uv lighting for snakes?

Question

Okay so i found my Columbian red-tail boa yesterday that got loose in my honda 2 weeks ago yesterday, and I took him to the vet today to make sure that he was okay and didn't have any respiratory issues. He got a clean bill of health but the doc told me some stuff that i had never heard before about snakes needing UV lighting in addition to heat source. He said that snakes need the UV rays that they would be getting from the sun, and that the only way they can get these necessary light is from having a fixture with UV bulbs. I told him that i had never heard that and I have had snakes for about 17 years. If there is anyone out there with CORRECT information on uv lighting with snakes, please share! Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

referralguru Is right....they DO NEED UV!!!! All reptiles do...Snakes just don't need as much...

As for the people who say they have had snakes for howevery many years with out UV and thier snakes lived to be 20...One they are lucky they lived even that long and two...most snakes have a much longer life expectancy than that...Listen to your vet....they need proper lighting to digest food correctly....A Healthy snake needs UV!!!!

Answer 2

That is absolutely correct, if you do not offer UV lights then there is no vitamin D for the Snake which helps the snake do such things as absorb calcium, then if you do not have a snake getting calcium then they have weak bones and develop rickets. Having said that a lot of nocturnal pspecies need less light than the diurnal ones. But even if you have a UV light running on a timer for a few hours each day.

You will have a much better snake if you give them some UV. Anyone that tells you they dont is just irresponsible.

Edit - I am not sure as to the exact science of it but there is the basic idea

Edit -Sorry Pitbulllady, I am an experienced reptile keeper. I have looked after many reptiles and learnt from experts. If you observe the habits of some of these noocturnal pythons etc you will still notice them basking in the sun for short periods of time.Nocturnal means most active at night and hunting at night. I have seen Liasis Stimsoni hangling parts of their bodies out of rock crevices to digest their prey in the middle of the day. I have seen Morelia Bredli sitting up out f their hollows in big river red gums to bask and digest in the early morning sunlight. I am sure a South American Snake would still need similar exposure etc as Australian snakes. It may be true that they are not as prone to metabolic bone disease but they certainly can still get it.

Edit - Gray wanderers comment about the snakes getting calcium from animals they eat is correct, HOWEVER you require vitamin D to absorb calcium into the bones and you can get that from UV B light hence the need for UV rays.

Answer 3

Cornsnakes do not need UV light to remain healthy. They are not nocturnal though...they are diurnal or crespuscular, meaning they are out in daylight hours or the hours at dusk and dawn. Under tank heaters work fine if regulated by a thermostat. Heat lamps tend to dry the air quite a bit, although they can be used. They can be a fire hazard though if they should fall off and end up on the floor. Make sure they are properly secured. As with UTH's, the temperature should be regulated with a thermostat. I use UTH's on all my corns.

Answer 4

Snakes, unlike lizards, DO NOT NEED UV lighting! They do NOT suffer from Metabolic bone disease, and anyone who tells you differently has either had no experience with snakes, or is trying to sell you something. I've had snakes for over THIRTY years, without the use of UV lights, and I've had some of my snakes live for 20 years or more! If they had needed that lighting, they surely wouldn't have survived for that long, now would they? I've currently got a Texas Bullsnake that I've owned for almost 16 years now. Many snakes are primarily nocturnal, anyway.

Answer 5

My son had lizards and we bought the bulbs for them. They typically need both shady and lighted areas in their cages, and will instinctively move between them to get the amount of exposure they need.

As a tropical creature, your boa very likely would thrive with a warm, humid environment, with some broad spectrum light exposure during the day.

I recommend doing some web research and going to several pages... there's a lot out there, but with your experience, I'm confident that you will be able to draw out the useful, relevant information from the garbage.

Answer 6

UVB is what he is talkin about and it is not necessary as snakes get a lot of calcium from the bones in the animals they eat.

Other reptiles are insectivores, herbivores, or both in the condition of bearded dragons.

UVB is beneficial but NOT necessary for survival for snakes

Answer 7

snakes need something to keep them warm because they are cold blooded, unlike us we are warm blooded, so they cant produce their own heat like we can

we dont use uv lights for our snakes we use heating pads... they last longer as opposed to having to replace burnt out bulbs all the time!

you ever notice wild snakes arnt around in the winter? they hibernate to stay warm and them come back out when its warm enough to stay alive

Answer 8

Hello & NO snakes do not need UV ..just lizards, turtle, frogs..etc..not snakes !! Take Care :)