I intend to provide uvb

[Magnarock the 2nd]

When I get my male set up in a 20L Im gona have a heat pad with a thermostat, and Im gona put a uv fluorescent on it. I have several fixtures but I will probably use an 18in. There is a lot of unknowns as far as snakes and uvb is concerned. It could be beneficial for breeding, and it could also help snakes fight illnesses. Im thinking the fluorescent bulb won't produce much heat. So It will have controlled belly heat. Providing uv-yes or no? Im also thinking the fluorescent bulb won't dry out the enclosure as much as a regular bulb.

[d_virginiana]

No need for UVB. Doesn't really cause any problems, though since there aren't any benefits to UVB vs other types of light, I would avoid it if you have any albinos, as their skin and eyes could be more sensitive.

[scott5017]

There are no real benefits or drawbacks other than cost, just make sure you provide a suitable photoperiod.

[thamneil]

Don't think you'll see any difference with UV vs regular fluorescents. Some of my enclosures are lit with UV while others are normal fluorescents. Just depended on what I had at the time. In my experience, the snakes behave the same regardless of lighting type. Can't hurt though.

[Stefan-A]

Effects of ultraviolet radiation on plasma
25-hydroxyvitamin D3 concentrations in corn
snakes (Elaphe guttata)

Mark J. Acierno, MBA, DVM; Mark A. Mitchell, DVM, PhD; Trevor T. Zachariah, DVM;
Marlana K. Roundtree; Megan S. Kirchgessner, DVM; David Sanchez-Migallon Guzman, Lic en Vit

Objective—To determine whether corn snakes exposed to UVB radiation have increased
plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 concentrations, compared with control snakes.

Animals—12 corn snakes (Elaphe guttata).

Procedures—After an acclimation period in individual enclosures, a blood sample was collected
from each snake for assessment of plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 concentration.
Six snakes were provided with no supplemental lighting, and 6 snakes were exposed to
light from 2 full-spectrum coil bulbs. By use of a radiometer-photometer, the UVA and UVB
radiation generated by the bulbs were measured in each light-treated enclosure at 3 positions
at the basking surface and at 2.54 cm (1 inch) below each bulb surface; the arithmetic
mean values for the 3 positions at the basking surface and each individual bulb surface
were calculated immediately after the start of the study and at weekly intervals thereafter.
At the end of the study (day 28), another blood sample was collected from each snake to
determine plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 concentration.

Results—Mean ± SD plasma concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in snakes that were
provided with supplemental lighting (196 ± 16.73 nmol/L) differed significantly from the
value in control snakes (57.17 ± 15.28 nmol/L). Mean exposure to UVA or UVB did not alter
during the 4-week study period, although the amount of UVA recorded near the bulb surfaces
did change significantly.

Clinical Relevance—These findings have provided important insight into the appropriate
UV radiation requirements for corn snakes. Further investigation will be needed before exact
husbandry requirements can be determined. (Am J Vet Res 2008;69:294–297)
http://vetmed.illinois.edu/mmitch/pdf/corn%20snake.pdf



I'll just leave this here. Do with it what you want.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

It's said that UVA has psychological benefits but I'm not sure garters will benefit from UVB if fed whole vertebrates.

If you can get them in America get some Arcadia t5 tubes they are very brighter and give out more UV than t8 so will be most beneficial

*Not the Zilla ones.They kill the Animal *

[snake man]

If you are worried about having a uvb light you can try powder with D3, I read that it messes with the snakes eyes.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

If you are worried about having a uvb light you can try powder with D3, I read that it messes with the snakes eyes.
Only albinos

[Eight]

Only albinos


Officially yes, but any form of bright fluorescent lighting could possibly strain the eyes. I'm not saying that it does with snakes but it is a possibility. Put a person under a fluorescent lighting all day and they will eventually complain of headaches. The lights actually flicker at a high rate but your brain and eyes automatically compensate for it.

Again I'm not saying this would apply to garters, or any reptile, but it's a theory :)

[-MARWOLAETH-]

The T5 bulbs don't flicker but some of the T8s do so will strain the eyes when looking at them.

The bulbs we give them in captivity are nothing compared to the sun which they'll happily sit under until they reach their desired temperature.
Just you make sure you give them a proper photo gradient and there will be no problems :)

[ConcinusMan]

Totally unnecessary to provide UV but I've also used reptisun 18'' bulbs (never expose albinos to UV including sunlight). It does seem to have some behavioral influence such as more activity, increased appetite, etc. They just seem more lively. However, I get the same result from any bulb that provides a naturalistic color balance and intensity, even if it doesn't put out UV. The more closely you can approximate natural daylight spectrum the better I think, but it doesn't necessarily have to put out UV. Snakes can get all the vitamin D they need from their food, unlike many lizards which can only synthesize it.

Most, if not all snakes are like humans in that a little UV exposure does sythesize vitamin D, (about 10 minutes of direct sun per week will synthesize all the D we need) but as long as we get some from our food, we can live without explosure to UV. Many lizards cannot live without UV but that's not the case with snakes.

On a side note, I noticed that in the longest days of the year, garters here tend to avoid the midday sun when the UV index is highest, even if it's a very cool day. From about 11:30am to 5pm they just vanish. Doesn't seem to be tied to the temperature since we often have the highest temperatures after 5pm and they still come out to bask. Seems they're really just avoiding the high UV. Of course, in fall, winter, or early spring, they don't avoid midday sun and I think that's because the UV index is much lower.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

"I get the same result from any bulb that provides a naturalistic color balance and intensity"
The light may look natural to you but probably doesn't to the snake.

[ConcinusMan]

I'm not talking about just how it looks necessarily. I'm talking about actual colors it puts out and many bulbs I can buy actually compare it's output on the label, to the natural spectrum of sunlight. One that approximates the colors of the rainbow rather than being mostly red, (a bulb like that will put out visually yellowish light) or mostly blue, (like many "bright white" florescents and white LED's) is better for snakes, and plant growth. Indecently, one that does put out a more natural spectrum will appear more like natural daylight. Not too yellow, (sometimes called "warm") and not too blue (sometimes called "cold").

If you have any doubts, you can always set a digital camera's white balance to "daylight" or "outdoor" shooting. Then take photos of something using only the bulb in question to illuminate your subject. If the resulting picture looks too blueish, or too yellow under the outdoor setting, you'll know it's not a very balanced spectrum. I know that with the reptisun bulbs, I can set camera white balance to "outdoor" or "daylight" and the pictures still have a fairly natural looking white balance. If I do that with the bright white florescent in my kitchen, the pictures come out looking cold/bluish.


You can buy cheaper bulbs that do the same thing, (a balanced spectrum) but lack the UV output. Just go for a bulb that advertises it's proximity to natural daylight (grow lights are pretty good) and that's good enough. Also, a blueish "bright white" florescent combined with a yellowish incandescent balances things out pretty nicely too. Whatever you do just see to it that your lighting isn't too white/cold or too yellow/warm and that's good enough.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

The snakes can see UV radiation so will be able to tell the difference. I just think it's best for the snake to give it the option of using it as they know what they want better than we ever could.