Chip
04-05-2015, 10:59 AM
In 2009, I put a UVB linear fluorescent over a rack of six yearling corns and kept a control group of siblings without supplemental light for a calendar year. The thought was that since corns regularly get exposed to some UVB radiation, perhaps there is benefit to them, if minor, from exposure. My result: the light seemed to have no noticeable effect on growth or activity (there was lots of individual variance), but the only snake under UVB with the amel gene developed severe photo-kerato-conjunctivitis. His entire pupil degenerated to the point I'm certain he is blind. I wish I had noticed it sooner and feel guilt every time I post this picture, but if it saves another snake, I suppose it is for the greater good.
http://i59.tinypic.com/16aa4nq.jpg
Summary of findings: Keep UVB off of your snakes with reduced melanin. I'll never expose any of my snakes to it again. While there exists an outside chance something else blinded this snake, I think it is very, very unlikely that it was anything other than UVB radiation. I've hatched scores if not hundreds of blizzards, and hundreds if not thousands of corns containing amel, and the only individual (to my knowledge) to go blind is the only one I put under UVB lighting. This is far from conclusive proof, but is damning evidence. I feel certain this experiment would replicate my result, I'm simply not willing to damage the eyes of more snakes to test the theory further.
http://i59.tinypic.com/16aa4nq.jpg
Summary of findings: Keep UVB off of your snakes with reduced melanin. I'll never expose any of my snakes to it again. While there exists an outside chance something else blinded this snake, I think it is very, very unlikely that it was anything other than UVB radiation. I've hatched scores if not hundreds of blizzards, and hundreds if not thousands of corns containing amel, and the only individual (to my knowledge) to go blind is the only one I put under UVB lighting. This is far from conclusive proof, but is damning evidence. I feel certain this experiment would replicate my result, I'm simply not willing to damage the eyes of more snakes to test the theory further.