Lighting Question

[05brandon50]

Hey guys and gals!

I was wondering on lighting for garters. Since they (for the most part) are a diurnal species, do I need special lighting for them? If so, UVA or UVB? My house stays around 80° F so I'm not too worried about heat lamps or having a basking spot. Do garters really benefit from having a basking/heat spot? I've read that some people say that garters don't need any type of heat source whereas some said that they do. I personally used to have one with my old parietalis but he never was out basking.

I'm going shopping at petco tomorrow with a $50 budget to get my little Rita a glass tank so let me know if I should get a heat bulb and/or stop by a hardware shop and pick up some "special" light bulbs.

Thanks!

[Didymus20X6]

I wouldn't spend money on "special" lights or bulbs. An inexpensive lamp or work light fixture and a low-wattage incandescent bulb are really all you need.

Garters can live in 80f, but personally, I'd try to vary the temp in the tank, so that you have one end at least a few degrees higher. Having a warm end and a cool end will allow the snake to have more control over their thermoregulation. If the temp is a constant 80f, it might be harder for the snake to get comfortable.

Here's what I use; you can get them pretty cheap at your local chain department or hardware store:

150-Watt Incandescent Clamp Light-CE-300PDQ at The Home Depot

[05brandon50]

I wouldn't spend money on "special" lights or bulbs. An inexpensive lamp or work light fixture and a low-wattage incandescent bulb are really all you need.

I already have old fixtures from when I used to breed chameleons so I should be good there. What wattage bulb should I get? Like a 60w or something higher like a 100w?

Thanks!

[Selkielass]

I use 25 to 40 watt in the summer, larger in the winter. Trade up/down so your temperature is in your desired range.
A lot depends on cage size and surrounding room temps.

[EasternGirl]

I agree with what the others have said. I find that some garters really enjoy basking...others don't do it so much. I keep most of my heat lamps off in the summer. I use low wattage for light if necessary. I wouldn't keep a garter in 80 degree temps all the time. I would want the snake to be able to have a warm side in the 80's and a cool side that is kept around 75...and I would want the tank to be able to dip down to lower temps at night if possible.

[infernalis]

A 13 watt spiral is plenty, and they can be found at dollar stores.

[Didymus20X6]

The florescent lights don't give off much heat. Great for light when you don't want a lot of heat.

I use a 60w incandescent, about 1 foot above the enclosure. This seems to keep the enclosure around 85f. I use a 25w florescent above the water enclosure just for light.

Also, I use a cheap timer to turn the lights on during the day and off at night.

[05brandon50]

Ok guys I made a couple of changes to her enclosure. I switched her to a 5.5 gallon tank, repticarpet as opposed to aspen, smaller hide until she gets larger, and added a 60w incandescent light as a heat source.

Here's a pic of her setup!



Thanks for all the advice about the lighting!

[Invisible Snake]

Nice set up! But you know baby garters grow like weeds, so in a couple of months she would most likely need a bigger enclosure.

[05brandon50]

Nice set up! But you know baby garters grow like weeds, so in a couple of months she would most likely need a bigger enclosure.

Not a problem! I have pretty much one of every cage size in my backyard from keeping tropical fish, other snakes, and lizards!
I just needed a small enclosure with a better lid for her tiny size and lighting.