Reptile Care Requirements Lookup
Look up basking and cool-side temperatures, humidity, minimum enclosure size, and UVB needs for six popular pet reptiles.
Minimum enclosure: 120 gallon (48x24x24)
Basking spot: 95–110°F (35–43.3°C)
Cool side: 75–85°F (23.9–29.4°C)
Humidity: 30–40%
UVB: required
| Species | Min. enclosure | Basking | Cool side | Humidity | UVB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leopard Gecko | 20 gallon long (30x12x12) | 88–92°F | 75–80°F | 30–40% | recommended |
| Bearded Dragon | 120 gallon (48x24x24) | 95–110°F | 75–85°F | 30–40% | required |
| Corn Snake | 40 gallon (36x18x18) | 85–90°F | 72–80°F | 40–50% | optional |
| Ball Python | 48x24x24 or 120 gallon | 88–92°F | 76–80°F | 50–60% | optional |
| Crested Gecko | 20 gallon vertical (18x18x24) | None | 72–78°F | 60–80% | recommended |
| Blue-Tongue Skink | 120 gallon (48x24x24) | 95–105°F | 75–82°F | 40–60% | required |
These are typical published ranges, not a guarantee for your exact animal. Cross-check a current species care sheet, and an exotics vet beats any chart.
How it works
Pick a species and the tool pulls up the four numbers that matter most before you buy an enclosure: minimum tank size, basking temperature, cool-side temperature, and humidity, plus whether that species needs UVB lighting. Every reptile and amphibian regulates its body temperature by moving between a warm spot and a cool spot rather than sitting at one fixed temperature, so both ends of that range are given, not just a single number.
Worked example: pick bearded dragon and you get a basking spot of 95 to 110°F (35 to 43.3°C), a cool side of 75 to 85°F, humidity of 30 to 40%, a 120 gallon minimum footprint, and UVB marked required. That basking number is measured at the spot itself with a probe thermometer, not the air temperature across the whole tank, which is why a cheap stick-on gauge on the glass usually reads low and leads people to crank the heat too far.
FAQ
Why does a reptile need both a warm side and a cool side?
Reptiles and amphibians can't generate their own body heat, so they move to a warmer spot to digest food and stay active, then move to a cooler spot to bring their temperature back down. An enclosure with only one temperature never lets that happen, which slows digestion, weakens the immune system, and over time can be worse for the animal than either temperature alone.
Do I really need a thermostat?
Yes. A heat bulb or heat mat plugged straight into the wall has no way to stop itself once it reaches the target temperature, so a bulb rated for a 95°F basking spot can push an enclosure to 120°F or higher on a warm day, which is a real burn and heatstroke risk. A thermostat with a probe at the basking spot cuts power once the set temperature is reached. Treat it as required equipment, not an upgrade.
What does "recommended" UVB mean if it's not "required"?
Species marked required, like bearded dragons and blue-tongue skinks, are active in bright daylight in the wild and need UVB to produce vitamin D3 and absorb calcium properly. Species marked recommended, like leopard geckos, get some vitamin D3 from their diet, but keepers still see healthier bone density and more natural daytime behavior with a low-output UVB tube installed. Skipping it isn't dangerous the way skipping a thermostat is, but it's not free either.
What if my exact species isn't in this table?
These six cover the most common beginner reptiles, but husbandry numbers vary a lot even between closely related species. Look up a current care sheet for your exact species and treat the numbers here as a general sense of how a thermal gradient is structured, warm end, cool end, humidity, and UVB, rather than a substitute for species-specific research.
For more on getting the setup right, see how to set the right basking temperature, what size tank your reptile needs, and what UVB is and why your reptile needs it.