An important part of any vivarium is reptile lighting. If you are a first-time owner of a snake and you are still setting up your tank, choosing the right reptile lighting can be confusing with all the options that you have in front of you. Here are some of the basic types of reptile lighting and their features:

Fluorescent lights

These are the most economical lights for your vivarium, although they cannot provide the right amount of heat so they must be combined with basking lights. Compact fluorescent lights are a good option for those looking for this type of light for the tank as they are small and self-ballasted.

Mercury vapor lights

These have a higher voltage compared to other lights and may be harmful for smaller tanks. Mercury lights have higher amounts of UV light, they have a high visual light output and provide enough infrared radiation. Because they provide a lot of light, mercury vapor lights are perfect light sources for bigger tanks.

Incandescent lights

These are expensive lights but do not provide the right amount of UBV radiation. This type of light also changes the color balance of the illumination. This, however, is a good light for decorative lighting to compliment the decoration and the plants in the tank.

Metal halide reptile lighting

This is another expensive type of reptile lighting and provides a very bright light. This type of light has a high light output and can produce plenty of ultraviolet rays and high infrared radiations.

You can buy reptile supplies such as lights from most online and brick-and-mortar stores that sell small animal supplies. You can also place the tank in an area where it also gets a good amount of natural sunlight so you can save on energy from time to time.