We all know that UV lights are unnecessary for corns...

[smigon]

...and they can cause severe eye damage up to and including blindness.

But what bulbs ARE fine? I don't light any of my tanks but I answer the UV question all the time, so I want to get this answer so when I am letting people know not to use UV lights, but what can they use that won't harm the corns visually or bodily? What wattage of what kinds bulbs are the max, what are the best, and where should they go, in the viv or on top?

 

[Rigby & Marcy]

This is just my opinion, but I think it's healthy for corns to have indirect daylight as their only lighting. Mine definitely respond to the seasons by sleeping more in the winter and being active in the spring and summer, even though I don't brumate them. They're happiest to roam around in dim light or darkness so why not give them that?

If you want lights for viewing, probably anything that doesn't have a special spectrum and doesn't look bright to our eyes would be fine.

 

[Chip]

I'll put linear fluorescents over 20 gallon Critter Cages sometimes, not reptile bulbs, just the standard 6700K bulbs that come with the striplight. I leave them on 8 to 10 hours a day. And I've put modular LEDs in dark racks to great effect. But in the end, it was just too many cords and plugs. A single fluorescent strip is low wattage, not too bright, but illuminates a cage well. Bold ones will be out in it, shy ones will not, just as with no light. The majority of my snakes live in racks, but I keep a few tanks in my office I rotate some special ones through .

 

[smigon]

This is just my opinion, but I think it's healthy for corns to have indirect daylight as their only lighting. Mine definitely respond to the seasons by sleeping more in the winter and being active in the spring and summer, even though I don't brumate them. They're happiest to roam around in dim light or darkness so why not give them that?

If you want lights for viewing, probably anything that doesn't have a special spectrum and doesn't look bright to our eyes would be fine.

I agree, I only use regular daylight (they never are in it directly) and the room is totally dark at night, but so many people on here are told by the big box petstores or by wrong info handed down that corns need UV lights. You know me, I am a big opponent of UV lights, but instead of just slapping people on the nose and yelling "NO!" I thought I would get GOOD information on what is healthy lighting for corns.

 

[heatherb7]

My corn has been more active and less aggressive since i got rid of the light. i am new here so not sure if that helps. I was told by who i bought my corn from i needed a light ... but she seems happier without.

 

[smigon]

My corn has been more active and less aggressive since i got rid of the light. i am new here so not sure if that helps. I was told by who i bought my corn from i needed a light ... but she seems happier without.

I know, there is so much bad information from supposedly good sources out there it is hard to know what to believe. It took me a good year before I weaned out pretty much all other sites and this is the only one I am on. I have also figured out who here to and not to take lightly or with a grain of salt.

Don't worry, you and I won't be the last ones told to drink the Kool-Aid...

 

[Ravenessa]

Thanks for this thread as I do enjoy lighting on my reptiles and was wondering about this... Right now I have a couple of tanks and I have light above but just a soft regular dim house hold bulb gives a little cute sun effect but not too close to affect the temperatures... I love the idea with the little linear light chip! Thank you!