Basking lamp for bp's?

[Jörmungandr]

A lot of care sheets, including the one on this site I believe, say that a bp should have a basking spot. Others point out that they are nocturnal creatures and don't bask in the wild, and therefore don't need a heat lamp, as long as they have an Under Tank Heater. So which is it?

[Hugsplox]

A lot of care sheets, including the one on this site I believe, say that a bp should have a basking spot. Others point out that they are nocturnal creatures and don't bask in the wild, and therefore don't need a heat lamp, as long as they have an Under Tank Heater. So which is it?

It's just referring to a "hot spot." Some people use a UTH to create this in a warm hide, some people have a CHE or other heating element that make a nice hot spot on top of a hide or a branch, and some like me do both. My UTH makes the warm hide a nice 90-91 degrees, and I have a spot on a branch that the CHE, which is really for ambient temps, but it also makes a nice 90 degree spot. May not be needed, but I've seen my BP out at night lounging under the CHE, so I let him pick where he wants to be.

Don't think of basking like you would with a bearded dragon who literally "basks" under a hot bulk for most of the day. Just think of it as creating a warmer spot for your snake to go that's hotter than your ambient temperatures.