Reptile Lighting (An Art)

Lighting is vital to reptile health for many reasons. From essential minerals to temperature regulation. Specific species of reptiles require specific lighting requirements. Everything from length of light to wattage will change from species to species. Desert reptiles will need different lighting than say a tropical reptile species. If the lighting requirements aren’t met this could cause a reptile to improperly grow and metabolize the nutrients it must have.

Reptiles are cold-blooded so they must use the environment to regulate their body temperature. Light is one way reptiles do this. Infrared light is used to heat up the ambient temperature in the terrarium. Another light source that some reptiles may need are basking bulbs. These emit light in a certain area in the terrarium to allow some reptiles to bask so raise their body temperature. Heat is a way for reptiles to produce energy for daily tasks.

Minerals are an important part of every animals life including our own. Reptiles aren’t an exception to that. Most reptiles need UVA and/or UVB light to break down certain vitamins. For instance UVB light will break down vitamin D3 do that calcium can be metabolized. Without the special lighting certain health conditions will not be met. A iguana may not get the amount of calcium it needs which in turn can cause mouth and other deformities.

A reptiles overall “look” is a good indicator of health. Lighting will improve the color and “look” of a reptile. Lights like UVB will also improve an animals vibrant colors and also stimulates natural behavior. The closer one can get to the suns actual lighting the more natural it is for the animal. Reptiles weren’t meant to be in terrariums, so the more natural we can make their life in them the happier they will be thus increasing their lifespan greatly.

Once I had taken in a Green Iguana who had leg deformities due to an inadequate amount of calcium. He was a cute little guy but I felt so bad for him. I knew I couldn’t fix what had happened to him but I did improve his overall health by improving his lighting like adding basking bulbs and UVB lights. His bright green color came back and his activity level increased. At that time I learned the importance of lighting requirements in reptiles.


References
Exo_Terra_Lighting_Guide_EN.pdf (application/pdf Object) A GUIDE TO LIGHTING BY EXO TERRA.
Reptile Lighting: A Current Perspective ARTICLE FROM MELISSA KAPLAN’S HERP CARE            COLLENTION.
The Influence of Light Intensity and Temperature on Microhabitat Selection in Two Anolis Lizards,. P. E. Hertz, L. J. Fleishman and C. Armsby, Functional Ecology
Vol. 8, No. 6 (Dec., 1994), pp. 720-729


Thanks for Reading!
James

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Large Constrictors as Pets.

The first time I had fell in love with large snakes is when I was in the 1^st or 2^nd grade. My teacher had read a children’s book titled The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble. The huge Boa Constrictor in the book just excited me. As she read on I realized that I had to have one of these “Big” snakes as a pet. That childhood book was the first time I came into contact with these wonderful creatures called boas or pythons.

Large Constrictors are impressive to look at and some species are quite popular in the pet trade. While I think some people are capable of taking great care and caution when raising one of these magnificent creatures, they are not for everyone. It takes great devotion to an animal that could reach 20 feet or more and weigh at or over 100 lbs.

Snakes that reach an adult size of 8 feet (2.44 meters) or more are considered to be large (http://www.anapsid.org/handling.html).  Many pythons and boa species can easily obtain this size in a relatively short period of time.  For instance in a year or so a baby Burmese Python can turn into 9-12 foot snake. While some species are easier to handle some have vary nasty attitudes. Examples of more manageable snakes are the Redtail Boa and Carpet Python. Others such as the African Rock Python or the Reticulated Python may be more for the experienced individuals. Most Burmese Pythons tame down quite well if handled regularly but there are some that have bad temperaments as well.

These large constrictors can be as dangerous as a loaded gun in the hands of a child. A large python or boa can potentially kill a human being and if that human happens to be an infant then the risk is more significant. If your bitten by one of these larger snakes, one way to get them to release from the bite is to place a little vinegar in their mouth around the bite. They also can be a danger to your friends and family because all reptiles can have salmonella on their bodies without proper hygiene then this bacterium could make someone very sick. In warmer climates if allowed to escape they can pose a serious threat to the environment. So if this is your pet of choice be cautious and do your homework.

Most large constrictors can be kept at temperatures around 85-95°F with a basking spot at around 95°F. The best substrate for them is something that is easily cleaned and holds some moisture like a reptile carpet that is sold in most pet stores. Cyprus and repti-bark could work as well. Depending on the size of the snake you would either feed it every other day to weekly. Babies to juveniles will eat every other day and the large snakes will it once to twice weekly. Snakes do not need UVB lighting because the prey items have calcium (Bones) along with other nutrients. While it doesn’t hurt to have a UVB light it isn’t necessary. They heat light should be relative to the size of the enclosure. Temperature and humidity gauges are a must for most all reptiles. 

A few years back one of the most amazing pythons ever came into my life. He was an albino Burmese python named Zeus. When I got Zeus he was around 8 feet long. As I took care of him he just grew and grew. I eventually ended up having my Dad make him a cage out of a cargo crate. He was one of the gentlest snakes I’ve had for his size. Zeus would look up from the cage when I came up to it, showing me that he wanted to be let out. Before I had to adopt him out, he got to a size of about 14 feet. He was a BIG boy. I had to feed him a large rabbit once a week. Looking back I remember how beautiful he was. I was always cautious but he never attempted to strike at me. 

This is a photo of Zeus back in 2006.

I can’t condemn people who want large constrictors as pets. They are truly amazing giants. Most folks can not see the beauty and grace these animals have but just looking into their eyes seems to be inspiring in its own sense.

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