# Black light/UV light for emperor scorpion



## ashcroft7 (Dec 11, 2011)

Good morning guys.
I'm getting my hands on emperor scorpion tonight, and have been told I can use a black light or a UV light to bring out the "glow in the dark" colouring.
Are black lightbulbs the same as UV lightbulbs? 
Also where is the cheapest place to purchase them? Ebay?

Thanks


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## Lu Lizard (Jul 24, 2011)

Get a uv torch off eBay rather than a bulb. That way you can search for the Scorpion and find it without disturbing it when it is hidden. They are cheap on eBay too. A bulb will only be good if the scorp is actually out in the open (which is never).

Here's some advice too: when u put the heat mat on the (out)side of your tank, put some cork bark on the inside next to it. Your scorp will choose to tunnel there as it is warmer and you can peel back the heat mat to see your scorp in its tunnel without having to disturb it.


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

Hi, 

you need a black light for sure. A normal UV lamp will not work.

A black light has a huge amount of UVA and very little UVB, less that half of 1%. I would not recommend irradiating any animal inc inverts with black lights for long periods. In truth we just do not understand the interaction between this amount of UVA, i.e more than you would find in nature and the animal. I know some zoos do it to show them off but I really do have an uneasy feeling about it.

It would I feel however be fine to use one of these torches to see it fluoresce every once in a while, lets face it...it is fun :2thumb: 

john


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## ashcroft7 (Dec 11, 2011)

Thanks for replies

The tank it's going into has a light bulb fitting on the top, and ideally I would like to fit a lightbulb to that so I can just flick the switch when need be to see the scorp. Minumum disturbance! So I don't particularly want a torch.

So just to clarify, a UV bulb would NOT work to see the scorp? But a black light bulb would?

And if someone has the time to explain the difference between UVA and UVB that would be great


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

yes you can use a linear T8 lamp to do this. Are you aware that Black lights emit virtually no visible light to humans. It is the same as those lamps that you get at gigs that make your white clothes glow up. Very ugly things really.

you will not any fluorescence in these species from a standard reptile lamp.

UVA is a term used to describe light at 310-400nm and is invisible to humans. It is thought to help animals with serotonin production and of course is essential to "activate" colour vision in tetrachromatic species. This does include most inverts.

UVB is the wavelengths of light from 290 to 310nm ish and is primarily responsible for the D3 cycle in all living things.

these wavelengths need to be balanced and provided as in nature. If one is out of wild balance to the other potential problems could become apparent.

I do suggest that you use normal lighting to view your scorp, you could use a natural sunlight lamp if you wish and just use a black light every now and again to see the scorp glow up.

honestly it will look ghastly in there if you just use a black light,

good luck

john


ashcroft7 said:


> Thanks for replies
> 
> The tank it's going into has a light bulb fitting on the top, and ideally I would like to fit a lightbulb to that so I can just flick the switch when need be to see the scorp. Minumum disturbance! So I don't particularly want a torch.
> 
> ...


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## ashcroft7 (Dec 11, 2011)

thanks for your reply John. Very informative.

I understand black light emits hardly any visible light to humans,
The tank the scorp will be in is a glass fish tank, so will have plenty of light available to it.

Unfortunately a linear tube won't work as its a screw fitting for the bulb.

The black light bulb I'm looking to put in wont be on all the time, in fact it won't be on very often as I only plan to turn it on when I want to see the scorp glow!

So a black light bulb installed at the top of the viv will make the scorp glow, when it is turned on, correct me if I have that wrong 

And it isn't needed to have any other light source (apart from natural sunlight within the room) being emitted to the tank?


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

yes if it is a black light it will make the animal glow.

It is up to you to decide if any further light is required. I do not have any hard and fast facts about inverts and the D3 cycle as yet but the general feeling now is that these amazing animals do use sunlight in some measurable way.

We hope to have a more definite answer in the years to come.

but that is up to you.

John


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## ashcroft7 (Dec 11, 2011)

John I appreciate your answers thank you very much.


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## buddah (Dec 23, 2009)

I would go along with arcadiajohn and lu lizard you will be better off with a uv torch, emperor scorpions really are not very active so unless your viv is very minimalist, even with a black light on your not going to see it glow as the light will be in one fixed position at the top. where as with a torch you can shine it in from the side looking under the scorpions hides.
And if you are looking into the viv when the light is on its going to effect your vision, they make my eyes go funny when ive used them in the past to do the same thing as you want to do, thats why i ended up getting a uv torch miles better. :2thumb:


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