reptiles heat lamp question

[Beginners Burrow]

Did a search here and on google and I cant find exactly what I am looking for.

I know you never use a heat lamp with a T that is not what this is about. I have my Ts and reptiles on a large rack and some Ts are next to my geckos tank that has a heat lamp on 24/7. I use the Exo Terra night time blue light so I dont think the light itself will bother them but I m not sure. The heat is also not effecting them at all. I am more worried about the UV effecting then in some way. Anyone have any info on this?

All my Ts do have a hide if that matters. Should I put a barrier between them or is it fine to leave them like that.

 

[TownesVanZandt]

I can´t see that being a problem.

 

[cold blood]

uv shouldnt matter.....the danger in lamps is that they dry everything to excess. So keep your eye on that.

 

[Beginners Burrow]

About what I figured but really good to hear it from other people. Thank you for the replies.

Being winter my house is really dry anyway to I am refilling water and stuff like that daily anyway. That's with a humidifier running part of the day.

 

[darkness975]

@Beginners Burrow
While not the same species , bear in mind that UV is lethal to Scorpions. There is no official evidence that I am aware of that it has any similar effect on Tarantulas but its worth knowing at the very least .

 

[EulersK]

While not the same species , bear in mind that UV is lethal to Scorpion

Whoa, really? Can you elaborate on this? Never heard of that before.

 

[Beginners Burrow]

I have heard that UV/Black lights soften the exoskeleton and cloud the eyes of scorpions with extended use. I have only heard that repeated a LOT but I have not seen any proof. That is one reason why I came here to ask about my Ts and if it would hurt them.

 

[Whitelightning777]

UV is generally considered bad, respectably for scorpions. The reaction that causes the glow with a blacklight will degrade the exoskeleton if exposure is long term.

If there's a heat source nearby or your home humidity is low, consider getting a larger or deeper water dish and check it twice daily.

The water can vanish far faster then normal under those conditions.

 

[darkness975]

Whoa, really? Can you elaborate on this? Never heard of that before.

First heard it on the Discovery Channel when I was 10.

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/uv-black-lights-bad-why.74010/

 

[Sanman]

Side note related to your Gecko....those blue and red emitting bulbs may actually be stressing it out and/or damaging it's eyes if you leave it on 24/7. I'd maybe switch to a CHE instead. If you join Advancing Herpetological Husbandry on Facebook you'll find a lot of researchers, zoologists, and top tier hobbyist that have studied effects of lights including UVB in reptiles. Now I haven't exactly heard the light situation for Geckos in particular but it has been studied with snakes. If you're interested, I'll let you ask the pros over there. Cheers!

 

[athlete96]

Side note related to your Gecko....those blue and red emitting bulbs may actually be stressing it out and/or damaging it's eyes if you leave it on 24/7. I'd maybe switch to a CHE instead. If you join Advancing Herpetological Husbandry on Facebook you'll find a lot of researchers, zoologists, and top tier hobbyist that have studied effects of lights including UVB in reptiles. Now I haven't exactly heard the light situation for Geckos in particular but it has been studied with snakes. If you're interested, I'll let you ask the pros over there. Cheers!

100% agree. I prefer a heat mat with a thermostat. Much easier to monitor temp, and specify heat location in the enclosure (better heat gradient).

Plus, geckos need at least 12 hours of pure darkness for the best sleep cycle (and a happier gecko). Emitting a blue night light isn't the best for the gecko - they're perfectly capable of seeing in the dark, and unless you're up at night there's no point in having it on.

 

[viper69]

I use the Exo Terra night time blue light so I dont think the light itself will bother them but I m not sure.

It shouldn't, I've used moonlight herp bulbs before.

I am more worried about the UV effecting then in some way.

It likely does, it affects scorpions. Also don't forget UV effects fall off by distance, measure the distance between light source and Ts.

uv shouldnt matter.....the danger in lamps is that they dry everything to excess. So keep your eye on that.

UV damages scorprions, affects their exoskeletons. Learned this from a long time, avid scorpion keeper here.

Whoa, really? Can you elaborate on this? Never heard of that before.

See above- Ive posted about it on/off when questions like this come up.

 

[viper69]

I have heard that UV/Black lights soften the exoskeleton

This is what I heard from a long time scorp owner here. UV rays are powerful over time to many things, even some non-organic materials.

 

[cold blood]

UV damages scorprions, affects their exoskeletons. Learned this from a long time, avid scorpion keeper here.

I agree...but the op has a tarantula...not a scorp.

 

[viper69]

I agree...but the op has a tarantula...not a scorp.

I agree. but I highly doubt their exoskeleton is that different, esp because both are made mostly of chitin. Let's put it this way, I'd rather be safe than sorry. For example, we know UV light is bad for humans (beyond our need for Vit D synthesis), up close etc. Would you recommend putting a UV light on a pet mouse or other mammal, knowing what we know about human exposure?

 

[cold blood]

For example, we know UV light is bad for humans (beyond our need for Vit D synthesis),

So its not bad, in fact its a requirement.

I do understand how too much of something can be detrimental.....I've just never heard of anything regarding uv and ts....even though its common knowledge that its bad for scorps. If its known for scorps, there should be no reason that if the same held true for ts that we wouldn't have noticed such a thing.
In looking I found this interesting article about uv and spiders..now a jumping spider isn't a t, but its a heckuva lot closer than a scorp...and apparently not only isn't is harmful...its a requirement for propagation.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/spiders-need-uv-light-for-mating/


"The most illuminating example of the potential of ultraviolet romance, though, just might come from a jumping spider. As described in a January 26 paper in Science, researchers have shown that the Cosmophasis umbratica spider not only needs UV light (a constituent of sunlight) to instigate normal mating behavior, but that males and females of the species respond to it in physiologically distinct ways."

As for the mouse...you would have to check out a mouse forum...I'm not down with the needs of rodents...lol.

 

[viper69]

So its not bad, in fact its a requirement.

I do understand how too much of something can be detrimental.....I've just never heard of anything regarding uv and ts....even though its common knowledge that its bad for scorps. If its known for scorps, there should be no reason that if the same held true for ts that we wouldn't have noticed such a thing.
In looking I found this interesting article about uv and spiders..now a jumping spider isn't a t, but its a heckuva lot closer than a scorp...and apparently not only isn't is harmful...its a requirement for propagation.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/spiders-need-uv-light-for-mating/


"The most illuminating example of the potential of ultraviolet romance, though, just might come from a jumping spider. As described in a January 26 paper in Science, researchers have shown that the Cosmophasis umbratica spider not only needs UV light (a constituent of sunlight) to instigate normal mating behavior, but that males and females of the species respond to it in physiologically distinct ways."

As for the mouse...you would have to check out a mouse forum...I'm not down with the needs of rodents...lol.

Of course it's a requirement, I already stated that But we do know that increased exposure to UV light over time is detrimental to skin. Nice article!

If bad for Ts, I'm not surprised we haven't heard of it though. Scorps and UV go hand in hand, how many Emp scorps are shown glowing via UV among other scorps. People see, people do. Never seen a person put a UV on a T before at a show etc.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Jumping spiders are very visual, daytime hunters. Most tarantulas tend to breed at night and have nocturnal tendencies.

Deadly tarantula girl has a series of breeding videos, some of which include a tank for cohabitation, on YouTube. No UV is required. I have exposed my animals to zero sustained UV and I've seen no ill effects at all.

Using a blacklight to BRIEFLY get a visual location of a scorpion or quickly inspect it for injuries is probably harmless, if less then 5 seconds at a time and only when absolutely necessary. (Rarely)

Even PVC pipe becomes brittle and cracks when exposed to bright sunlight with UV within a few months, sometimes even a few weeks.

 

[Ungoliant]

I have my Ts and reptiles on a large rack and some Ts are next to my geckos tank that has a heat lamp on 24/7. I use the Exo Terra night time blue light so I dont think the light itself will bother them but I m not sure. The heat is also not effecting them at all. I am more worried about the UV effecting then in some way. Anyone have any info on this?

I have heard that UV/Black lights soften the exoskeleton and cloud the eyes of scorpions with extended use. I have only heard that repeated a LOT but I have not seen any proof. That is one reason why I came here to ask about my Ts and if it would hurt them.

While we don't know for sure how long-term exposure to UV light affects tarantulas, I would play it safe and not have a UV light shining into tarantula's cage all the time. (Tarantulas don't need the light anyway.) If you place a barrier to shield the tarantula from the light or set the tarantula enclosure far enough away from the light, it should be fine.