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View Full Version : Photo Period (from other thread)

greenman1867
03-04-05, 05:26 PM
Do Balls require a photo period? How will this affect them one way or the other. I know they need dark and seclusion but do they need light?

Shawn
mykee
03-04-05, 07:11 PM
No, ball pythons do not need a photo period. They are nocturnal; sleeping in the day time, (when the light is out) and hunting at night (when it's dark out).
greenman1867
03-04-05, 10:13 PM
LOL Thanks for clearing that night and day thing up for me smart guy :D

I wasn't sure, but thanks for clearing it up, I was leaving the lights on in my snake room during the day (and burning even more electricity). I'll go to bed (thats night time) a smarter man today. Thanks mykee.

Shawn
Spirit
03-04-05, 10:27 PM
Just to add to what Mykee said (and he did mention day vs night), they don't do well in a dark box... someone correct me if I'm misinformed, but although they may not need a "photo period", they do need to be able to associate day, from night. A window (daylight in the room) will provide this, meaning you don't need any additional lights.

Now having said THAT, my friends ball will go off feed if it's not on a light schedule of about 12 hours a day, which means a low wattage daylight (10 watts) on a timer. I'm not exactly sure why... I have questions about the photoperiod, myself.
mykee
03-04-05, 11:43 PM
Spirit, this is true, do have a window in my snake room and I've heard of rats, when kept in absolute, complete darkness go "mad" for lack and end up either dead or half-eaten.
Bristen
03-07-05, 12:30 PM
Originally posted by mykee
Spirit, this is true, do have a window in my snake room and I've heard of rats, when kept in absolute, complete darkness go "mad" for lack and end up either dead or half-eaten.

huh, that's interesting.. my mother keeps a couple of colonies of rats in a walk-in closet sized room in the basement.. it's always dark in there and does not have lights going on a timer or anything.. she doesn't appear to have any problems at this point.. I'll talk to her about that though, maybe her rats could be doing better if they had a lamp turned on during day time or something...?

Bristen.