Sunlight, totally bad or acceptable?

[Andrew Clayton]

What exactly only works at the equator? Be very specific here.

I never said at the equator bud I said close enough. What I mean by that is, getting a more even hours of daylight to night time, that's what helps a biological clock aka circadian rhythm there are places in the world that see constant daylight through there summer and constant dark at winter, these places have a much higher rate for depression in people, this is because of the daylight cycle messing with Thier biological clock, Also lack of vitamin D from the sun in the winter months. There has been a load of studies done on this. Probably most famously is the Bunker experiment done in 1966. A quick Google search will get you all you need to know on that.

 

[viper69]

I believe he is talking about photoperiod. Far north or south the days get very long or short. Don't need to be that close to the equator though. There are tarantulas native in the USA.

Will see

I never said at the equator bud I said close enough. What I mean by that is, getting a more even hours of daylight to night time, that's what helps a biological clock aka circadian rhythm there are places in the world that see constant daylight through there summer and constant dark at winter, these places have a much higher rate for depression in people, this is because of the daylight cycle messing with Thier biological clock, Also lack of vitamin D from the sun in the winter months. There has been a load of studies done on this. Probably most famously is the Bunker experiment done in 1966. A quick Google search will get you all you need to know on that.

Everything you wrote I already knew. I studied this system at one point.

Animals that are not at the equator or “close” to it
have a circadian rhythm.

These genes are among the MOST conserved genes across all animals. That fact alone tells us how important they are.

So again, I’m wasn’t sure what only works “close” to the equator based on your words. Perhaps you meant animals at the equator are not affected?
Just wasn’t clear to me what you wrote.

I don’t need to google anything here , I needed clarity of your word’s meaning as you weren’t clear.

Scorpions have at least one of the clock genes, I’m sure they have the rest of the genes too. I’m sure tarantulas do as well.

 

[Andrew Clayton]

Everything you wrote I already knew. I studied this system at one point.

Animals that are not at the equator or “close” to it
have a circadian rhythm.

These genes are among the MOST conserved genes across all animals. That fact alone tells us how important they are.

So again, I’m wasn’t sure what only works “close” to the equator based on your words. Perhaps you meant animals at the equator are not affected?
Just wasn’t clear to me what you wrote.

I don’t need to google anything here , I needed clarity of your word’s meaning as you weren’t clear.

Scorpions have at least one of the clock genes, I’m sure they have the rest of the genes too. I’m sure tarantulas do as well.

if everything I've wrote you knew, what was the need to ask?

Edit;
You're also taking this completely out of context now. You were the one that asked for an explanation of what I meant, which was a reply to a specific statement, so don't get snarky when you're provided that detailed answer you asked for.

 

[viper69]

if everything I've wrote you knew, what was the need to ask?

Edit;
You're also taking this completely out of context now. You were the one that asked for an explanation of what I meant, which was a reply to a specific statement, so don't get snarky when you're provided that detailed answer you asked for.

You weren’t clear. I read your words, and who you quoted. And what you wrote doesn’t make sense.

Why? Because I can’t read your damn mind! Then you tell me to Google, as if that helps me read your mind?! I’ll write whatever I want within the TOS As you are free to do as well

Look at the words you quoted and what you wrote immediately below.

Your words in that message read to me as if only being at the equator meant sunlight mattered for an animal’s biological clock.

Below is your original post

“I think light is important. It helps their biological clock”

YOU: That only helps if.. equator

me>> read as if being at equator is the only time that light is relevant for animals clocks.

That’s why I asked you to be specific

 

[Brewser]

Here Comes The Sun
Song by,
George Harrison

 

[The Snark]

Greenhouse effect can build up very quickly inside an enclosure.

Sunlight is sunlight, an infra red heat source well discussed in the thread. But the greenhouse effect alters the entire environment of the enclosure and being an enclosure, a closed ecosystem, the effects can be multiplied. Can turn a dry desert into a fetid humid swamp recycling all organisms at a much faster rate. Diseases in particular can capitalize on this effect. As example Mycosis can be trivial irrelevance in a desert environment but can overwhelm the same animal in very short order in an accelerated environment.

At the arboretum they cut down an old tree. The epiphyte green house got an additional couple of hours of sunlight each day. A couple thousand plants went from thriving to dying in less than a month. Ended up redesigning the entire ventilation system. The oddity was the plants were tropical, adapted to a synthesized tropical temperate environment. When closer to true tropical was introduced everything changed.

 

[TheraMygale]

Where i live, there definitely is a light cycle. Summer in june the sun goes down around 9, in the winter, its around 4-5 depending of daylight savings system.

its definitely present in my area: my plants have different growth cycles.

of course, tarantulas arent dependant like plants. But they can sense its presence.

in summer, my tarantulas all come out around sundown.

at the moment, all my tarantulas are out 24/7. Its SUPER humid and rainy.

even on the sunny days, they are out.

i love to see these changes in behaviors.

 

[Glorfindel]

indirect sunlight should be alright along with dark hiding places

 

[darkness975]

They don't like the sun. It's the warmth.

Keep the enclosures away from sun unless you want to bake them.

 

[Dorifto]

It will depend.

Will they be exposed for long periods of time, or just few minutes?

If during that time the enclosure can provide enough temperature gradients then they will be fine, and in most cases they will benefit from it, as it will provide a natural heat source for them.

If during that time there is any posibility to overheat the enclosure, then it will become detrimental.

This applies to any kind of heat source, not only sun.

They are poikilothermic animals, so they evolved to take advantage of heat sources to regulate their metabolism. They won't cook themselves unless you cook then because of you made a bad setup for them. If there is plenty of temperature gradients, they will be fine. And with gradients I mean their biological range of heat tolerance, from cold to warm.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

If I go down and check my Ts after sunset there generally sitting in the same spot as daytime. Do they barely notice sunlight?
I keep them in the basement.

 

[Sauga Bound]

I've got 4 sub-adult Ts. A GBB (looks like a male so far), a Honduran Curly-hair, a Mexican Fire Leg and a Brazilian Black (latter 3 look female). I've got them each set up in large Tarantula Cribs. They are by a double-pane window with internal shutters. They all tend to seek the light. I live in an arid environment, so I keep their mini water dishes full. They all eat great and are going on almost a year since I got them. I'm just curious about how much I've read on here that sunlight is soo terrible. Am I doing something wrong?

There's an important distinction to be made between sunlight and direct sunlight. It's okay for your spiders to be by a window that has natural light pouring in, but if it's direct sunlight, it can heat up the enclosure and kill the spider.

For example, I keep my Tarantulas by a southeast-facing window as their main source of light. However, I can't open the shade completely in the morning because the morning sun will cook the enclosures. I have to wait until noon before I'm able to open that particular shade all the way because the sun is directly overhead and it doesn't shine directly into the window as it moves towards the west.

So, if your T's are in a window but aren't getting direct sun, it shouldn't be a problem. I recommend spending a day monitoring your enclosure to make sure there is no time when direct sun is coming through. If there is direct sun hitting the enclosures for any amount of time, you'll want to move the enclosures back from the window or lower the shade to block any direct sun coming in.

My Ts also seem to enjoy the daylight, and spend most of their daytime hours on the window side of their enclosure. However, that doesn't mean that they want their enclosures heating up to a steamy 35*C+ as the water in their dish evaporates along with any moisture locked deep in the substrate. You'd be amazed how quickly direct sun can heat up an enclosure. And you live in the desert, which means stronger sun than where I am, and mostly sunny days. Double-check to make sure your Ts aren't getting any direct sunlight at any point during the day. If they are, consider placing them by north or south-facing windows.

 

[bonewax]

So, if your T's are in a window but aren't getting direct sun, it shouldn't be a problem. I recommend spending a day monitoring your enclosure to make sure there is no time when direct sun is coming through. If there is direct sun hitting the enclosures for any amount of time, you'll want to move the enclosures back from the window or lower the shade to block any direct sun coming in.

That's a good idea, but you also have to keep an eye on it throughout the course of the year. As the seasons change, the angle that the direct sunlight comes through the window will change. A location that doesn't get direct sunlight in June, might get direct sunlight in December.

 

[TheraMygale]

That's a good idea, but you also have to keep an eye on it throughout the course of the year. As the seasons change, the angle that the direct sunlight comes through the window will change. A location that doesn't get direct sunlight in June, might get direct sunlight in December.

its definitely true. My window offers more direct sun in winter: i have cactus growth then. In the spring summer, the other plants thrive.

so a good spot for tarantulas is a spot that doesnt get direct sunlight year round.

distance from the window is what makes a difference. The energy that can be read at the window, vs 3 feet away, is very different.