UVB lighting?

I have had a very healthy 1.5 year old corn snake, Livingstone, since she was 1 month old. She has never had issues with feedings, inactivity, shedding, etc. She's perfect.

This weekend I increased the size of her viv and in turn her heating lamps and pads..Today, I got a scare, as I was flipping through a light bulb pamphlet zoo med gave with the increased size bulb. I had never seen it before and it mentioned UVB lighting and it's significance for reptiles for without it deficiencies in bones and metabolism can result (I have only had UVA lighting for this past year). It also mentioned that the reptile becomes sick through loss of appetite, bone deformities and eventually dies.

I immediately freaked out because I had never read anything concerning this and I've read books concerning corn snakes (I even have a check list taped on her terrarium to ensure I don't forget anything), read forums, and internet sources for information about corn snakes since way before I got her. Also, most importantly I care and love Livingstone dearly.

I've been spraying nutrients on her mice since I've gotten her that includes calcium to prevent deficiency.

Do I have anything to worry about?
I've additionally read it doesn't effect all snakes and mostly pertains to other reptiles...but should I pick her up a bulb tomorrow as a precaution anyways?

How many people have UVB lighting for their corn snake?

I feel like crap for missing this knowing she may suffer from this neglected information.

You don't need UVB lighting for snakes that eat whole prey items like rodents. Some insectivorous species need it. UVB has something to do with calcium absorption (someone correct me if I am wrong) so since snakes are fed mice or rats that have bones, they have no need for the UVB. You also don't need to provide extra nutrients to the mice, they carry everything that your snake needs to stay healthy.
You are a good snake parent, so no worries! There is a lot of misinformation out there on what reptiles need.

Thanks for your fast response.

This makes sense and additional sources agree. I made the mistake of first looking up the purpose of the UVB for reptiles before asking if snakes needed it.

I wish Zoo Med had added additional information saying snakes don't need the UVB lighting because they do generalize the reptiles. I'm certain I can't be the only snake friend that has come across that and gotten nervous.

I initially got the nutrient spray because I knew I was feeding formerly frozen mice and I heard if mice are frozen too long they lose nutrients. I'm not certain how long the pet store has their mice frozen before purchase so I wanted to be cautious.

Thanks for your help

AliCat37 said:

You don't need UVB lighting for snakes that eat whole prey items like rodents. Some insectivorous species need it. UVB has something to do with calcium absorption (someone correct me if I am wrong) so since snakes are fed mice or rats that have bones, they have no need for the UVB. You also don't need to provide extra nutrients to the mice, they carry everything that your snake needs to stay healthy.
You are a good snake parent, so no worries! There is a lot of misinformation out there on what reptiles need.

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Yes The UVB light helps to absorb calcium and vitamin D without it they get Metabolic Bone Disease or MBD but you don't have to worry about that with snakes.

Iguanagirl has it exactly.

*Basking* reptile species such as Bearded Dragons, do need UV in captivity to avoid developing skeletal problems.

In the wild, Corns are most active at times of low or no sunlight (dawn, dusk and overnight). This means that they have never evolved the dependency on UV that some reptile species have. They get all the nutrients they need from their food.

Which means (since it's been more inferred than stated directly) that you don't need a UVA lamp for corns either.

So long as they have some kind of day/night cycle (even just the natural light in a windowed room .. not direct light or you have greenhouse effects to worry about, but jsut generally daylight lit room), and an UTH for a heat source; then you don't need to provide any kind of artificial UV source for corn snakes.

If you need extra lighting for visibility purposes, most folks seem to prefer LED light strips as they give light without much heat at all. Standard flourescent lights are fine too.

Once in a while I turn a light on for one of my snakes, who actually likes to bask, but I make sure it's a very low light, low heat lightbulb and only turn it on for a few minutes at a time so as to not dry out the enclosure.


Only some snakes like that, though. Low light, low heat lights work the best. They don't like bright, and they don't like too hot. You can even do standard low heat IR bulbs, they work best if you really like to have a heat light on hand.
Should never be used a primary heat source though, UTH is always number one.

legitimatehypnotist said:

Once in a while I turn a light on for one of my snakes, who actually likes to bask, but I make sure it's a very low light, low heat lightbulb and only turn it on for a few minutes at a time so as to not dry out the enclosure.


Only some snakes like that, though. Low light, low heat lights work the best. They don't like bright, and they don't like too hot. You can even do standard low heat IR bulbs, they work best if you really like to have a heat light on hand.
Should never be used a primary heat source though, UTH is always number one.

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yeah! it's perfect. Generally I follow this utility of the Lights. no more time, just few minutes. It's so great..