i live in humid, sunny, mid florida and i use outside aquariums (dont worry i have custom roofs on them so when it rains), and i was wondering since my snakes are getting the all natural UV rays, would it intensify the colors of my rat snakes? (like a tan i guess)! im asking this because ive caught a number of wild rats and the colors always seem to look better than a store bought!
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Color Intensity
RatSnakeRascal
Nov 14, 2006 11:07 AM
Replies (4)
tspuckler
Nov 14, 2006 12:08 PM
Ordinary aquarium glass filters out UV rays.
Lighting, UV or otherwise, is of no benefit to corn snakes.
If I were you, I'd keep an eye of the temperature, as glass aquariums can heat up very quickly when out in the sun.
The color intensity of snakes is determined by genetics.
Tim
Third Eye
cka
Nov 14, 2006 08:28 PM
If the cages have screened lids than UV rays would be able to filter thru.
As far as intensifying colors it would be neat to see if it does have any effect; you could split up a few clutches, raise some inside vs. under the sun outside. No means a completely "scientific" study but if your outside-raised snakes grow up with a more "intense" coloration than the inside ones it will at least make you go "Hmmmmm"....;*)
tspuckler
Nov 15, 2006 06:16 AM
I reckoned that the "custom roofs" to keep out the rain would also keep sunlight from coming in through the top.
I think most captive bred snakes, which are selectively bred to enhance color and other traits, would be more intense in coloration that wild types.
I'd like to see some pics of some wild types that "always seem to look better than a store bought."
Tim
phiber_optikx
Nov 20, 2006 10:10 PM
Tim, you are forgetting that there is UV light even in the shadows. Not nearly as much but it is there. I am not so much concerned about the coloration but the study does make me wonder what a little extra D3 would do for some of the species that never really get UV light. I wonder if anyone has ever tried giving picky feeders a little added UVB. I would be very interested in a study focusing on the effects of adding a little extra D3.
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0.0.1 MO Locale Black Ratsnake "Molly" (Flogging Molly)
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