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tall chris
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
 Posted - 25/02/2011 : 12:30:28
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Hey everyone,
Im a newbie on here and have been looking at some of the setup pics and was just wondering..... at the mo i have a ceramic bulb and a heat mat in my viv but have notice some of the setups have moon bulbs/ night bulbs? is this nessasary and would anyone advise i get one. I have a uv strip in there at the mo just for lighting the viv during the day but turn this off at night.
can somone shed some light on this for me please? (excuse the pun!) |
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Nuttierman
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2011 : 14:31:49
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Hi Chris, I'm a newbie too. I have been advised that a heat matt is not a good idea for Royals, ok when they are young and small but a deffinate No No when they get bigger. As for the lighting, I can only go by what I have read/got from my reptile shop, and there is no specific need for a moon/night bulb. Royals are shy and not know for being out much in the daylight, but also need to be aware of night/day hrs. The suggestions I have had are using a Infra Red light to light up the viv so you can see you snake at night but no need for moon/night lights.
Don't take my word as given, I am only going on the research/info I have been given, but least it's a start.
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Nuttierman
1.0 Royal Pastel - Yoda
1.0 Hognose - Pumba
0.1 Spider Royal - TBD
1.0 Border Collie - Benji
Loads of Tropical Fish |
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Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2011 : 15:09:28
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I would ditch the uv bulb and heat mat, no need for either.
The ceramic should be run 24/7 and requires no additional
Heat source. Heat mats are fine for royals ( young and adult)
when used outside rub's but you have to watch out for few
things when they are used in a viv such as thermal blocking
and possible electrocution. |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
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ballgirl
Hatchling
United Kingdom
55 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2011 : 15:34:14
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Actually, have a read on this thread of mine on the "other" forum...
It was a thread about moonlights for night viewing, but it got pretty interesting regarding UV...
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/650727-moonlight-leds-what-colour.html
RoyalBob\Blackecho, I'd be interested in your thoughts on what ArcadiaJohn had to say about UV...
Basically, from what he said, if you have UV there now, don't take it out. It's almost certainly having a positive effect on your snake and if it's not, it's not hurting... IMHO after reading the thread above, I'm going to put one in my Viv when I get one.
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Edited by - ballgirl on 25/02/2011 15:34:44 |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2011 : 18:25:19
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It sounds a lot like a sales pitch to me, there is no known benefit for nocturnal animals to receive extra UV light, in fact there is some research that shows that too much can actually damage the eyes as they are not designed to be subjected to it, especially orphs such as Albino.
There is confusion over IR bulbs though as you say they give off visible red light as well, despite being called IR Heat Bulbs.
All the information I have seen and personal experience shows me that red light does not affect them, they can barely see it. It is like it being a nice african night with some dusky moonlight to them.
I have had snakes in the past that will not come out with the lights on, but turn the lights off and a red light on and they're fine.
To the OP, I'd follow Bob's advice. |
 
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Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2011 : 22:29:18
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Interesting post but WOW mr arcadia knows how to confuse and sell. Right without following him and getting all technical. When nocturnal species are kept
in captivity they only need enough light to provide them with the correct day/night cycle. uv is split into 2 which are uva and uvb. If the snake is kept
in a room with a window then uva will be entering the viv. uvb which is needed for diurnal species to facilitate the production of vitamin D will be filtered
out mostly by your windows and the glass doors of the viv. However Snakes get more than all the vitamin D they need from their diet.
As BE said you can/will actually damage their eyes if they are exposed to too much.
They can see red light but only very slightly and it doesn't interfere with their nocturnal habits as white light does. Whats better red or blue? I don't know.
Blue moon lights are what is needed for marine fish species and corals so i think until further studies have been done the choice is yours.
I think that the color of animals has a lot to do with their survival within their habitat and not just the ability to absorb uv as mr arcadia suggest. |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
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tall chris
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
Posted - 26/02/2011 : 10:39:17
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| Thanks to everyone for your replies to my thread. all your advice is a big help. I thought it sounded a bit of a sales pitch when thhe guy at the reptile shop said this. thank you guys |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 26/02/2011 : 18:41:24
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| Yeah that RFUK seems to be one scary place I shall be avoiding. As far as my understanding is, a room with a window is about as much if not more natural sunlight than a nocturnal wild snake will receive. Infra red is visible to us, we can see the light it casts but its far softer and most importantly its the only thing that worked to bring my Royal out at night (short of converting to ceramics which I have decided to do as I'm on bulb number 3 in less than a month). |
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Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 26/02/2011 : 19:39:49
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| Sorry Lotabob but Infrared is not visible to humans. We can feel it as a heat source but not see it. |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
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ballgirl
Hatchling
United Kingdom
55 Posts |
Posted - 26/02/2011 : 20:33:24
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I was trying to work out whether it was a sales pitch from ArcadiaJohn but I couldn't see it. Although he was advocating their LEDs, he did say that they're not UV and they are way more expensive than just a normal strip of blue moonlights. He did mention a UV bulb that they do, but considering they only a few quid, I'm not sure there was any sales pitch really. It just seemed like some advice based on the latest research, which his company should know about.
It does seem like it's a controversial subject, but he's not the only person saying it - the quote below is from a Royal Python care guide from exoticpetvet.co.uk:
"It is controversial whether snakes actually require UV light or not, as naturally these reptiles are only active at evening and night times. Captivity however, can never simulate a totally natural environment and Metabolic Bone Disease is seen in snakes, so it is a good idea to provide UV light for 12 hours daily, but using a bulb with a lower output (2% should be sufficient) than that used for most other reptiles. Bulbs will need replacing every 6 months."
I am going to put a 2% UV 8w bulb in as a daytime light just in case, they're cheap and I need a light because I want to simulate a proper light cycle - the lights are on and off in the room that we keep him in all the time so I figure if I light the viv, this will reduce the on-off effect and help to give a stable light. Don't know if it will but I'll feel better. I was hoping to run the moonlights all night but only if they don't affect the nocturnal tendencies and still make him feel like it's night, which is why I was wondering about red vs blue. I'm still unsure on this. I guess I'm going blue just in case what was said on the other forum about red light being bad is true.
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 26/02/2011 : 21:00:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Royalbob
Sorry Lotabob but Infrared is not visible to humans. We can feel it as a heat source but not see it.
Yeah don't know where I got it was visible, I think I mean't you can see the source of Infra Red ie the bulb and the reflection of the bulb on objects close enough. Cracking up today. |
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Edited by - Lotabob on 26/02/2011 21:09:46 |
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Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 26/02/2011 : 22:42:18
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I still believe if a viv is in a room lit by natural daylight from a window and the snake is being fed well nourished prey items then UV supplementation is not needed.
However i'm completely open to listening to new research and new technology, appreciate you posting.
If just looking for a night light then i would go with the ones produced for marine fish as they are as close to the correct spectrum of moonlight as possible.
I use them on my marine tank and they great for watching all the nocturnal stuff in there.
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1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
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ballgirl
Hatchling
United Kingdom
55 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2011 : 13:26:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Royalbob
I still believe if a viv is in a room lit by natural daylight from a window and the snake is being fed well nourished prey items then UV supplementation is not needed.
However i'm completely open to listening to new research and new technology, appreciate you posting.
If just looking for a night light then i would go with the ones produced for marine fish as they are as close to the correct spectrum of moonlight as possible.
I use them on my marine tank and they great for watching all the nocturnal stuff in there.
Thanks Royalbob |
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Topic |
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Night bulb or no night bulb that is the question??
