questionable info on my Rainbow Boa

Yness · 08-08-03, 01:15 AM

kay. So I was talking to a guy here in winnipeg who has had a rather extensive history regarding snakes and reptiles in general. He told me that basking lights weren't really necessary for rainbows. He even went so far as to say that a uv light wasn't really necessary as they are primarily nocturnal. He said all that i really needed was an under tank heater to keep part of the tank warm. What are your thoughts on this, cuz i really need to make an informed decision by friday of next week as that is when i am setting up the tank for her(i am getting her on sunday after).

NewLineReptile · 08-08-03, 01:24 AM

I Think that he might be right i don't use UV light's on my snakes
just my lizards

Brandon

Stockwell · 08-08-03, 01:54 AM

That info is correct! Most snakes need NO light, certainly not boids, as they are nocturnal.
My room is dark most of the time and I use rack systems with no lighting.
If you're talking Brazilian rainbows the biggest concern is humidity.. If they dry out they are dead.
Other Rainbow subspecies, like the common maurus (columbian rainbows) for example can tolerate much drier conditons.

Jeff_Favelle · 08-08-03, 02:54 AM

If you use a light bulb in a Rainbow cage, you WILL kill your snake.

Time to read some caresheets. There's about a bazillion of them online.

wyz · 08-08-03, 08:58 AM

Ohhhh Jeff, you're scaring me there...

I am using a 40w bulb in my tank.

I notice they are never basking under it though, they are mostly allways in their humid box on the cold side. (2 they have a humid box on each side on the tank)

I use a heat mat that's on only at night because it's really warm in my house. But usualy the 40w is on during the day.

Can I get rid of it completly and leave the heat mat on 24/24 ?

Don't they need a certain daylight period ?

Temps under the light don't exceed 85 degrees.

Thanks.

WYZ

Jeff_Favelle · 08-08-03, 11:32 AM

Don't use a light bulb, don't use a light bulb, don't use a light bulb.

Yes keep the heat pad on 24/7. Your snake is telling you a million things by always being on the cold end and always being in the moist hide box.

Siretsap · 08-08-03, 11:41 AM

Jeff,
I was thinking about building a rack that will contain my rubbermaids with all my snakes in it. At the moment I have 11 cornsnakes and 2 ball pythons. I was thinking of keeping the room temp at 30 celcius (it's always at around 78 to 80 farehneit normally anyways). Would I be able to use the room temp and not put any heatpads or heat tape in the racks? I will eventually buy some rainbows and maybe a jungle carpet.

Christine · 08-08-03, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stockwell
That info is correct! Most snakes need NO light, certainly not boids, as they are nocturnal.

I wouldn't leave my brazilian in the dark or in dim light all the time. I think it's important for any reptile to have 12 hours of day time to sleep, and 12 hours of night time to be awake. My baby brazilian is currently living on a rack with my boyfriend's chondros, in his snake room, where a full spectrum bulb lights the room for 12 hours, then goes off for 12. When they are in the wild is certainly is not dark all the time - I think the daylight is an important part of trying to keep them comfortable and happy when attempting to mimic their natural environment.

Jeff_Favelle · 08-08-03, 07:56 PM

Quote:

I think it's important for any reptile to have 12 hours of day time to sleep, and 12 hours of night time to be awake.

YOU think its important, or it actually IS important? Because those could be two very very different things.

Jeff_Favelle · 08-08-03, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Jeff,
I was thinking about building a rack that will contain my rubbermaids with all my snakes in it. At the moment I have 11 cornsnakes and 2 ball pythons. I was thinking of keeping the room temp at 30 celcius (it's always at around 78 to 80 farehneit normally anyways). Would I be able to use the room temp and not put any heatpads or heat tape in the racks? I will eventually buy some rainbows and maybe a jungle carpet.

No no no no no no no.

30 Celsius is pretty damn close to the maximum range of temps you want for a BRB. If the room is 30, then the COLDEST spot in the cage is going to be 30!!!! That's no good. BRB's need a refuge of 74-78 on one side of their cage. This is what's known as a THERMAL GRADIENT and, in my opinion, is the single MOST important aspect of snake husbandry.

If you stick a BRB in a room that is 30 Celsius, you're gonna have a dead Rainbow. 86-88F on the warm end and 74-78F on the cool end is a PERFECT BRB cage.

Yness · 08-08-03, 10:04 PM

Thanks Jeff, most of the care sheets i have seen have said nothing about lighting, if you could refer me to some i would be appreciative. also when you say moist hide box what do you mean. Should i have a hiding spot on both sides of my tank? Should I keep one of them particularly humid. Yes I am unknowledgable but i want to remedy that and I suck at finding relavent info on the web for any topic. It was a fluke that i found this website. Teach sensei for I am your grass hopper...

Jeff_Favelle · 08-08-03, 10:17 PM

Yness, you're in good hands at this site!! Unfortunately, I gotta go watch my football game right now! BRB (as in, Be Right Back, LOL!!).

Christine · 08-08-03, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
YOU think its important, or it actually IS important? Because those could be two very very different things.

This is true, it's my opinion based on observation and inductive logic. However, it's my induction from observing chondros, not my BRB (as she is very new and I haven't had enough time to watch her behavior yet!) At one point in time my boyfriend did not have a timer for the light in his snake room, so the amount of time they would get with the light on was irregular every day. Some days it just stayed dark. They seemed to get fairly upset and confused, a couple wouldn't eat (they are super picky anyway though, so it could have been another variable that caused that). Them getting upset obviously could have been due to the irregularity of the light, not the absence of it - they just seem to do much better when they have a day/night cycle. Personally, I can't sleep when the sun is up, so I'd be quite upset if it was my day time 24/7!

It's my understanding that snakes (unlike some other herps) do not need exposure to UVA and UVB light, but it's also my understanding that they do best with a normal day/night cycle. I've never read anything that's recommended otherwise.

Jeff - do you keep your snakes on a day/night cycle?

Jeff_Favelle · 08-09-03, 04:20 AM

I do have my snakes on a day/night cycle, but not for photoperiod purposes. Just for heat purposes. They will hide when they want to, regardless of the intensity of light.

And BRB's are from very dark, dank, swampy areas. Its probably not too too bright in the middle of the Amazon. I don't think they need the light. I've bred them for 6 years without any extra light. They get indirect light for about 8 hours a day in the room, but that's it. I'll produce a 100 babies this year, so I'm pretty sure it isn't harming them.

ANIMAL5051 · 08-10-03, 03:16 PM

so if you use no light how are you sopoed to keep the tank or get the tank to 85 degrees i use lights but i never bake my snakes i make sure the temp is 85. i ve had them for over a year no problems yet but if there is some difrent i could do please help so i do no harm to my babys (snakes)