Carpet python lighting concerns

[Ashton]

Hello! I've just transferred my coastal carpet python (yearling) into a new enclosure that's about 1.5 metres high with a UV light at the very top.

Although there's plenty of room to be at a reasonable distance from the light, she is pressed right up next to it, facing it.

Is it possible for her to get eye damage from doing this for hours at a time? And if so, why doesn't she move away? (Sorry if this is a stupid question.)

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

If it's a high powered UV lamp like a mercury vapour lamp then yes your python could suffer from photokerato conjunctivitis. As a keeper of turtles, I have had this problem in the past as Long necked turtles have a bad habit of star gazing directly up into the lamp. Short necks don't do it. The condition is extremely painful, like welder's flash but the damage is reversible and the eyes heal once the lamp is switched off or removed for a while.

The debate whether you actually need to provide UVB lighting for a python or not has supporters on both sides of the fence so really it's just a personal preference, however, if your python shows symptoms of photokerato conjunctivitis, I'd remove it or limit it's ON time with a timer to just an hour a day.

 

[Ashton]

Ok, thanks for the info! The lamp is a 13W UVB100 ExoTerra bulb (if that means anything), I'm guessing it's not as powerful as the light you were referring to?

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Ok, thanks for the info! The lamp is a 13W UVB100 ExoTerra bulb (if that means anything), I'm guessing it's not as powerful as the light you were referring to?

No it sounds like a compact type fluoro?? Either way, you know what to look for. If your python starts having a discharge from its eyes and or has white patches (burnt skin) around the eyes then it's causing damage.

 

[dragonlover1]

Ok, thanks for the info! The lamp is a 13W UVB100 ExoTerra bulb (if that means anything), I'm guessing it's not as powerful as the light you were referring to?

It is a fairly low level emitter and coming through the mesh it is reduced even more, so not in the extreme range. The probable reason for her being there is she is looking for heat. Where is your heat lamp?

 

[Ashton]

It is a fairly low level emitter and coming through the mesh it is reduced even more, so not in the extreme range. The probable reason for her being there is she is looking for heat. Where is your heat lamp?

I only have heating under half of the flooring but it gets quite hot (obviously not too hot) so I thought that would be enough. I mean, she eats very well and is active so I assumed she was warm enough. Do you think I should add a heat light in addition to/replacing the UV?

 

[Bl69aze]

it'd probably be in best interest to move the branch down a bit, carpet pythons like to be up high for the most part (as high as they can go, even if thats only a foot off the ground), even trimming the bit that shoots right off to the top would be fine.

you will only need 1 Source of heat, whethere its floor heat or over head heat is up to you.

What is the temp of the floor heating? it sounds like you have it going without checking? should be around the 32c mark

 

[Ashton]

it'd probably be in best interest to move the branch down a bit, carpet pythons like to be up high for the most part (as high as they can go, even if thats only a foot off the ground), even trimming the bit that shoots right off to the top would be fine

I was thinking that might help. Thanks!