The Full Spectrum Lighting Experiment

[The Serpent Merchant]

I prefer to use full spectrum bulbs for viewing purposes in my cages. I use Zoo-Meds Naturesun 2.0 bulbs that have a color temperature of 6500 K and a CRI of 98. These bulbs are advertised to have a slew of benefits for animals so I have decided to put that to the test.

I currently have 4 ball pythons with identical cages. each will have a different light installed in their cage. All 4 cages have 18" T8 Fluorescent fixtures in them the difference will be the bulbs.

Cage #1 will be my control without any supplemental lighting

Cage #2 will have a standard Fluorescent tube installed I am not sure of the color temperature,but is is very low (produces a yellow tinted light)

Cage #3 will have a standard tube with a color temperature of 4200 K (not full spectrum but close)

Cage #4 will a a Zoo-Med Naturesun 2.0 Full spectrum bulb 6500 K

I will record feeding, general activity, growth, and disposition for 1 month, then switch the bulbs around (to make sure that it isn't just the snake in each cage) and run the experiment again.

I'll be honest I'm not expecting any difference at all but I figured that if there was a difference it might effect how we see supplemental lighting.

Cage #1



Cage #2



Cage #3



Cage #4



Cage #3 on the left and #4 on the right

[ChrisS]

I think that's a great experiment but I think a month is too short of a time frame to really see any real results. I think I'd go at least 6 months.

[The Serpent Merchant]

I think that's a great experiment but I think a month is too short of a time frame to really see any real results. I think I'd go at least 6 months.

Can do, I keep the exact same records regardless so making it longer doesn't really add any work for me.

[snakesRkewl]

Interesting considering they are nocturnal, I'll be interested in seeing the results.

I kept our breeding snakes in a small bathroom last year and the only light they ever saw was about an hour and a half every 2-3 days.
They ate great, bred fine and the outcome for me was no change from the season before when they had a normal light schedule with a window in the room.

Good luck

[The Serpent Merchant]

Interesting considering they are nocturnal, I'll be interested in seeing the results.

I kept our breeding snakes in a small bathroom last year and the only light they ever saw was about an hour and a half every 2-3 days.
They ate great, bred fine and the outcome for me was no change from the season before when they had a normal light schedule with a window in the room.

Good luck

And that is exactly why I have a cage without any lights on. My guess is that the snake in the cage with no lights does exactly the same or better than the snake with the full spectrum bulb

After this I am going to try the same thing with a diurnal snake/reptile.

[ChrisS]

And that is exactly why I have a cage without any lights on. My guess is that the snake in the cage with no lights does exactly the same or better than the snake with the full spectrum bulb

After this I am going to try the same thing with a diurnal snake/reptile.

I do believe that a diurnal species would benefit much more from a full spectrum bulb. But with that being said I also feel that all living things benefit from natural sun light.

[RestlessRobie]

Great Idea make sure to keep us posted on the results. I know I will be watching.

[kitedemon]

Aaron do you have a UVb meter? I would be very interested to see what a full spectrum with and with out UVb if that would make a difference. There is an ongoing experiment with crepuscular snakes and general health with UV inclusive and non inclusive lighting.

Personally I dislike having off colour fluorescent lights I typically use D50s as I have them anyway. I have been known to use 'cool white' which is close ish to daylight (5600 or so range). I am guessing you do not have a colour meter and are just using a Dslr as a colour temp source. keep in mind that you need to shoot JPG as colour settings are not applied to RAW files and that the camera settings need to be neutral.

The other issue with fluorescent light is colour temp is only describes yellow/blue and fluorescent light is often off in the green/magenta end. That means 'daylight' fluorescent lights (d50s) are still slightly green even though a colour meter reads it as 6300-6500ºK.

[TheWinWizard]

It's a waste of time on a nocturnal snake.

[The Serpent Merchant]

I've borrowed a UVB meter from a friend before I might be able to get ahold it one again.