Corn snakes and UV lighting?

Question

I have been keeping my 9-month albino corn snake in a twenty-gallon long aquarium with a black-light (night-time heat bulb) perched above the tank. First of all, is a black light the same as a UV bulb? Second of all, is it harmful or helpful to keep the light on most of the time? I've searched through some webpages with mixed results: some say NOT to use UV bulbs because of potential problems and some say to use it twice a day for the snake's health benifit. I know there's bound to be someone on here with real experience with breeding and caring for this specific species of snake....?

Answer 1

I have kept, raised, bred and studied snakes and other reptiles for over 25 years. I have had both wild and domestic species. I also know people on the herpetological society. I can tell you from experience that a black light is not what you want to use. You also don't need a UV bulb for your Albino Corn Snake. On my aquariums I used strip lights that used 15 to 25 watt bulbs and also spotlights. I don't care for heating pads because they can cause problems. If a heating pad is on the bottom of the aquarium and water is spilled on that side, then the glass can crack. Also, many people have had reptiles that got burned or the wire in the heating pad went bad. Top of the aquarium lights supply propper heat and light. Corn snakes can be active day or night. If you use a strip light then you can adjust the temperature in the aquarium by covering some of the top next to the light. This keeps more heat in. The wattage of the bulbs will of course make a difference as well. Never cover the entire top or the heat and humidity will get to high without ventillation. I never turned the lights off. Your house temperature is usually much cooler than the aquarium. Reptiles get respiratory infection easily. Low temperature change back and forth can weaken their immune system. You can either allow more ventillation at night or only use one of the two bulbs in the strip light. Another thing I have done is put a spotlight over one side of the aquarium. This way the snake can choose the cooler or warmer side of the tank. Also, always supply a hide box of some sort. Many breeders don't do this because they are only concerned with keeping the snakes healthy for breeding in order to make money. I did not buy or keep animals just to make money from them. Many were given to me because people could not care for them. A hide box that works well and snakes like is clay flower pots turned up-side down. Cut a half circle in the front. Make sure the edges are not sharp. Snakes like these because they are round and this makes it easy for them to curl up inside. The hole in the bottom now becomes a ventillation hole in the top. When the snake gets larger then cover the hole in the top with tape since some snakes try to squeeze through tiny openings. This clay pot is also heavy and will stay in place. Snakes that can't hide will go under whatever you are using for a substrate. My corn snakes would lay out under the light and other times be sleeping in the reversed clay pot. There is one other way breeders and other people keep snakes under a controlled temperature. They will keep their reptiles in a seperate room with an adjustable heater. They keep the temperature the same or slightly lower it at night. The light source is the light in the room. This can also be a light which you dim or brighten as many home lights now are. One of the breeders I know keeps his reptile room at 80 to 85 degrees all the time. He switches to very low lighting at night. When winter comes then he puts the snakes he is breeding in another room at a much lower temperature with no light. This is captive hibernation sometimes called brumation. You should have an aquarium thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you need any more help then email me. I allow email response.

Answer 2

Black lights are merely lights that look purple. They do not produce UV. The blacklight color is an invisible wavelength to snakes though so can be used at night without disturbing the snake. While snakes do not need UV to be healthy, I'm toying with the idea of providing low level UV during the day as I feel that snakes of any species, even nocturnal types like my pythons, would benefit from some UV. They are naturally exposed to it in the wild and I believe it helps keep the immune system in top order as well as kill some bacteria. I've yet to find a small UV bulb that I can use in my light hood though.

Answer 3

Corn snakes are nocternal so don't require lighting all you need is a heat mat. I own corn snaks and thay both have heat mats and are in excellent condition. You don't need a u.v light Providing the snake has some natural sunlight its fine. U.v would be on in the day so its not going to benifit anyway and using one in the night will mess up the way the snakes sleep. Also its the heat that helps with the digestion thay use the sun to warm there bodys so providing th tank is warm enough there will no problems.

Answer 4

They don't need it because they are nocturnal. If you want to put lighting in the viv, I would do one of the moon glow ones. Stay away from under tank heaters. If you keep the area where your snake is housed at pretty decent temps, the snake should be fine all year long. With mine I don't use a heater or light. I have had her for several years now. She has been fine.

Answer 5

-A black light is not the same as a UVB light.
-The light does not need to be on all the time, it should be off at night.
-Corn snakes do not need a UV light, as they very seldom bask. In fact, they really don't need ANY light, beyond ambient room lighting.

Answer 6

No light is needed for corn snakes. They are nocturnal (hide during the day--active at night). They do need belly heat for digestion--an under tank heat mat (UTH).

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