# does black light harm?



## Randy (Aug 9, 2004)

hi, i've just found this forum a couple of days ago, i have posted a few at the tarantula forum, and its my first time here, welli do have a scorpion too, and what i wish to know is.. will a black light cause any harm to the scorpions,? because i am planning to fix a black light  onto the tank and turn them on at night, well i enjoy seeing them glow though.. 

btw.. congrats to my scorpion.. here's a pic..


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## eksong (Aug 9, 2004)

Wow congratulations on those offspring.

I would say that the UV bulbs designed for animal heating is fine.  These, however, do not really make scorps glow brilliantly like "party" UV lights, from my experience.  

"Party" UV lights, as mentioned in this forum, may have a deterimental effect on scorps; it's been suggested that long term may cause premature blindness.

The difference between the heating bulbs and these real UV lights is in the frequency of each type of UV wavelength.

That said, I don't heat my scorps.  The ambient temperature ranges from 70-80, and they have been doing well.


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## fusion121 (Aug 9, 2004)

Randychuah said:
			
		

> hi, i've just found this forum a couple of days ago, i have posted a few at the tarantula forum, and its my first time here, welli do have a scorpion too, and what i wish to know is.. will a black light cause any harm to the scorpions,? because i am planning to fix a black light  onto the tank and turn them on at night, well i enjoy seeing them glow though..
> 
> btw.. congrats to my scorpion.. here's a pic..


Exposure to UV does affect them, though I never knew to what extent until recently when someone made they observation that they had seen their scorpions fluorescence intensity decline. The system that causes fluorescence will naturally be "destroyed" on exposure on UV in small amounts. Prolonged exposure to UV light will cause it to be destroyed faster then it can be resynthesised (assuming it is) hence resulting in a decrease of emission/adsorption intensity. That said however I have yet to see any evidence that this is harmful to the scorpion. I assume that once all UV absorbing species are destroyed, other tissues in the scorpion will be harmed by high energy UV light, as UV protection seems the most likely explanation for the flouresence phenomenon, but there’s no evidence to back this up (that I'm aware of). Anyway simple answer is probably yes it will harm them, so don't expose them to large amounts of UV.


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## James M. (Aug 9, 2004)

This has been discused many times befor and you will probly be harast about not using the search. I will give you a quick breafing. The UV light is what makes them glow. UV light is harmful and coution should be taken to not over ecspose them to long periods of it. How ever useing the black light to check them out at night should be ok as long as you do not leave it on all night and stuff.
 On a nother note, I do not think you should be useing aspen or pine shaveings like you are. I would try peat or something simaler. Check out the sticky on basic care by Dave.


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## James M. (Aug 9, 2004)

I gues I was not typing fast enuf. Woooops.


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## Randy (Aug 9, 2004)

James M. said:
			
		

> This has been discused many times befor and you will probly be harast about not using the search. I will give you a quick breafing. The UV light is what makes them glow. UV light is harmful and coution should be taken to not over ecspose them to long periods of it. How ever useing the black light to check them out at night should be ok as long as you do not leave it on all night and stuff.
> On a nother note, I do not think you should be useing aspen or pine shaveings like you are. I would try peat or something simaler. Check out the sticky on basic care by Dave.


 why would you say that i should not use pine shavings ? will it somehow affect the scorpion  ?


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## fusion121 (Aug 9, 2004)

James M. said:
			
		

> I gues I was not typing fast enuf. Woooops.


...Sorry :8o


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## James M. (Aug 9, 2004)

fusion121, it's cool. I am not considered a fast typer. I only use my index fingers,lol.
 Randychuah, I am not shure of any direct ill efects, but one thing I do know is that thay do mold esaly. Also,I know from when I was keeping herps on it, it can be a big problem when mites come around. That is why I do not keep herps on it anymore. Some times cedar is mixed in when it is not suposed to be and this can be a problem as well. Also I read you just should not use it. I am pretty shure this is right, one of the more seasoned keepers can probly help more indepth than I.


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## Kugellager (Aug 10, 2004)

Pine products have aeromatic hydrocarbons and other aeromatic oils that are naturally designed to repel insects, parasites and other things that that prey upon the pine trees which it comes from.  These chemicals can injure and even kill you invertebrate pets.  This is why you should never use anything containing pine/conifer bark in it as a substrate.

John
];')


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## James M. (Aug 10, 2004)

Thank you, John.
 I knew that was the reason and just could not remember the details till this morning. I was going to post it but you got it for me. It is probly better you did that way it was more belevable being that you are a Mod. and all.
Thanks,
James


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## Keith (Aug 10, 2004)

I have personaly experienced over the past year that blacklights will...
A) Gradualy diminish your scorpions fluorescence.  In about 1 full year, your scorpion is unlikely to fluoresce at all based on a 12 hours on, 12 hours off cycle.
B) Disrupt your scorpions day/night cycle.  Contrary to popular belief(based on my observations, not heresay), scorpions interpret blacklights as daylight hours.
I personaly used to keep blacklights on my scorpions, but I never will again.  I highly discourage anyone from keeping their scorpions under blacklighs.


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## skinheaddave (Aug 10, 2004)

Keith said:
			
		

> B) Disrupt your scorpions day/night cycle.  Contrary to popular belief(based on my observations, not heresay), scorpions interpret blacklights as daylight hours.


Zwicky has shown that a scorpion's extraoccular light sense can entrain circadian patterns.  Since the sensitivity spectrum of the extraoccular light sense indicates that it would be sensitive to the frequencies emitted by a scorpion exposed to UV wavelengths, it does not surprise me that this would be the case.  It would surprise me, however, if this were the entire case, since circadian patterns are not as simple as all that.  

Cheers,
Dave


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## paulrush81 (Jan 26, 2006)

the flourecent glow is bacteria in the pigment of the exoskeliton, this bacteria has formed a symbiotic relationship over thousands of years, if the uv light is killing of this bacteria then when it sheds, the glow should come back


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## Kugellager (Jan 26, 2006)

paulrush81 said:
			
		

> the flourecent glow is bacteria in the pigment of the exoskeliton, this bacteria has formed a symbiotic relationship over thousands of years, if the uv light is killing of this bacteria then when it sheds, the glow should come back


That is absolutely incorrect! The fluorescence in the exoskeleton of scorpion has to do with the crystalline structure of material it is made up of.  It has nothing to do with bacteria at all.

John
];')


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## paulrush81 (Jan 26, 2006)

sorry k. i have quoted that from another site and also missed out the "it is believed". will go and curl up and die, and never post "facts" here again
ps is it chitin


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## Kugellager (Jan 26, 2006)

paulrush81 said:
			
		

> sorry k. i have quoted that from another site and also missed out the "it is believed". will go and curl up and die, and never post "facts" here again
> ps is it chitin


LOL...No worries...there is lots of bad information out there...I have done it myself more than I care to attest to...Just ask any of the longtime members in this forum  We've all been there.

John
];')


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## skinheaddave (Jan 26, 2006)

paulrush81 said:
			
		

> ps is it chitin


Actually, chitin is a polymer of sugar which makes up the primary component of the exoskeleton.  The molecules responsible for the fluorescense are detailed in several papers and are not the chitin itself.

Cheers,
Dave


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