Infrared

Hey, I talked this over with Rab before, but I still have some questions. (Not saying Rab is wrong, I believe him!) So, I understand that snakes have poor eyesight, and they can detect heat signatures. But, for the infrared bulbs that I use during the night, not only does it emit infrared waves (invisible heat), but it also gives off a red light...What exactly is that red light, because infrared light is not visible in our spectrum. So my question is can my BP see the red light during the night, which would irratate its cycle, AS WELL as detect the heat signature given off by the infrared bulb?

Mocolo - first - :welcome: over here! I don't mind you questioning! It's how we all learn! (psssstttt....I'm a gal! ;) )

Ooops!! Sorry. I always say "he" for everything >__< It's a guy thing I guess lol. O well I've posted a bunch on this site before, never really formally introduces myself but..well..here I am!

I don't believe that snakes can see that red light. I believe the wavelength is outside their range of sight. Of course I should probably check on that one. I know I use one, and have never noticed a problem with it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10377274&dopt=Abstract

Take a look at Figure 1 in the PDF of that paper.......red light is defined as electromagnetic radation between 630-760 nm.....as you can see from the graph of absorbance versus wavelength Ball Python Photoreceptor pigments do not absorb light very well in this range.....so I'd say that they "red light" of your bulb wont affect their biorythms very much....

EDIT....here's a direct link to the PDF....

http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/202/14/1931

I've used those red bulbs to heat a tank for a ball python, a boa, and a group of leopard geckos, and had great results. Those are certainly the best heating option if you have to use incandescent lighting to heat an enclosure.

I've been slowly switching over to Ceramic heat emitters though for the remaining glass tanks I use. No light whatsoever, nice even heat, and they last forever.

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Originally Posted by Mendel's Balls

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10377274&dopt=Abstract

Take a look at Figure 1 in the PDF of that paper.......red light is defined as electromagnetic radation between 630-760 nm.....as you can see from the graph of absorbance versus wavelength Ball Python Photoreceptor pigments do not absorb light very well in this range.....so I'd say that they "red light" of your bulb wont affect their biorythms very much....

EDIT....here's a direct link to the PDF....

http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/202/14/1931

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So there you go Mocolo! You can't argue with that! (you'd have to actually understand it to argue with it! ;) )

Just teasing you Mendel! I love your contributions - even if a lot of the times they go way over my head (and I was even started off as a biology major - although organic chemistry made NO sense to me - and graduated as a psychology major! LOL)

Yay, thanks everyone! Now its just me who has trouble sleeping from that infrared light given off XD lol, I got used to it though