Best Reptile Light Timer

What is the Top Light Timer Plug for Reptile Terrarium?

Reptile husbandry isn’t going to be all that easy. Has someone told you that already? If not, you now know!

That does not mean that it is impossible. With the right equipment, you will be able to manage the physical and mental condition of your reptile pet. If the bearded dragon or turtle isn’t happy, neither will you be.

So what are these equipment? A light timer is one of them. It is very instrumental to the survival of your pet. Just like human beings, the environment around weighs in heavily and affects their schedules.

You will therefore need some form of lighting system for your reptile’s vivarium or terrarium. But how will you control the lighting system? Certainly, a thermostat may not be a reliable option.

You need a light timer to ensure that your pet’s circadian rhythm isn’t affected. You can program your lighting system such that it is on for some hours and off when it is time to sleep.

The only difficulty you might encounter, however, is finding the right light timer. There are tons of options out there. It is therefore good to undertake your research and find out their peculiar features. 

Here, we have tried to make the identification process easier for you.

1. BN-LINK 

This product by BN-LINK comes at the top of our list, with everything you need to ensure your reptile remains lively and gets enough sleep whenever it is time. 

To begin with, the light timer is quite easy to handle. You do not need any sort of complicated knowledge to set it up or to operate it. Thus, even first time users can reap handsomely from using it. 

Also, BN-LINK has a total of 8 outlets. Half of these are usually on, making them perfect for other uses (you could use them for your home devices which don’t need any sort of control).

The remaining 4 outlets can be controlled and these are perfect for your pet’s vivarium or terrarium lighting. Thus, the model is multi-functional as is not restricted to controlling the lights in your reptile’s cage.

To add, the BN-LINK has been designed with a circuit breaker to make sure the current does not overflow blowing up your devices.

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2. GE 7-Day Programmable

Just like the first pick, this reptile light timer is also versatile and multi-functional. GE 7 has 8 outlets, each able to discharge different functions.

The first 4 outlets on the right side are constantly on and so you can connect your home electronics and appliances. The remaining 4 outlets on the left side can be controlled and so are the best to be connected to your vivarium lighting device.

Besides, the power strip is also programmable. You can set a specific schedule for each day, leading to a complete 1-week cycle. This makes it easy to monitor your pet’s cage, as you don’t have to constantly check-up each day.

It is also worth noting that the device is delivered with a backup battery which comes in handy when there is a power outage. It saves you the trouble of having to reset the whole thing once again.

The 3-feet power cord makes the device more convenient.

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3.Sungrow

In case you are keeping aquatic reptiles for pets, this is the perfect reptile light timer for you. Sungrow is very easy to use, and it will give you an easy time regardless of the experience you have dealing with light timers.

How does it operate? You simply have to plug your timer into the socket, then connect your plug-in lights to it. After that, all you have to do is set the schedule when you want the lights to be on or off. Voila! That is it.

Also, the timer has a circuit breaker and so you don’t have to worry about your devices blowing up whenever there is a power surge. Your safety and that of your pet are assured as well since there is no possibility of fire breaks.

This device is not restricted to lighting devices. It can also be used with your other household appliances.

Finally, you will be very impressed with the customer satisfaction you get from the manufacturers. There is a guaranteed return policy if you are not impressed with the product.

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4.Zilla

In the fourth position is this Zilla product, which is programmable and efficient. To start us off, the light timer is easy to set up and to use. You only require three steps to get it up and running.

First, you have to plug your Zilla light timer into the socket. The second step will then be to plug in your light device into the timer. Complete the process by simply setting your preferred on and off periods.

It is also good to note that this is a digital timer, which means you will not have trouble trying to read the screen.

Plus, Zilla has a circuit breaker to protect your devices from a sudden power surge that you might not anticipate. This also prevents unexpected fires that might be caused by such incidents.

The fact that the product is compatible with a wide array of lighting devices makes it even more appealing.

You get to enjoy a load of benefits from the return policy whenever you are not satisfied with the quality.

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5. Zoo Med

Finally, we present to you the Zoo Medical Laboratories light timer. This steps in to make sure that you don’t have to stress yourself out each morning and evening trying to give your pet the conditions it needs.

The day and night light timer can be set in such a way that it turns on in the morning to ensure your reptile benefits from the UV lights to remain active. It also turns off at night so that your pet can receive enough sleep. 

As you could expect, it is very easy to set up the device. Furthermore, it is an excellent option if you are working within a budget as it does not require you to fish out so much money.

In case you want to obtain a cheap but high performance timer, this is your option. The device can still be used to control your heaters.

It is great to mention that Zoo Med is an excellent light timer for those of you who have bearded dragons as pets.

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Type of Lights

The previous part of this article has been focusing on the best brands of light timers that you can use to control your lighting devices. But what exactly are these devices that we are talking about?

To kick us off, it is important to know that there are different types of lights that you could use in your pet’s vivarium or terrarium. They include moonlight bulbs, infrared lights, and daylight bulbs. Let’s have a look.

Infrared Lights

These are bulbs that are used for your pet’s cage during the night. The red lights help you to enjoy the view of your pet at night without inconveniencing them. They are not as bright as the daytime lights.

Besides the light, infrared bulbs also provide a considerable amount of heat to keep your reptiles warm. This is a good way to go if your pet happens to be more active at night than during the day (nocturnal).

In case your reptile is the kind that is not I need of night time warmth, you could explore other options.

Moonlight bulbs

Closely related to infrared lights are the moonlight bulbs. In this case, they give off light that is more like the moon as opposed to the infrared lights. While the latter can still be used for nocturnal reptiles, moonlight is much convenient for those that are hyperactive.

This is because moonlight is much brighter, meaning they can easily hunt for their food and do other activities that require them to use their eyes. That includes reproducing and eating.

It is therefore important that you understand the nature of the reptile you want to keep so as to meet all their needs.

Daylight bulbs

In the same way your body needs to benefit from ultraviolet sun rays, so does your reptile friend. Except that they may not get to enjoy the rays of the sun from their cage. So, it is up to you to improvise.

Daylight bulbs step in to make the ends meet. The bulbs can be turned on early in the morning and then off in the evening. Perhaps, you are already thinking that is too much light.

But worry not. That is where a light timer will step in. The process will be automatic and you do not need to do it by yourself.

 What to look out for in a light timer; Buying guide 

Much has been said about how important a light timer can be to anyone practicing husbandry. But, there is a section that is yet to be covered. It has to do with how you are going to find the best of the best.

What factors will you be looking for as you explore the hundreds of options that are available out there? Or do you just walk into a shop ask that you be given a light timer?

That can also work. But you might end up losing your money to a low-quality product that will break down soon afterward. In this part, therefore, we discuss some of the key features a working light timer should have.

They include things like price, ease of use, durability, security among others. Join the discussion below to find out more. 

The price 

The general rule of thumb is usually that cheap things tend to be more expensive in the long run, as they might not be able to stand the test of time. While this is true, it is not always the case.

Yes, the more expensive a product is, the more durable it will be. But, it is not uncommon to come across products that come at a fraction of the price yet again discharge their functions very effectively.

Everything, therefore, stops with you. How much money do you want to spend? You should draw up a budget. You should then proceed to look at the individual features of the light timers available.

Settle for one that is friendly to your pockets without sacrificing the quality it offers. 

Safety 

As far as safety is concerned, you want to ensure that the light timer is not a security threat to either you or your pet. One way to do that is by ascertaining that the product you want to buy comes with a circuit breaker.

This is very important as it will prevent an overflow of current when there is a power surge. The surge is likely to blow your lighting devices or other household appliances. But if a circuit breaker is present, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Likewise, a power surge can result in unexpected fires that are likely to cause harm to you, your pet, or other items in the house. 

Durability 

Durability is everything when it comes to purchasing any electronic device. No one would want to spend thousands of dollars on a light timer and then again use thousands of other dollars for repairs and maintenance afterward.

Go for a product with sturdy construction, which is likely to survive the tough times (even if it fell, it wouldn’t break).

Another vital aspect that shows a product is worthwhile is a warranty or a return policy that is guaranteed. As you skim through the products you want to buy, you should accord priority to those that have a warranty.

You will be able to return the products for a replacement if you are not satisfied with the quality. Also, your product will be repaired for free if it breaks down in the course of the warranty duration.

Ease of use 

We guess that most of you who are reading this article are not electronic experts who are equipped with the technical knowledge on how to deal with light timers. Therefore, it will be a bad idea to go for one that has complicated procedures.

The timer should be easy to set up. It should also be easy to operate. Put differently, go for a ‘do it yourself’ (DIY) type of product. 

It will be unfortunate if you will spend thousands of dollars on that timer the again spend a couple more on an expert to help you get it ready for use.

Efficiency 

This has to do with the costs you will incur after purchasing the product. Under normal circumstances, light timers will be inoperable unless there is electricity. But you don’t want to add to the electric bills that you are already paying.

Instead, the timer should help you to cut on those costs. Check the rating that is usually given to the timer. If it will just increase o the amount of money you have to pay, that is not the one.

Keep looking until you find the right one.

Conclusion 

Reptiles need access to ultraviolet B light (UVB) to stay active throughout the day, especially if they are diurnal. Besides just staying active, this ensures that the animals do not suffer from a condition caused by a lack of enough calcium (hypocalcemia).

This is why lighting your vivarium or terrarium is quite important. However, if you keep the lights on for too long, the reptiles are at risk of developing another condition called hypercalcemia.  This one is caused by too much calcium.

The best thing, therefore, is to strike a balance between the two. A light timer will be useful here. So which is the best reptile light timer? BN-LINK!

BN-LINK is extremely easy to use. You just have to plug it in, plug the lighting device then set the on and off time.

It also comes with a set of 8 outlets. 4 of these are controllable. These are the ones that you will use to control your reptile’s cage lighting device. The remaining 4 are always on, ad so you can use them for your household appliances. 

Killing two birds with one stone! That is not only efficient, it is also economical. 

It also has a circuit breaker to keep your devices safe in case there is a surge.

Grab yourself one today.