UV light

[phoebe]

I was talking to a guy yesterday and he said that glass and plastic filters UV light.
The UV light I am using for my carpet is a fluorescent UV tube in a light reflector (Reptile One brand). The light reflector has a plastic cover over the tube. Does this mean the UV light is being filtered through this plastic cover and thus not allowing any UV light to reach the snake at all?

 

[LizardLady]

Hi Phoebe!
Your friend is quite correct - any covers - glass or plastic - over the UV tubes will stop the UV getting to the animal. Take the cover off, have the tube within 12inches of the animal (closer is better) and you should be right!
Hope this helps!
Best,
Carolyn

 

[bulionz]

yes it blocks it all out like lizardlady said and allso snakes dont need uv.

 

[Walker]

Just like the others said there would be no UV getting threw but dont worry cos pythons dont need it so your snake woulda been fine.

 

[gavinator]

:? :? :? why do people think this ??????????????

 

[southwazza]

i dont know of anyone using uv for their pythons, diamonds being the exception but even then people debate that also, remember though they are mostly nocturnal

 

[bulionz]

:? :? :? why do people think this ??????????????

idn its just wat ive been told,i use uv on my childreni just 5%

 

[phoebe]

Thanks for the replies! I'll have to take the plastic off and put some wire mesh in its place as the light is attached inside the enclosure.
He has diamond in him (he's a diamond x coastal). I constantly hear different things about UV so I thought I'd rather be safe than sorry and just have it in there. Also it makes him look nice I figured too it would stimulate more natural day/night behaviour as the room he is in is quite dark.

 

[Duke]

iirc plastic will *not* filter out UV light. Especially "pure" clear plastics.

It's very dependent on the thickness and quality of the plastic.

Have a read through this for more information
UV Penetration and Plastic

 

[Reptile City]

Hi Phoebe!
Your friend is quite correct - any covers - glass or plastic - over the UV tubes will stop the UV getting to the animal. Take the cover off, have the tube within 12inches of the animal (closer is better) and you should be right!
Hope this helps!
Best,
Carolyn

Hi Phoebe
Don’t let your nocturnal python get closer than 12 inches to a UV tube that has a higher UVB rating of 2.0 !
You can give your python shedding & eye problems, especially if it gets closer than 12 inches!

Pythons except Diamonds do not need any UV for keeping or breeding them.

In your case being a Coastal x Diamond you could keep as much as a 5.0 % UV tube but still wouldnt let it get closer than 12 inches.

Does it have more Coastal or Diamond looks?

Hope this correct info helps,
Jason

 

[Archie]

have you reads the one above this hun

 

[thebraddles]

i use uv for all my pythons aswell, just for a normal day/night cycle.

 

[phoebe]

Hi Phoebe
Don’t let your nocturnal python get closer than 12 inches to a UV tube that has a higher UVB rating of 2.0 !
You can give your python shedding & eye problems, especially if it gets closer than 12 inches!

Pythons except Diamonds do not need any UV for keeping or breeding them.

In your case being a Coastal x Diamond you could keep as much as a 5.0 % UV tube but still wouldnt let it get closer than 12 inches.

Does it have more Coastal or Diamond looks?

Hope this correct info helps,
Jason

I'm not sure what the rating is on this tube. I'll have to check. At the moment the light is attached inside his enclosure but I have been planning on relocating it to the outside. I haven't been able to do this yet as the snake isn't being very cooperative at the moment and he won't allow me to handle him.

He looks to have more diamond in him.

 

[snakehandler]

UV is good for all reptiles including pythons. The best and most economical method of this is to purchase a flexarium so that you can place the snake in an outdoor environment for a few hours a week. This is often used to stimulate a feeding response and can promote the health of the animal. Uv lights are not essential, however can be of some assistance.

We allow all our reptiles time in the sun, the best source of UV light and once you have the enclosures, you have no further upkeep. None of our snake enclosures have UV lights, a good way to keep costs down especially due to the fact that most UV lights need to be replaced at 3-4 month intervals to be of any use.

 

[slim6y]

I think the best most economic method is to take them outside for a few minutes a week.

In the wild (especially nocturnal forest dwelling pythons) they very rarely see direct sunlight. But just being outside some UV will filter down to them.

And just to back up your theory that glass blocks out UV - ever tried driving on a clear blue day in the middle of summer. Windows up in your car - air con blasting... and you don't get sunburnt - that's because glass filters out almost ALL UV!

I used to work in carnation glass houses - all day, sun blaring down... but never got a burn... Until... I worked in a plastic carnation house. However - the burn was so minor compared to if I had been in the direct sun.

So my thoughts are that some plastics may filter some, but not all UV but glass filters plenty more of the higher frequency UV lights.

 

[phoebe]

A couple of months ago I would take him outside into the sun once or a couple of times a week, but for the past few months he has been very defensive so I have had to leave him alone. Hopefully he'll snap out of it soon!

I would have though that a UV light designed for reptiles would use plastic that doesn't filter UV..otherwise what would be the point haha.

 

[snakehandler]

Its the light fitting not the globe. I always laugh when people set up fish tanks with UV lights and glass covers....

 

[phoebe]

Ha that's never even crossed my mind before. Just as well we don't have a glass cover on our fish tank then

 

[Archie]

its a reptile one 18w flourescent reflector and globe is seperate