ASF Lighting?

[pavlovk1025]

I just got my first trio of ASF's today. I plan on keeping them in a failry dark closet, but before I do that I need to know if they require any light? Answers would be much appreciated. If good ole Mike could come weigh in on this that would be grand! Thanks in advance.

[Turbo Serpent]

I would assume that like most living creatures, light and dark in a rotating fashion would be necessary seeing as they are nocturnal, but being all night would throw their cycles off.

I could only imagine it to be comparable to living in northern alaska during winter with no sunlight.

[matt71915]

I would think they would need some light, id hate to be in a cage and it be pitch black 24/7

[llovelace]

Normal light cycles

[pavlovk1025]

Lol look Im not gonna lie I already asked Mike in PM and know the answer, but he said that this type of question can benefit other users and woouldve been better off here, so I put it here for him to answer, as he IS the resident ASF expert.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Easy tiger, I am no expert! I have been wrong plenty of times in the past, and will certainly be wrong plenty of times in the future! Just because I do something one way, certainly does not mean it is the only way to be done, or even the right way!!!

That said, I keep mine in the garage that is very dark 95% of the time except for when I stick my head in to check on them or perform maintenance. You can see in there when it is dark... But it would take several minutes for you to adjust to that level of light well enough to be able to see anything.

IMHO, Light is NOT needed at all. They still know the day / night cycles because the garage gets a lot hotter during the day... so despite not using any lights, they still for the most part sleep during the day, and are running around at night.

[pavlovk1025]

Easy tiger, I am no expert! I have been wrong plenty of times in the past, and will certainly be wrong plenty of times in the future! Just because I do something one way, certainly does not mean it is the only way to be done, or even the right way!!!

That said, I keep mine in the garage that is very dark 95% of the time except for when I stick my head in to check on them or perform maintenance. You can see in there when it is dark... But it would take several minutes for you to adjust to that level of light well enough to be able to see anything.

IMHO, Light is NOT needed at all. They still know the day / night cycles because the garage gets a lot hotter during the day... so despite not using any lights, they still for the most part sleep during the day, and are running around at night.

Your 500.500 ASFs trumps my 1.2 colony, hence rendering you the expert in my eyes, in addition to your ASF Tell All being the only thread I have ever saved.

That said...I took mine out of the closet and put them in the bedroom for the day just to watch them...and theyre not sleeping at ALL. Weirdos. Thanks for the input. I just dont want to feel like Im abusing these little ones.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

yeah it would take several days or weeks for them to get used to it to the point where they sleep during the day. I think temperature has as much or more to do with the cycles then the lighting.