# Lighting for cornsnake vivarium?



## Bobster (Nov 28, 2008)

We've had our cornsnake for nearly two weeks now, it's in a little plastic tub at the moment as it's only a hatchling, the tub is inside a wooden vivarium with glass sliding doors. There's a heatmat but no light.

So - just how necessary is a light (I've read that it's not essential)? It's in quite a dark corner of the room, so does that make a difference? We'd like a light, if only so that we can see in, but not sure what type to get. We've bought a UV light on a shop's recommendation which has arrived today.


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## bladeblaster (Sep 30, 2008)

don't need uv for snakes mate, just a standard household bulb holder and an energy saving bulb would be fine. Even though the energy saving ones don't get too hot I would prob still guard it though.


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## Dextersdad (Mar 28, 2008)

Bobster said:


> We've had our cornsnake for nearly two weeks now, it's in a little plastic tub at the moment as it's only a hatchling, the tub is inside a wooden vivarium with glass sliding doors. There's a heatmat but no light.
> 
> So - just how necessary is a light (I've read that it's not essential)? It's in quite a dark corner of the room, so does that make a difference? We'd like a light, if only so that we can see in, but not sure what type to get. We've bought a UV light on a shop's recommendation which has arrived today.


Hello

Well, you won't be needing a UV for the snake. 

If you have ambient light in the room this will be enough for the little snakey BUT you may find that for your viewing purposes AND heat that a red light (best to stick to reptile ones say at Triple 8 Reptiles - Online Reptile Shop UK) on a stat gives will be a good option (with the necessary hides in place too.

Another option is a heat mat on a mat stat (make sure it's a low wattage mat stat as most normal stats don't operate below 40W and a lot of smaller mats only go up to around the 10W mark).

Hope this helps.


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

Or you could, if it's only for you to view, use LED lighting strips... minimal heat output therefore no thermostat required.


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## Bobster (Nov 28, 2008)

Will a UV light do any harm? Cos, erm, it's in now.:blush:

Thanks for the replies. Oh and it's only a week we've had him!! (It's been a long week :eek4: .)


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## kailogan (Oct 22, 2008)

hi and wecome to here. i joined last month and asked the same question.i now use a low wattage house bulb.i got told was any fluresant tube uv or not they work by flickering unbeknown to our eyes but it stress's and may cause eye damage to snakes. hope this helps 
and :welcome: again


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

What colour morph is he - and specifically, does he have red eyes? If he's a red-eyed morph, a higher-percentage UVB tube COULD damage his eyes.


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## Dextersdad (Mar 28, 2008)

Bobster said:


> Will a UV light do any harm? Cos, erm, it's in now.:blush:
> 
> Thanks for the replies. Oh and it's only a week we've had him!! (It's been a long week :eek4: .)


Best check the UV level. Stick to a low UV bulb to be on the safe side.


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## Bobster (Nov 28, 2008)

Sorry I haven't been back to this till now. Thanks for all the replies.

Well he doesn't have red eyes. I don't know what the 'official' morph name is but he's sort of pale grey and dark brown (pretty :no1.

It is a low wattage light, not sure exactly what without checking. And it's not on all day, probably a few hours at most.


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## Skyespirit86 (Feb 23, 2008)

I don't use a light bulb of any kind in my corn viv. I used to use a household bulb in their to illuminate so I can see in better but my snake is perfectly happy and healthy without it, there's natural daylight in the room anyway, it doesn't have to be totally lit up,a bit of dullness is ok as long as you open the curtains each day! It saves money for me, and those that keep their snakes in tubs don't have all that paraphenalia. I expect you're confused by the technical answers some people are giving you for red light bulbs and light strips etc, some of which are for heating, some of which are just for illuminating, others of which are for heat and light (eg basking bulbs).
If you are worried I would buy a cheap light fitting for normal household light bulbs, plus a metal guard for it, you're probably looking around £30 for all of that. It will make the viv look nicer. Remember to switch off at night.Done.

A heatmat should be fine when the snake is in the viv too. If you wanted to create higher air temps later when its in the viv,( which aren't necessary as long as the temp on the ground is right) I would either use a heat bulb OR a heat mat otherwise you'll need a more expensive dimmer thermostat as well for the bulb. And that is just getting a bit fancy for a corn snake IMHO. Red bulbs are for heating and can be left on all night, because the snakes cannot see the red light. You don't need UV.


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## Andy b 1 (May 14, 2007)

why would you need a light for a corn snake???


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