how nocturnal is nocturnal?

[azmodane]

I guess this is a fairly dumb question but I've been looking at turning my other room into my snake room.... only thing is there are no windows in the room. I've been doing to research and trying to find an answer. Question is I know they are nocturnal but does that mean they will need light for half the day? All I've seen is that providing too much light is bad... but what about minimal light? Do they need 12 hrs of light to maintain an internal clock type thing? Right now he's in a tub with 2 hides, t-stat, flexwatt heating half, everything is good so far. Just wasn't 100% sure on the light situation.

[snakecharmer3638]

As you probably already know, BP's do not need sunlight to thrive. But it is my personal belief that they do need a normal day/night cycle. I have actually read that BP's are not really considered nocturnal. They are crepuscular, meaning they are most active during twilight hours, Dawn (late in the day) and Dusk (early in the morning).

I also have mine in a room without windows and I try to mimic the longer hours of summer and the shorter hours of winter.

[azmodane]

Alright thanks, yea it wouldn't be much more than just flicking a light switch but I wasn't exactly sure if it mattered... as most of us prolly do, if it doesn't HAVE to be on why should i pay for it to be on

[Vypyrz]

Is it possible to just open the door in the morning to let ambient light in?...

[m00kfu]

There's quite a few breeders who only turn the lights on when working with the snakes, and no ill effects that I've heard of.

[blackcrystal22]

IMO, if you provide a light, then you should cycle it properly.

If not, it doesn't really seem to affect them since they live underground most of the time anyway in the wild.

[BabysMomma]

"Nocturnal", when applied to contrary-for-the-heck-of-it creatures like our BPs, means "Whenever it damn well suits them". I've never met a creature so in love with defying expectations. I swear they do it just to watch us two legged food repositories run around tearing our hair out. Dinner AND a show.

[azmodane]

Is it possible to just open the door in the morning to let ambient light in?...

I kind of could but the way the room is situated it doesn't really work out that way, plus also opening the door and leaving open will then set off the constant temp i would have going along with letting unwanted animals in (cats, spiders, crickets)....

"Nocturnal", when applied to contrary-for-the-heck-of-it creatures like our BPs, means "Whenever it damn well suits them". I've never met a creature so in love with defying expectations. I swear they do it just to watch us two legged food repositories run around tearing our hair out. Dinner AND a show.

I hear that, i swear sometimes i can hear mine laughing at me....

Thanks for all the responses I figured since they were nocturnal they would hide underground during day and hunt at night therefore they are usually always in the dark....

[BabysMomma]

Example: It's currently 5:30 in the evening where I am, and the sun is high in the sky. Baby has chosen this as an ideal time to come out, stretch himself, get a drink, and just laze around the waterbowl.