uv light on candy cane

[lykinst]

im wondering do candy canes need a basking light? right now he has a heat pad on one end of his cage stays around 85 and im using just a floresent light to light the cage during the day will a basking light burn him? i dont know if they get sun burns like we do or not

 

[Snake Dave]

If you have a heating pad that keeps one end at 85, then you don't need a basking light. Besides, basking lights don't emit UV light unless they're 'full spectrum' or mercury vapour bulbs.

 

[bitsy]

No Corns need a UV light. They don't tend to come out during the day in the wild and prefer to be active during periods of no/low light, in the early morning, evenings and at night.

There's no difference between Corn morphs in this respect - Corns are not basking snakes.

 

[Snake Dave]

Wouldn't the lack of melanin in certain morphs make them more vulnerable to melanomas etc. though?

 

[bitsy]

I've heard that kind of thing anecdotally, and it's a reasonable theory, but I've never seen any formal research on it.

 

[snakewispera snr]

This is a subject I find very interesting.......I have been trying to research as much as possible on this subject.....Some snakes require UV as a natural part of their 'diet', even some nocturnal snakes 'bask' in early morning or late afternoon sun.
I agree that certain 'man made' morphs will be vulnerable to UV, and I really think
it would be a cool idea to try and work out how UV plays a part in the world of snakes.....

 

[bitsy]

UV is required by basking reptiles to provide Vitamin D3, which in turn metabolises calcium. e.g. Bearded Dragons and some other lizards, when left without access to UV, can develop Metabolic Bone Disorder. This is where a lack of calcium softens bones and causes them to distort. Is this like rickets in humans?

Corns haven't evolved this dependency (or have lost the dependency through evolution?) and get all the D3 they need from their diet.

Although having said that, my vet did once recommend that I took a sick Corn outdoors for a while if the outside temp hit 80-85 degrees (OK, so that's pretty rare in the UK...!), as the natural sunlight would "give it a boost". How far that was founded in fact I'm not sure, but he does seem to know his stuff when it comes to Corns.

 

[snakewispera snr]

Because a lot of snakes can survive without UV it has become very common for people to say snakes don't need it. Every newb is told this and when they become an 'experienced' keeper they repeat it until it is 'believed' by everyone.
I know of a few snakes that 'thrive' on very low levels of UV.
This is a subject I am trying to get to the bottom of........

 

[bitsy]

That's an interesting thought. I've never heard lack of UV identified as the cause of a problem in a Corn, but I wonder if someone who does use UV with them can comment? It'd certainly be interesting to see if there's a difference with regards to indicators like feeding habits, breeding success, temperament, general health etc.

I can only go on my non-UV-using experience, which is that my 20 year old and two 16 year olds seem to be perfectly healthy. But it's always possible that there could be ways of making them even healthier.

 

[snakewispera snr]

I know cerastes cerastes require a low level UV to remain healthy and Bredli's show their true colours if you use UV.....There are others that benefit from it, but thats two examples of why UV is needed. Thats why I've been looking into it. If it can effect colour and health it must do something....I'm just not sure yet how it fits in with other (sp)

 

[FunkyRes]

I've heard that kind of thing anecdotally, and it's a reasonable theory, but I've never seen any formal research on it.

Anecdotally - my amel Cal King has poor vision. Whether UV contributed to it or not, I don't know. I do know lack of melanin in humans has been studied and UV light damages their eyes.

 

[lykinst]

well reason i was asking was i used to keep him under a uv light but i was told that him being "albino" that it would sun burn him he always seemed perfectly happy and was a great eater but since taking it from him he has not eatin and seems "slugish" i really want to put the light back on him ti see if it turns him back around but was afraid it might burn him.

 

[FunkyRes]

If it works - go for it.

 

[snakewispera snr]

Careful which tube you use......5% forest tubes with an amount of shaded areas would be better than an aquarium set-up......
And only for short periods.....

 

[lykinst]

ok thanks for the advise

 

[Coty]

I had heard that UV light could contribute to blindness in amels, but I do not specifically remember the source of that info. I had bought a hood and UVA/UVB light because my vet recommended it, but later returned it because I heard about the possibility that it could be related to blindness.
Now I let a bit of sunlight into the room where I keep my one amel during the day (my tank isn't in front of the window where it will raise the temperature a lot, just across the room so he gets some ambient light).

"UV is required by basking reptiles to provide Vitamin D3, which in turn metabolises calcium. e.g. Bearded Dragons and some other lizards, when left without access to UV, can develop Metabolic Bone Disorder. This is where a lack of calcium softens bones and causes them to distort."

Was that the study done by Zoo Med?

 

[FunkyRes]

The definition of basking reptiles is key, a basking reptile in that context is a reptile that must bask to digest its food. Most (but not all) species of lizards, I believe all species of turtles, I believe all species of crocs (but I'm really not sure about that one), but AFAIK no snake requires basking to properly process the nutrients in their food, even though they do sometimes bask.

 

[Snake Dave]

Now I let a bit of sunlight into the room where I keep my one amel during the day (my tank isn't in front of the window where it will raise the temperature a lot, just across the room so he gets some ambient light).

Also, I'd just like to add, glass filters UV, so that wouldn't be of any benefit whatsoever. If you're worried about a lack of UV (although it shouldn't be a problem), take him outside occasionally if it's a nice day. But not for too long though, they can easily overheat and need to get into shade.

 

[snakewispera snr]

The definition of basking reptiles is key, a basking reptile in that context is a reptile that must bask to digest its food. Most (but not all) species of lizards, I believe all species of turtles, I believe all species of crocs (but I'm really not sure about that one), but AFAIK no snake requires basking to properly process the nutrients in their food, even though they do sometimes bask.

So where does cerastes cerastes fit in with your theory? And Morelia Bredli ....Oh and Morelia boeleni come to that?

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

So where does cerastes cerastes fit in with your theory? And Morelia Bredli ....Oh and Morelia boeleni come to that?

If you read what he said, he's referring to basking for processing nutrients (IE food), not to make "true colors" as you commented.