Just curious. I've heard that you can use a regular buy-at-walmart incandescent bulb for heat. Is that true?
i wouldn't reptiles need proper lighting and hot and cool spots to live a healthy life. but depending on the size of your tank and temp of your house it is possible to do.
I'm heating a Bearded Dragon but the enclosure is only 12"t by 36w by 18d, just like my other enclosure. Which has a 60w incandescent Zoo Med bulb and is keeping the temp perfectly. I have a a basking bulb on the other end which adds ambient heat. I also have a Fluorescent Tube bulb for UVB so I really only need this bulb for heat. If it's better to get the incandescent heat bulbs from the pet store then of course I will but if it's just as good to use a regular incandescent then that would be nice.
As long as you have a fluorescent tube for UVB, then you are perfectly fine using just a regular light bulb from a hardware store. The pet store incandescent heat bulbs are the exact same thing, just at a much higher price.