Can we use blacklights ???

[YummyCdnMale]

Can we use blacklights with snakes specificly snow corns and rat snakes? at night time to kinda give the snows a glow and us an ambiance?

Thanks ... Rob. o>

[jjnnbns]

I am also wondering, as I would love to be able to get a peek at my BRBs when they come out at night...

[Auskan]

Why wouldn't you be able to? If you have one that puts out heat and you also have a UTH, you'd want to monitor your temps during the time the blacklight was on, to make sure it doesn't get too hot. Otherwise, there wouldn't be any reason not to use one.

[lostwithin]

I use them with my Tree frog, Tokay, and Albino burm (when he was smaller) the rest have red lamps because I cant find large enough black lights. Works wonders with a young albino Burm, they look amazing under them. good luck,
Devon

[jjnnbns]

I wasn't sure because I heard somewhere that they aren't good for fish, so I didn't know if they would adversely affect a reptile.

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

I remember that BLB (Black lights) has a large amount of ultraviolet radiation which have been known to cause skin cancer and eye damage in animals which may be as well possible for reptiles and being it is unknown to how much UVB radiation reptiles can handle or even if UVA is harmful.
So, being there isn't a deffinate answer, I personally wouldn't risk it.

Correct me if I am wrong because I am sure I'm out of date being I keep everything out doors most of the time, so I am uncertain.
Xain

[Scales Zoo]

I've heard reports of monitor lizards going blind because of the use of black lights.

Snakes can't close their eyes, the best they can do is burry their head to protect their eyes from high UV. Our albino burms and other albino snakes seem to hide their heads when any light is on them, I've always wondered if albino snakes can't take / don't like bright light.

Ryan

[jjnnbns]

Would there be any other kind of light anyone can think of other than those red bulbs so that a snake could be observed at night without disturbing it too much?

[Icefire]

There is 2 black light type
BL and BLB (Black Light Blue)
the BLB type is the one that have a black/purple glow I think
which is not good at all.
you "could" take a incandescent black light, which is a normal bulb
but is coated purple/black.
but they get HELL to hot lol so watch the temp.

[YummyCdnMale]

Well it's nice to see some replies. I think maybe i can spare the ambiance if it's going to give them problems or not. There doing fine the way they are right now and i'm not willing to gamble on it. I never put a light directly in an aquarium it was to hang on a shelf about 8" above a 20 gallon aquarium as far as the Albinos with light goes my corns and i have alot of snow corns come out more in the evening around 6pm until about 10pm and that's with a 20w florecent that burns blue not red. Anyways thanks for the feedback but why risk what were not sure of i would imagine the chateracts are more obvious to happen then the skin cancer after all ar'nt blacklights UV rays? This is why i am not to sure on the subject and left in limbo.

Anyways thanks alot guys/girls


Rob.

[Lisa]

A red light might work as well... or maybe paint a regular florecent red.

[YummyCdnMale]

I decided to try it with my snow corn. (sorry rosie) Ryan was right she did'nt bury her head but she did stay in her hide the past 4 days and that's unusual. I removed the blacklight and put her regular light back (20w) florecent cool white. And she's back climbing her branches and rocks again. My enclosure is a little exstreem for a corn snake but i have had her for 12 yrs and she deserves it! anyways there are no blacklights in mother natures suroundings anyways. thanks for the replies but i now would'nt take the chances as i seen how MY corn reacted to it... i would like to hear if anyone else has done this and had the same similaritys with the hiding

[Icefire]

you could easily get those plastic tube for fluorescent , they are transparent, and you can easily paint it Purple/Blue/Red and if it's opaque enought, you should only have a light blue/purple/red color ;)

[little_dragon_]

why don't you use 25 watt aquarium bulbs that are red...They hardly give off heat and reptiles can't see the red light.

[SaIiLdVaEnR]

They emit UV light as explained before. To various species of arachnids, these lights have killed them in the past due to stress caused by the constnat UV rays. Could this happen to your pet? Maybe.

Aidan

[Cruciform]

If you want colored lights use a standard bulb in a mount that lets you slide in colored gels.

The gels can be pricey, and you have to watch your temps so they don't melt, but at least you won't do any damage to your animals.