Lighting

[Dastuff]

Hey all-

I have one sno-corn. About 9 months old. All is well. He eats well and seems to be growing normal. My question is in regards to lighting. I have a heating mat on one side of the aquarium and monitor the temp. with a digital thermostat. However, I have read that you should provide lighting for corns to distinguish between night and day. I have been using a zoo med 60 watt "Daylight Blue Reptilic Bulb" in the basking lamp that came with my aquarium. Unfortunately, having this on 12 hours every day causes the bulbs to only last about 4-5 weeks. The bulbs are around $9. Can I just use a standard 60 watt bulb since this is merely to help the snake distinguish between night and day? Or do I need to continue to buy the UVA/UVB expensive blue light bulbs?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[bmm]

hi

Well for one any light, even the slightest amount coming in a window or crack in blinds is enough for them to know its daylight out But lights are good for our visiblity in the tank.

Secondly the "blue bulbs" claim to mimic the sun but in reality thy provide nothing a normal light bulb doesn't. The only bulb that produces UVB/UVA rays is the Iguana 5.0 (or 2.5) tubes, and the newer Mecury Vapor bulbs which are like a light bulb, but they are around 40-100 bucks. Other than those, no light for reptiles produces UVA/UVB. They can claim whatever they want because there is no one to govern the pet industry.

So after thats said, you can use a low wattage normal bulb, a couple of small aqaurium lights, or just your rooms lighting. All are suffiecent. And corns don't require UVA/UVB lighting anyway so you are all good whatever you choose.

Personally in tanks I may need a little more light I use either a 40 watt normal frosted bulb, or a couple of normal flouresant tubes.

Marisa

 

[Filovirus]

I was told that the corns didn't need any light, but like said before it helped in seeing inside the viv, so the store said a small red light buld would be ok... cos the snakes dont see red light... (i dont know if this is true or not) but anyway.. after searching i found some pygmy 60 W bulbs, but they increased the temperature WAY too much... so i settled with a 15 Watt red bulb thats on a timer... and for 7months it seems to be fine...

 

[Jon]

I have heard that too about snakes not being able to see red light but as i am a beginner do any of the more knowlegeable people know if this is true that snakes can't see red light.

Jon

 

[super mario]

Its true

Snakes cant see red light but be careful because the temperature of the tank increases as well

 

[Jon]

Thanx for the help much appreciated

 

[Just_Mark]

?

a follow on question...

Has anyone noticed a change in there snakes colour by using UVA/UVB lighting or not? Are certain pigments affected?

 

[Clutch Master]

I was told that Corn Snakes don't need UV light because they are nocturnal and therefore get no UV light exposure in the wild.

 

[bmm]

no

Nothing is affected from the UV light because just as Clutch Master said, they are out during the night, dawn and dusk hours normally in the wild. Their bodies have no use for such a light. And their skin doesn't change at all either

bmm

 

[Just_Mark]

yes but a lot of nocturnal snakes come out sometime during the day to heat up! I know mine does.

Also looking at boas for a second. I have seen 2 hatchling grow up from the same clutch but put into 2 seprate cages. both the same but one had a UVB light the other did not.

Hatchling in the UVB cage had a much lighter creamer colour than his conterpart.

 

[bmm]

you

Cannot claim UV had anything to do with that unfortunatly. Not to mention a thousands variables but there is no reason to think two boas from the same clutch should even look remotly alike as shade and hues can be totally different. Now if there was a scientific study done included blood tests, and a million others I am sure i have no clue about, then I will venture to say UV may be benficial. But to each his own.

bmm