Like humans, light is necessary for the survival of reptiles. The light simulates natural sunlight, providing the reptile with the best living space for comprehensive development.
As a reptile breeder, you certainly can’t help but invest the best mercury vapor bulb for reptiles. Not only do they provide light, but they can also provide the UVB, UVA, and temperature necessary for your pet.
There are many types of bulbs that can do that, but the mercury vapor bulb is the most ideal and has the best performance. Pets cannot always be outside to absorb the natural sunlight, so a mercury vapor bulb is indispensable.
There are many types of mercury vapor bulb for reptiles on the market right now, so you may be out of touch with this amount of information. Especially for beginners, the lack of experience will lead to the wrong investment.
Don’t worry, we will help you choose the best mercury vapor bulb for reptiles, along with a list of the best products in 2021.
What is the advantage of the best mercury vapor bulb?
Currently, on the market there are three main types of light for reptiles, namely fluorescent bulbs, compact fluorescent bulbs, and mercury vapor bulbs. Among them, the mercury vapor bulb is highly recommended because it has many advantages.
Although the price is more expensive than the other two bulbs, the mercury vapor bulb shows its superiority. It both provides UV rays that are beneficial for reptilian growth and acts as an excellent heat source for your pet. Therefore, you can save a lot of additional investment and save a lot of free space for your pet’s cage.
The special thing is due to mercury vapor. It helps the radiation of light and heat be dispersed more evenly and stronger. So even if you put the light bulb far away from the reptile, it can still receive the necessary temperature and light.
Besides, this bulb has a longer life than compact fluorescent bulbs and light bulbs. You no longer need to change light bulbs often after a short time of use.
Those are the most basic benefits of a mercury vapor bulb that you can ask any previous user. They can easily answer you these answers, as immediately.
Top 5 Best mercury vapor bulb for reptiles Review 2021
#1 Exo Terra Solar-Glo Mercury Vapor Lamp – [Best Rated]
You’ve probably heard the name Exo Terra on the market at least once. Yes, this is a famous brand for quality products for reptiles and amphibians. And certainly you should not ignore the mercury vapor lamp from this brand.
This mercury bulb is made of high-quality and durable materials so it also has an outstanding quality and longevity. It can provide UVA, UVB and especially superior sunlight energy. The product simulates solar energy as closely as possible and helps prevent bone problems related to light.
You can have two choices of power for reptile cages of 125 Watts and 160 Watts. These options are suitable for different tank sizes. Large capacity is suitable for large tanks and vice versa. It is recommended for use with tanks of 30 gallons or more.
It is ideal to help you give your pet the benefits of natural sunlight. When you don’t have time and can’t let your pet bask in the sun, this product will help you do just that.
It also costs less than a full-featured mercury lamp. You can find them easily on any ecommerce site.
#2 MyComfyPets UVB Light and UVA 2-in-1 Reptile Bulb – [Best Safety]
MyComfyPets UVB Light and UVA 2-in-1 Reptile Bulb is a product that is highly appreciated for its performance and safety. This mercury vapor bulb can be used with a variety of reptiles, but is ideal for bearded dragons.
This light bulb is designed to combine two products into one, one basking and a heat lamp. So you can save quite a bit and also save more space.
You can choose between 180-200 UVB or 400 UVB bulbs. This choice is based on the needs of pets to be suitable for their development. This is an essential flexibility that can ensure reptile safety.
With a capacity of 100 Watt, this lamp confidently guarantees the amount of light needed and a temperature for your pet. Even at a distance of 30 cm, the light bulb still works well, so it can ensure that reptiles do not burn from close contact, while maintaining the safest distance.
The good news is that the lamp life is up to 10,000 hours and you don’t need to maintain it often. But its disadvantage is that the shiny coating on the bulb can be scratched easily. No problem because this does not affect the performance of the product.
#3 Mega-Ray Mercury Vapor Bulb – [Best Capacity]
If you are looking for the best mercury vapor bulb for bearded dragon then never miss this product. This is one of the best power bulbs for any reptile, including bearded dragons.
This mercury bulb can provide excellent UVA and UVB for bearded dragons habitat. Your pet will probably get the amount of UVB needed for bone growth and reproduction. With a capacity of 160 Watts, the amount of UVB produced will be 150-200 uW/ cm2 when the light bulb is installed at a distance of 18 inches.
If you use this mercury bulb integrated with a string clip, you will no longer have to worry about pet lighting. Certainly, there would be no more perfect combination like that.
This light bulb also has a long life so you don’t need to worry about investing in a new one after a few months of use.
#4 Zoo Med Powersun UV Self-Ballasted Mercury Vapor – [Best Warranty]
Of the mercury bulbs currently available, this mercury bulb from Zoo Med probably has the best warranty. Not only that, but it is good enough quality to appear on this list.
This light bulb can provide enough UVB and UVA for good bone and skin growth for your reptile pet. It is also suitable for all different types of enclosure and you can install it easily.
It can simulate natural sunlight and make sure your pet will feel satisfied when immersed in that light. It can also provide the right temperature for your reptile pet.
This mercury lamp has a good spectrum, ensuring every corner of the reptile cage is illuminated. The 100 Watts capacity is also ideal for medium and large-sized cages.
This mercury light bulb has a compact design so it can be easily transported and well preserved so it doesn’t break during shipping to the user. Manufacturers warranty products for 1 year so you can be assured when using the product with this guarantee.
#5 Evergreen Pet Supplies Mercury Vapor Bulb – [Best Budget]
This mercury vapor bulb from Evergreen Pet Supplies is one of the best reptile lights. This product has received much appreciation from customers as well as many trusted users.
It can emit UVA and UVB rays, mimicking natural light that is beneficial for reptile growth. It can also emit temperature to ensure the most stable temperature for your pet’s habitat. It helps you eliminate unnecessary lights and equipment from reptile cages.
You can use this product for any vivarium or terrarium without hassle. It also does not emit harmful UVC rays and is perfectly suited to many different reptiles and amphibians.
Your pets, from bearded dragons, leopard geckos to turtles or snakes, are provided with the most ideal habitat. It also has a long lifespan of up to 1 year, so that you don’t have to replace it often. Compared to other 100 Watt bulbs, the lifespan of this product is superior.
The price of this product is also a criterion that you may be satisfied. It is not too expensive compared to the outstanding benefits of a light bulb that owns all what you need.
However, many customers believe that the actual life of this product is a little lower than the life that the manufacturer describes. But it does not differ too much.
What to consider before buying the best mercury vapor bulb for reptiles?
After providing a list of the best mercury vapor bulb for reptiles review 2021, it’s time for you to know how to buy a good product. Before buying anything, you should also undergo a careful research and consideration to avoid making the wrong decisions.
And in case you are not satisfied with the list above, through this buying guide, you can choose for yourself a best mercury vapor bulb for bearded dragon or any reptile.
Here are some factors that you should consider before buying a best UVB mercury vapor bulb for your pet reptile.
#1 UVA and UVB
In the sun naturally contains both UVA, UVB and other rays. Reptiles will absorb these rays in natural sunlight to grow bones as well as assist skin peeling or reproduction. That’s why both UVA and UVB rays are needed.
To best reproduce natural light, a mercury lamp needs to contain both UVA and UVB. These are the two necessary rays and it is best not to contain harmful UVC rays.
UVA can be emitted from any kind of light bulb but UVB is not like that. So you have to choose a mercury vapor bulb that contains both types of rays to save budget as well as save space for other devices.
#2 Temperature
Pet reptiles, especially bearded dragons, need a proper temperature to maintain their best condition. This is why you should choose a mercury vapor lamp that can act as a heating lamp.
This means you can save quite a bit when you don’t have to invest in another heating device. And you should also make sure that the temperature of the mercury lamp does not get too hot to cause your pet to burn.
You also need to ensure a safe distance between pets and mercury vapor bulbs to avoid unwanted accidents at any time.
#3 Lifespan
Because mercury vapor bulbs are more expensive than other light bulbs, their lifespan also needs to be increased to extend your investment.
Before deciding to buy any mercury vapor bulb, read its longevity or consult with previous customers about the durability of the product.
Sure, mercury bulbs have a longer life than fluorescent bulbs, but that gap is big or small. Would you like to own a mercury bulb that lasts at least twice as long as a fluorescent light bulb? Why? Because a mercury lamp is usually twice as expensive as a fluorescent light bulb.
#4 Wattage
Many people do not know how to choose a mercury vapor bulb with a capacity suitable for reptile cages. This is also one of the most common questions beginners.
It is true that the capacity of a mercury lamp depends on its size. That means a large mercury vapor bulb will have a large capacity and vice versa. So you should choose the capacity of mercury bulb based on the size of the cage and the amount of UVB that bearded dragon/ reptile needs.
Reptiles that are molting, reproducing or having bone problems will need more UVB than usual. And a large cage will need a large mercury lamp to be able to provide enough light for the entire cage.
The capacity of a mercury lamp also depends on the distance you install. If the distance is closer, the mercury vapor bulb will produce more UVB. However, you should ensure a safe distance to avoid pet burns.
Conclusion
Choosing a mercury vapor bulb for reptiles is not an easy task, which requires you to research and consider carefully. This is an important device that helps to provide UVA, UVB, natural light for pets, so you need to pay close attention to it.
Through the buying guide and the list of the best mercury vapor bulb for reptiles review 2021, we hope you have the basis to choose the best product. Thank you for reading!