Black lights??

[Edcase]

I was thinking about putting a regular black light in my viv with my 2 Garters. The light would be at the top of the viv much like a fish tank light.

Was just wondeing if this would harm the snakes in any way. I was not planning on leaving it on all night etc but rather in the evening and then turn it of when i go to bed and during the day. It would probably be used more for decoration of the tank etc but i wouldnt want to bother if i knew the snakes would be effected.

Thanks

[Bay_area]

Black lights have too much UV lighting. It could possibly cause the snake to go blind. I know someone that used them on leapard geckos & it blinded all of them. I use plant grow lights myself for lighting

[Edcase]

That sux. Is there any type of protection that could be put over the light to reduce UV levels...or does it not work that way?? Or is there some other light that is ok to use which also makes things glow??

[drache]

there are white black lights and black black lights
I know that when I was doing non-silver photographic processes that require "sunlight" for exposure, I had to use the white ones, so perhaps the black ones don't have as much UV?

[Elliot]

Originally Posted by Bay_area

Black lights have too much UV lighting. It could possibly cause the snake to go blind. I know someone that used them on leapard geckos & it blinded all of them. I use plant grow lights myself for lighting

How are you sure that they have too much UV lighting? I'm not saying that you're wrong, I've just never heard of any kind of lightbulbs causing blindness in any reptiles. I've used one of mine some, and I haven't seen any problems from it. Of course, it is designed to be used with reptiles.

[adamanteus]

Your Garters certainly don't require the UV. So maybe it's not worth taking any risks. That said, I don't think limited exposure to this kind of light would cause any harm...they have hides, right? As I say, they don't need it, so why bother?

[Elliot]

Originally Posted by adamanteus

Your Garters certainly don't require the UV. So maybe it's not worth taking any risks. That said, I don't think limited exposure to this kind of light would cause any harm...they have hides, right? As I say, they don't need it, so why bother?

That's a good point too.

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

i use a regular during the day and a pet store black light at night and i was thinking of switching to red day and night is that ok?

[Elliot]

Well you don't really need one at night unless your house gets really cold for some reason.

[Bay_area]

Originally Posted by Elliot

How are you sure that they have too much UV lighting? I'm not saying that you're wrong, I've just never heard of any kind of lightbulbs causing blindness in any reptiles. I've used one of mine some, and I haven't seen any problems from it. Of course, it is designed to be used with reptiles.

There were test done before. The UVA rays from black lights are very high. There was a good article on reptile lights in the "Vivarium magazine" before. There are UV indicators available. I would never use it with a nocturnal reptile & limited use with diurnal reptiles
here is a chart, if I remember right; the UVB is what is needed in lizard & turtles for absorbing vitamin D3

Bulb
Manufacturer

UVA
UVB
Illuminance (lux)

Reptisun UVB 310
Zoo Med1

23
10
398

Reptile D-Light 8%
National Biolological Corp.
no longer made

7
9
409

Reptile D-Light 3%
National Biolological Corp.
no longer made

6
4
430

Reptile Daylight
Energy Savers Unlimited (ESU)

3
3
398

Sylvania 350 Blacklight
Sylvania

153
2.6
86

Metal Halide, 100w, 5500K
Energy Savers Unlimited (ESU)

40
1.9
2260

Vita-Lite
Duro-Test

6
1.3
452

VLX Full Spectrum
Verilux

3
1.2
490

ReptaSun
Fluker

5
1.1
538

Chroma 50
General Electric

2
1.1
495

Colortone 50
Philips Lighting Co.

2
1.1
484

Lumichrome Full Spectrum2
Lumiram

4
0.9
527

Ott-Lite
Environmental Lighting Concepts

2
0.9
479

Repti-Glo
Rolf C. Hagen Corp.

1
0.9
829

Cool White
Sylvania Lighting

2
0.1
527