Someone is trying to convince me that snakes need 12 hours of light, and 12 hours of darkness.

[Sethu]

I have a pacific gopher snake and generally I turn the light on at 7 AM and turn them off at 9 PM. A friend is telling me that that is awful, I just needed some other opinions because turning those lights off at 7 pm would be very inconvenient but I am willing to do it if it will be beneficial to my snake. Thanks for any input!

 

[The Snark]

General rule: They don't need light at all. The vast majority of snakes are nocturnal and many live subterranean. Their scales are more or less light proof. Being Exotherms what they sometimes need is heat. The light is for keepers to look at them. Given their choice no light and the right temperature variations are much more preferable.
Of course, there is no steadfast rule for all snakes. Each species has preferences.

Gopher snakes. Light tolerant and sometimes lie in the sun to get warmed up. They prefer dense foliage like ivy or tall grass. They can easily get overheated and will then seek out burrows and holes. They can live for many years without ever going into direct light.

Your snake trivia. Many snakes alter their body color during the hot season to repel heat. They seek out shade to avoid overheating. The king cobra's color will change from dusty black when kept out of the sunlight to a very light golden blond during the middle of summer in the wilds.

 

[pouchedrat]

Most people keep snakes without artificial light at all.. I can only think of my western hognose snakes that benefit from having lighting, and only because they're diurnal and it helps my couple finicky eaters be more regular. and honestly they're still kept in bin-style enclosures.

 

[loxoscelesfear]

not set in stone, but it doesn't hurt to provide a UV source for garter snakes and water snakes.

 

[Louise E. Rothstein]

Well,yes: many reptiles do need some UV.
What most do not need is "12 hours light and 12 hours darkness" all the time because they only encounter that type of lighting upon the Equator.

Day length varies everywhere off the Equator.

And equatorial animals do not always spend all day in the sun.

Few need exactly "12 hours" worth-

But most need some UV.

 

[The Snark]

The need for UV is a misnomer. (I'm quoting herpetologists in Aus.) As I mentioned, most snakes are nocturnal and never encounter UV. It has been proven to aid in shedding, accelerate the process, and promote premature shedding that can harm the animal.

 

[pitbulllady]

not set in stone, but it doesn't hurt to provide a UV source for garter snakes and water snakes.

Water Snakes are my specialty, and I have never, ever used UV light or any auxiliary heat with them, at all. It probably wouldn't hurt them, but it's totally unnecessary, and the same applies to all other snakes. Well, I take that back-too much UV would probably cause some major issues down the line in my Hypos, since they have reduced melanin, which blocks the harmful effects of UV rays, so I see no need to take that risk for something that really isn't going to benefit the snakes. Garter and Water Snakes are no different from any other snakes in that respect. For a true amelanistic(albino) snake, UV rays would basically be a death sentence, virtually a guarantee of cancer, since they lack a body's first line of defense against the harmful effects of the rays. And yes, artificial UV light can be just as dangerous as real sunlight(yes, that means you, tanning booth fans).

pitbulllady

 

[The Snark]

Or you could simply go by the biologists point of view. UV is a toxin. That is why the earths atmosphere filters it out. Some animals have adapted to it, but ultimately it will kill any living organism on the planet.