Electro...
We Americans across the pond here have, for the most part, different philosophies when it comes to keeping our herps. A few of us straddle the "dark side" of European keeping when it comes to the full setup. With exception to a green tree python and a tarahumara mnt kingsnake, all my snakes are "American" in keeping in that they are in Sterilite or Rubbermaid tubs, as is about 90% of my leopard gecko collection though they are kept quasi-naturalistically within said tubs.
That said, I've been keeping or attempting to keep various herps in more European-type settings since the late 80s and early 90s. I guess I should clarify, when I say European-type keeping I'm implying naturalistic or naturalistic-like setups. This mindset or philosophy of keeping is newish here state-side within the last few years. There have been many here in the US that keep their animals/pets naturalistically and then there is the recent push in years of faux, commercialized naturalistic setups (zoo-med and exo-terra type caging and the accompanying décor). In contrast, most Americans keep their "pet" herps in tubs, within racks, secluded to darkness unless and only unless their pet requires UV lighting.
What I'm getting at is that your very question(s) may either go unanswered or met with brash disdain for the use of lighting on what is considered a nocturnal species. I disagree with the latter, but for now have to make due with choices I made years ago in keeping that I haven't had/made the time and money to change. This in mind, a number of successful, large breeders have kept their snakes in setups with lighting: Bob Applegate, Greg Maxwell, Greg Stephens, Greg Schroeder. The last 3 are green tree python keepers/breeders and Bob Applegate works mostly with kingsnakes, milksnakes, and Helodermatids.
Bob, in my opinion, is somewhat a pioneer in keeping snakes within lit caging though Bob never really talked about it. Bob was also unconventional in that he housed his breeder kingsnakes and milksnakes communally, usually in groups of 1.2 to 1.3. Each cage within a bank of caging is connected via a large diameter PVC pipe and also has a "subterranean" element via a PVC pipe. This allows him to section off each snake individual for feeding.
Where I'm going with this is that Bob looked at the snakes from a standpoint of their needs. Many of these so called nocturnal species can be surface active even during the day. He didn't provide a basking site via a bulb, but he did provide them with lighting for a photoperiod. LED lighting has come a long way, with dimmable features being excellent options for reptile and amphibian keepers for night-time viewing.
One of the things to keep in mind that may or may not aid in such viewing is the moon cycle. Many field herpers will typically avoid putting too much effort in night hiking or road cruising during nights leading up to and shortly after the full moon as many have noted a decrease in activity during this brightened time of night. You might be able to somewhat capitalize on such behavior with using a mix of white and blue dimmable LEDs to simulate the moon cycle, versus using red.
Unfortunately, LED lighting for herp keeping is still fairly infantile. Many keepers are attempting to work the needs of herps via lighting developed for tropical and saltwater fish. This lighting may or may not be too intense for herp needs. I strongly recommend heading over to dendroboard.com and read up on the LED lighting threads over there. There is some seriously awesome lighting information over there that I think could be translated to snake keeping.
I think lighting is an element very often blindly overlooked and discarded as something beneficial or even needed for snake keeping. One of these days I'll finally get around to building some nice caging for my snakes that will include lighting. For now I just think back to visiting Bob Applegate's house, seeing his caging, and talking about why he did them the way he did.
**Caging pictures are off of Bob's site. Goofy looking dork with 2 subspecies of beaded lizards is me at Bob's in May 2001.***
