Gear, explained
Buy the right one once.
What each kind of heat lamp, light, filter, cage and wheel is for, how to size it, and what every animal's guide calls for.
- Reptile heat lampsFor most reptiles, including nocturnal species like leopard geckos and ball pythons, the best daytime heat is a halogen flood bulb over the basking spot, run on a dimming thermostat with a separate UVB light. Use a ceramic heat emitter, deep heat projector or radiant heat panel only when you need heat without light, such as at night in a cold room.
- Reptile UVB lightingFor most reptiles and birds, the best choice is a linear T5 High Output (HO) fluorescent tube in a reflector fixture. Match the bulb strength (roughly 5-7% for forest and shade species, 10-12% for desert and open-sun species) to your pet's Ferguson Zone and the distance to the basking spot.
- Reptile thermostatsUse a dimming thermostat for heat sources that give off light (halogen and incandescent basking bulbs) and for deep heat projectors, so the lamp holds temperature without switching on and off. An on/off or pulse-proportional thermostat is fine for lightless heat: ceramic heat emitters, heat mats, heat tape and radiant heat panels.
- Reptile enclosuresFor medium-sized terrestrial reptiles like bearded dragons, ball pythons and corn snakes, choose a front-opening enclosure at least 4x2x2 feet. PVC holds heat and humidity best. Smaller species like leopard geckos can start at 36x18x18 inches, larger ones like blue-tongue skinks need more, and climbers like crested geckos and chameleons need tall enclosures instead of long ones.
- Aquarium heatersFor a tropical tank, choose an adjustable, fully submersible heater of about 3 to 5 watts per gallon, using the higher figure when the water needs to sit about 10°F above your coldest room temperature. For extra safety, run it through an external temperature controller so a stuck heater can't cook the tank. Cold-water animals like goldfish and axolotls don't need a heater.
- Aquarium filtersChoose an aquarium filter based on how much flow your animals can handle and how much waste they make, aiming for a flow rate of about 4 to 10 times the tank volume per hour. Bettas, shrimp and axolotls do best with gentle sponge filters, while goldfish and turtles need large-capacity filters such as canisters or oversized hang-on-back filters.
- Fish tank setup and cyclingFor beginners, a 20-gallon long glass aquarium is a good balance of stable water volume, floor space and easy care. Set it on a level stand that can hold the full weight, add a filter, a heater for tropical fish and dechlorinated water, then cycle the tank for several weeks before adding any fish.
- Bird cagesChoose a rectangular cage of stainless steel or quality powder-coated metal that is wider than it is tall, so your bird can fully spread its wings and make short flights. Match the bar spacing to your species: 1/2 inch for budgies, lovebirds, parrotlets and cockatiels, and no more than 3/4 inch for conures.
- Small animal cagesSmall animals need escape-proof enclosures that fit how they move: wide, single-level setups with deep bedding for burrowers like hamsters and gerbils, and tall multi-level wire cages for climbers like rats, ferrets, chinchillas and sugar gliders. Size by measured floor space or volume, not by pet store kit labels, which are usually far too small.
- Hamster and small animal wheelsChoose a wheel with a solid running surface that is big enough for your pet's back to stay straight while it runs. As a guide: at least 8 inches for dwarf hamsters and mice, 11 to 12 inches for Syrian hamsters, about 12 inches for hedgehogs, sugar gliders and rats, and 14 to 16 inches for chinchillas.
- Chicken coopsFor most backyard flocks, choose a sturdy walk-in or well-built coop with about 4 square feet of indoor floor per standard-size hen (2 for bantams, 5 for large breeds like Brahmas), plus about 10 square feet each in the run. Ignore the bird count on prefab coop boxes; measure the usable floor yourself.
- Chicken runsBuild or buy a covered run walled with 1/2-inch hardware cloth, with a buried or 2-foot-wide apron to stop diggers, giving about 10 square feet per standard-size bird (about 5 for bantams, 12 for large breeds). Give more room if the flock never free-ranges.