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Ambient light

Coty

Coty

New member
I have seen one or two threads focused on whether or not snakes require specific lighting. While the general consensus has been that they do not, I know that many reptiles (mostly basking lizards from what I understand) do require UVA or UVB light.

My question is, what is your opinion in regards to ambient light? I once posted that I left the shade up on the window in the room where my snake is kept up to allow sunlight into the room (I started to do this after I realized that my snake did not necessarily need the UVA/UVB light and returned it). I was informed that the glass prevented my snake from getting UV rays. To be honest, one of the main reasons that I did (and do) leave the window open is that it helps provides a natural day/night light cycle. This has led my to wonder a bit more about ambient lighting and what perspective more experienced CS owners and breeders hold.

One final thought - I have read somewhere that some feel that it is inhumane to deny ambient light for your snake for at least part of the day. It is equated to keeping it in an environment where it is more or less 'blind' day in and day out. I realize that corn snakes are mostly nocturnal and they are more or less inactive during the day (I only see mine move around very early in the morning for the most part, unless it is night and I have my red light on). Just wondering if any others have thoughts on this matter.
 
I keep my Corns in my lounge, which is brightly lit with natural sunlight from two sets of windows. The windows are only opened in warm weather (that's about three weeks a year here in the UK!) and when I'm at home (and I work full-time Mon-Fri).

The main problem I have is that the banks of vivs are in direct sunlight during the early morning, which bumps up the ambient temps more than I'd like during summer months. Before I leave for work, on those days I usually leave the curtains closed all day - they're not blackouts and do let in a certain amount of light.

I'm not sure how (or even whether) this influences my Corns' wellbeing, but they all seem to exhibit the expected increase in behaviour in the evenings. My eldest is 20 years old and seems to have done well on this regime.
 
My snake room doesn't get that much light. There's a window that they get light in during the day, and then my snake room is also my computer room, so at night if I'm working on the computer the light is on. They all do just fine.

Only time I mess with the light is during brumation, when I cover their racks so they have no light. But other than that they get what they get.
 
My corn gets artificial light in the morning and evening, and daylight all day. In the morning, before I go out I have the lights on, and then when I leave I open the blinds a bit and he gets natural light. So when I get back from school/work/play I go up to my room, turn the lights on and check on him, and close the blinds. When I go to sleep I turn the lights off. While it isn't 100% natural, I think this cycle simulates a normal light cycle quite nicely.

That inhumane light thing makes no sense to me but maybe somebody could shed some "light" on it (mind the pun).Think about it, the ambient light that's in a room (as long as it isn't pitch black) is just like the ambient light they would get on the ground beneath trees. My guess is that someone though, "Well, hey, if it's inhumane for people to not have access to light 24/7, then it must be so for corns/reptiles."
 
I get the impression that the "inhumane" issue arises when people have their snake in a room without windows or they are kept in a rack without consideration for how much, if any, light they get during the day. That would probably be the case in a similar situation to yours if the lights were not left on during the day and the shades were left down.

I personally leave the shade up on one window all the time. There is an AC unit in the window so only the top part lets light in. This way I feel that there will be some light during the most days and that there is somewhat of a day/night cycle. I try to avoid using the light in that room when it is dark out, but I have a TV (I mostly use it for my computer monitor) in there so more often then not there is a good amount of light even late at night.
 
At the time when I get my snake, I'll be staying in a basement where there really aren't any windows. Would it be advisable to have an UV light and a red heat lamp? Use the UV light during the day and the red heat lamp at night? Or some other system? :shrugs:

I plan on using the UTH for one half of the tank, so the lamp would be on the other side, yes? Just trying to get a good mental image here. :cool:
 
I have my snake in my bedroom, and there is a HUGE window, but I have thick curtains, so when I wake up I open the curtains, and I close them befor I go to bed, so Star (My snake) gets light depending on the conditions outside lol ;)
 
Ice44 said:
At the time when I get my snake, I'll be staying in a basement where there really aren't any windows. Would it be advisable to have an UV light and a red heat lamp? Use the UV light during the day and the red heat lamp at night? Or some other system? :shrugs:

I plan on using the UTH for one half of the tank, so the lamp would be on the other side, yes? Just trying to get a good mental image here. :cool:
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Neither of those lamps are recommended for corns. They don't need UV light and UTHs are considered the best way to provide heat. Since you have an UTH, having an additional heater would just be giving money to the power company.
It is good to provide a day and night cycle of light and dark. Room lights would be adequate during the day. A nearby lamp on a timer would be even better.

I have a single compact fluorescent bulb in a clip on lamp about a foot over the viv. It's on a timer. When I remember I even check a local sunrise/sunset time chart and adjust the on/off times to reflect the actual daylight conditions. That's a bit excessive though. I'll probably cut it down to seasonal adjustments soon.
I chose the CFL specifically so that it wouldn't put off much heat and for the power savings.
 
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