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lights
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by elapidking81 on August 27, 2003
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ok, i have a question about lights i have seen some of the breeders and keepers that dont use lights so how can you do that, i thought that snakes had to have
vitamin d3.from the lights ,to digest calcium do they give d3 vitamins to replace what there not getting from uv lights. i have heard all you need to give them is heat , i have all ways used uv light but i was
needing to know how they keep snakes in plastic tubs where they cant use lights.
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RE: lights for snakes
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by Buzztail1 on August 27, 2003
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Most snakes do very well in captivity (as well as anything in captivity can do) without any special lighting requirements beyond photoperiodicity (day/night cycle) and heat requirements.
I only say most because there probably is some obscure little tree viper from somewhere that actually processes vitamin D3 from ultaviolet light just so I'll be wrong.
Turtles, tortoises and lizards, on the other hand, do, for the most part, have ultraviolet light requirements.
Hope this helps.
Karl H. Betz
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RE: lights for snakes
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by Frawgg on August 28, 2003
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As I understand, snakes acquire most of their dietary requirements from whole prey items. That is, snakes digest the whole animal- Skin, muscle, internal organs, bone matter, etc. While direct sunlight is important, it is not as important to snakes as it is to other types of reptiles. A full-spectrum bulb should certainly be offered to the snake nonetheless. It is my belief that the symbiotic relationship between vitamin D3,sunlight, and calcium deficiencies is paramount in chelonian husbantry.
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RE: lights for snakes
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by TomT on August 30, 2003
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I am not sure of the source, but I have read that snakes acquire the vitamin D3 they need from the livers of the prey they eat, and they do not require UV light for proper calcium synthesis like many reptiles do...
That doesn't mean that some species don't enjoy a good bask in the sun..... I believe that the animals look better when they have access to UV light, and have often used Lumachrome tubes over the years...
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RE: lights for snakes
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by CFoley on August 31, 2003
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TMK....there are a few differences to this. In the wild, most of the snakes (except certain arborials), are on the jungle floor, woods floor, whatever it may be. How often are they really exposed to much UV in the first place? I have seen on a diamond python care sheet that they require UV, but I dont know the source, or the backup of this fact...
I say some arborials because being high in the trees, they will most likely come in contact with more light. However, mostly all snakes do get to bask in the sun at one point or the other.
Id have to agree with Frawgg and Tom on this as far as the majority necessity. in the end tho, I dont imagine it could hurt, especially color wise. Take a well lighted monitor, and put it next to an ignorant herp owners monitor that keeps it under a house bulb. It seems to do alot visiblly.
I was told by a friend not to use them actually, he had told me most of the "forest floor" thing, but Im having trouble imagining that they never see light..
Hope I could help
Chris
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RE: lights for snakes
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by TomT on September 2, 2003
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I strongly disagree with the "Forest floor" theory. When I look for cottonmouths, I often find them basking in those little "islands" of light in the blackwater swamps of South Carolina. I look for logs across waterwats with grass on them and then concentrate on the sunny spots to locate them in big numbers.
I think the intent of the question was whether snakes NEED the UV light, and in that regard I say no... with the exception of Diamond pythons, as Chris pointed out. Diamonds need UV light in order to survive past three years or so. Apparently they can't get by without it.... they also come from a very temporate climate when compared to most other pythons, and that could be one reason they depend on the sun... I believe the jury is still out on the reason they need UV and few if any other species need it as well...
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