So, after a discussion on lighting, I want to know: do you use red/purple/white lights to light/heat your snakes?

I personally prefer not use lights at all, and allow the natural cycle of the sunlight in the room to power my snakes' cycles. With the exception of Draco, of course as garters LOVE light and he's no exception. This all started when I first moved Cloud, the boa, into his 6ft enclosure. This was last summer, in June. I was using red lights at night so I could study their behavior, before I learned that boas could see red light. He spent 24/7 in his water dish for 5 days. No, the lights were not in his enclosure so they did not affect his enclosure temps. I had an LED light in one enclosure and a fluroescent in the other, so no need for light bulbs. Because of some wiring problems, I could not plug the lights in (I broke a surge protector and tripped the breaker multiple times trying) so I used a desk lamp a few feet away to shine light into my boa's enclosure. I read a user on another forum's thread where she had completely stopped using lights and noticed a lot of increased nighttime activity in her snakes. I decided, why not? That very very same night he left his water dish and explored his enclosure top to bottom. If he had ever left before that, I would have known as I had 3 inches of EcoEarth and his trail would be very noticeable. He did not return to his dish until he shed, and that is a trend that has continued.

I thought, hmm, maybe ball pythons couldn't (with a slight bit of skepticism) and I went back to using a red light to heat my bp when I moved here. He does not really explore, but he does still change hides and get a sip of water every once in awhile. Where the red light had no bearing on his nighttime activity or eating schedule before, it now does. I even did a simple test to see if he could indeed see it. I had the red light turned off and Bud out. I held the lamp some feet away and did not shine it directly in his eyes. I turned it on without moving any part of my body or the lamp, just my finger to push the switch. As soon as it came on, he flinched. He could see it. So now, I will never use red lights for any snake, and white bulbs only for diurnal reptiles, and Bud will be getting a lightless, low-wattage CHE bulb instead. Once I have the room to house his 6ft enclosure, he will be returned to it, but I don't have the room for it yet.