearded dragon

bearded dragon

pogona vitticeps

Basking surface temperature:
105-115°F (40-46°C)

Cool zone temperature:
70-85°F (21-29°C)

Blue-Tailed Day Gecko

Blue-Tailed Day Gecko

Phelsuma cepediana

Basking area temperature:
85-90°F (29-32°C)

Cool zone temperature:
72-80°F (22-27°C)

Nighttime temperature:
68-72°F (20-22°C)

Blue Tongue Skink

Blue Tongue Skink

Tiliqua sp.

Eastern Blue Tongue Skink

Tiliqua Scincoides scincoides

Basking surface temperature:
105-115°F (40-46°C)

Cool Zone temperature:
70-80°F (21-27°C)

Chahoua Gecko

Chahoua Gecko

Mniarogekko chahou

Basking area temperature:
82-85°F (28-29°C)

Cool zone temperature:
72-75°F (22-24°C)

Nighttime temperature:
65-72°F (18-22°C)

Chinese Water Dragon

Chinese Water Dragon

Physignathus cocincinus

Basking area temperature:
90-95°F (32-35°C)

Cool side temperature:
77-86°F (25-30°C)

Nighttime temperature:
75-77°F (24-25°C)

Colombian Tegu

Colombian Tegu

Tupinambis spp.

Basking surface temperature:
125-135°F (52-57°C)

Cool zone temperature:
75-85°F (24-29°C)

Crested gecko

Crested gecko

Correlophus ciliatus

Basking area temperature:
82-85°F (28-29°C)

Cool zone temperature:
70-75°F (21-24°C)

Nighttime temperature:
65-72°F (18-22°C)

Gargoyle Gecko

Gargoyle Gecko

Rhacodactylus auriculatus

Basking area temperature:
82-85°F (28-29°C)

Cool zone temperature:
70-75°F (21-24°C)

Nighttime temperature:
65-72°F (18-22°C)

Giant Day Gecko

Giant Day Gecko

Phelsuma grandis

Basking area temperature:
85-90°F (29-32°C)

Cool zone temperature:
77-82°F (25-28°C)

Nighttime temperature:
73-77°F (23-25°C)

Giant Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Giant Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Uroplatus fimbriatus

Basking area temperature:
80-82°F (28-29°C)

Average air temperature:
76-78°F (24-25°C)

Cool zone temperature:
70-74°F (21-23°C)

Gold Dust Day Gecko

Gold Dust Day Gecko

Phelsuma laticauda

Basking area temperature:
90°F (32°C)

General temperatures:
82-89°F (28-32°C)

Nighttime temperature:
70-77°F (21-25°C)

Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink

Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink

tiliqua gigas ssp.

Basking surface temperature:
100-105°F (38-41°C)

Cool Zone temperature:
70-80°F (21-27°C)

Jackson's Chameleon

Jackson's Chameleon

Trioceros jacksonii ssp.

Basking area temperature:
80-85°F (26-29°C)

Cool zone temperature:
68-75°F (20-24°C)

Nighttime temperature:
50-65°F (10-18°C)

Night time drop is extremely important to this species in order for them to thrive

Leopard Gecko

Leopard Gecko

Eublepharis macularius

Basking area temperature:
94-97°F (34-36°C)

Average air temperature:
90-92°F (32-33°C)

Cool zone temperature:
70-77°F (21-25°C)

Mossy Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Mossy Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Uroplatus sikorae

Basking area temperature:
82-84°F (27-29°C)

Average air temperature:
72-78°F (22-25°C)

Cool zone temperature:
68-72°F (20-22°C)

Mourning Gecko

Mourning Gecko

Lepidodactylus lugubris

Basking area temperature:
80-85°F (26-29°C)

Average air temperature:
70-75°F (21-24°C)

Cool zone temperature:
65-72°F (18-22°C)

Ocellated Skink

Ocellated Skink

Chalcides ocellaltus

Basking surface temperature:
110-120°F (43-49°C)

Basking air temperature:
90-100°F (33-37°C)

Cool side temperature:
75-85°F (24-29°C)

Panther Chameleon

Panther Chameleon

Furcifer pardalis

Basking area temperature:
85-90°F (29-32°C)

General temperature:
72-77°F (22-25°C)

Nighttime temperature:
60-70°F (15-21°C)

Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink

Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink

Tribolonotus gracilis

Warm hide temperature:
80-82°F (27-28°C)

Cool zone temperature:
75-78°F (24-26°C)

Nighttime temperature:
72-75°F (22-24°C)

Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Uroplatus phantasticus

Basking area temperature:
80-85°F (27-29°C)

Average air temperature:
68-77°F (20-25°C)

Cool zone temperature:
65-68°F (18-20 °C)

Standing's Day Gecko

Standing's Day Gecko

Phelsuma standingi

Basking area temperature:
90-95°F (32-35°C)

Cool zone temperature:
75-88°F (24-31°C)

Nighttime temperature:
72-74°F (22-23°C)

Tokay Gecko

Tokay Gecko

Gekko gecko

Basking area temperature:
90-100°F (32-38°C)

Cool zone temperature:
80-85°F (26-29°C)

Nighttime temperature:
76-80°F (24-26°C)

Uromastyx

Uromastyx

Uromastyx sp.

Basking surface temperature:
120-130°F (49-55°C)

Cool zone temperature:
~85°F (29°C)

Veiled Chameleon

Veiled Chameleon

Chamaeleo calyptratus

Basking area temperature:
85°F (29°C)

General temperature:
72-78°F (22-25°C)

Nighttime temperature:
55-65°F (13-18°C)

Snakes

Ball Python

Ball Python

PYTHON REGIUS

Basking surface temperature:
95-104°F (35-40°C)

Warm hide temperature:
86-90°F (30-32°C)

Cool hide temperature:
72-80°F (22-27°C)

Nighttime temperature:
72-78°F (22-26°C)

BOA CONSTRICTOR

BOA CONSTRICTOR

BOA SSP.

Basking surface:
90°F (32°C)

Basking air temp:
80-85°F (28-29°C)

Cool end:
75-80°F (24-26°C)

Nighttime temps:
75-78°F (24-26°C

Brazilian Rainbow Boa

Brazilian Rainbow Boa

Epicrates cenchria cenchria

Basking area:
86-90°F (30-32°C)

Daytime ambient temperature:
78-84°F (29-30°C)

Nighttime temps:
72-75°F (22-24°C)

BREDL’S PYTHON

BREDL’S PYTHON

MORELIA BREDLI

Basking surface:
98-104°F (37-40°C)

Cool end:
82-84°F (28-29°C)

Nighttime temps:
73-77°F (23-25°C)

Decreasing winter temperatures by 5-10°F / 3-5°C helps encourage natural seasonal hormonal cycling.

CARPET PYTHON

CARPET PYTHON

MORELIA SPILOTA

Basking surface:
95-100°F (35-38°C)

Cool end:
75-80°F (24-26°C)

Nighttime temps:
72-78°F (22-25°C)

Decreasing winter temperatures by 5-10°F / 3-5°C helps encourage natural seasonal hormonal cycling.

Colombian Rainbow Boa

Colombian Rainbow Boa

Epicrates maurus colombianus

Basking area:
86-88°F (30-31°C)

Daytime ambient temperature:
75-82°F (24-28°C)

Nighttime temps:
65-70°F (18-21°C)

Corn Snake

Corn Snake

PANTHEROPHIS GUTTATUS

Basking surface:
90°F (32°C)

Cool zone:
75°F (23-24°C)

Temperatures can safely fall to 68°F/20°C at night

DUMERIL’S BOA

DUMERIL’S BOA

ACRANTOPHIS DUMERILI

Basking surface temperature:
86-88°F (30-31°C)

Cool zone/nighttime temperature:
70-75°F (21-24°C)

Heat sources should be turned off at night, unless your home gets significantly cooler than 70°F/21°c at night, in which case it’s good to provide supplementary heat like a ceramic heat emitter or deep heat projector and thermostat.

Eastern Hognose

Eastern Hognose

HETERODON PLATIRHINOS

Basking surface:
86-88°F (30-31°C)

Cool zone:
70-75°F (21-24°C)

name

KENYAN SAND BOA

ERYX COLURBRINUS

Basking surface:
93-95°F (34-35°C)

Cool zone:
78-83°F (26-28°C)

Heating should be turned off at night.

King Snake

King Snake

LAMPROPELTIS, SP.

Basking surface:
90-95°F (32-35°C)

Cool side:
75-80°F (23-27°C)

Specific optimal basking temperatures may vary by which subspecies you’re keeping. Heat sources should be turned off at night.

Milk Snake

Milk Snake

LAMPROPELTIS, SP.

Basking surface:
85-90°F (29-32°C)

Cool side:
75-80°F (23-27°C)

Nighttime:
70-75°F (21-23°C)

Basking temperatures may vary by subspecies. Heat sources should be turned off at night. If night heat is needed to maintain temps, use a ceramic heat emitter or radiant heat panel on a thermostat.

Rosy Boa

Rosy Boa

Lichanura sp.

Basking surface:
85-90°F (29-32°C)

Cool zone:
75-80°F (24-27°C)

western Hognose

western
Hognose

HETERODON NASICUS

Basking surface:
90-95°F (32-35°C)

Cool zone:
70-75°F (21-24°C)

Turtles / Tortoises

Eastern Box Turtle

Eastern Box Turtle

Terrapene carolina carolina

Basking area temperature:
84-88°F / 29-31°C

Cool zone temperature:
70-75°F / 21-24°C

Ornate Box Turtle

Ornate Box Turtle

Terrapene ornata ornata

Basking area temperature:
90-95°F / 32-35°C

Cool zone temperature:
70-77°F / 21-25°C

Painted Turtle

Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta

Basking surface temperature:
95-104°F (35-40°C)

Water temperature (juveniles):
78-80°F (25-27°C)

Water temperature (subadults/adults):
70-76°F (21-24°C)

Red-Eared Slider

Red-Eared Slider

Trachemys scripta elegans

Basking surface temperature:
95-104°F (35-40°C)

Water temperature (juveniles):
85-90°F (30-32°C)

Water temperature (subadults/adults):
74-76°F (23-24°C)

Russian Tortoise

Russian Tortoise

Testudo horsfieldii

Basking area temperature:
95°F / 35°C

Cool zone temperature:
75-85°F / 24-29°C

Nighttime temperature:
70-75°F / 21- 23°C

Three-toed Box Turtle

Three-toed Box Turtle

Terrapene carolina triunguis

Basking area temperature:
85°F / 29°C

Cool zone temperature:
70-75°F / 21-24°C

Yellow-Bellied Slider

Yellow-Bellied Slider

Trachemys scripta scripta

Basking surface temperature:
95-104°F (35-40°C)

Basking air temperature:
85-90°F (30-32°C)

Water temperature:
74-76°F (23-24°C)

Credit J, Whiting M, Magalhães-Sant’Ana M. Pet Reptiles—Are We Meeting Their Needs? Animals. 2021; 11(10):2964. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102964 Ferguson, G.W.; Brinker, A.M.; Gehrmann, W.H.; Bucklin, S.E.; Baines, F.M.; Mackin, S.J. Voluntary Exposure of Some Western- Hemisphere Snake and Lizard Species to Ultraviolet-B Radiation in the Field: How Much Ultraviolet-B Should a Lizard or Snake Receive in Captivity? Zoo Biol. 2009