Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Took my BP to the vet today to make sure she was ok. (I rescued her from a reptile rescue a week ago) Her RI symptoms have disappeared and she doesn't need antibiotics. But, she is underweight and I need to bulk her up. The vet asked what kind of heating I have. I told him a 150w night bulb in a dome lamp fixture. He said that I need UVA/UVB bulbs in there too. Otherwise they can't produce needed Vit. D/Calcium. He said she'll live for like 6 months without it. I've never heard that before. I was told that a night or heat bulb would be sufficient since they aren't baskers. Anyone offer advice on this subject?
-----
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
0.1 Ball Python (Cambria)
1.0 Honduran Red Tail Boa (Mitch)
0.0.1 Rosy Boa (Thorn)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Lucky)

--

maybe not sued but you should tell people in your area not to send their herps to that vet. nocturnal animals (at least none that i know of) do NOT need UVA/UVB. Because since they are nocturnal they can synthesize calcium and D3 fine. They get all their calcium/vit D3 from their food source. Nocturnal animals aren't active during the day especially ball pythons because they hide during the day so they dont get eaten. Switch vets IMMEDIATELY. Also i recomend checking on his creditials because he sure doesn't sound like someone who knows about herps. Your ball python will be fine if it doesn't have UV. Tell your vet he/she needs to get out more because everyone (or hopefully everyone) who keeps ball pythons knows that they don't need UV.
-----
0.1 Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 ball python (felix)
1.1 feral cats (Fuzzy, and Bear; it used to be fuzzy, wuzzy, bear)

I think you need to find a new vet. Although UVB never hurts, and is said to aid in feeding response during winter food strikes, it has never been proven that nocturnal snakes benefit from the bulbs. Lets break this down in peices:

most pythons and boas tend to be nocturnal. They have pits in their faces for heat seeking, and generally poor eyesight.

When looking at their pupils, they are elongated, not round, for night time hunting. (This little bit of knowoledge also often proves handy when wondering if any other reptiles need artificial day light...roun pupils=diurnal, elongate=nocturnal). Nocturnal animals generally emerge at night for hunting/breeding activities, thus never really being exposed to very much sunlight.

The UVB vitamins that snakes require to absorb calcium comes from the mammilian prey's internals (generally the liver or spleen i believe). I have never seen a snake supplement.. This is why some coulbrids, like stubborn grey banded kings that only eat small lizards, become calcium deficient and require a supplement.

And i am sure you can talk to hundreds of snake breeders and enthusiasts alike that have NEVER used anything but a heat tape and a sweater box to heat and keep their ballies in.

This is my opionion and i have answered your question as best to my knowladge as i can. I have dealt with snakes all of my life, and have kept my own ballie healthy and happy for five years and counting. I hope this helps.

What this vet told you is hogwash.

I thought so! Thanks for confirming it for me!
-----
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
0.1 Ball Python (Cambria)
1.0 Honduran Red Tail Boa (Mitch)
0.0.1 Rosy Boa (Thorn)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Lucky)

good luck with her, ball pytons make excellent pets for a very long time.
She might actually be correct about the underweight thing though.
I have two wild caughts, and they are the pickiest eaters for me, so their weight cycles over the year.
They tend to pound down food from june to august, so I give them all they want, then randomly eat for the other months.
Tom Chambers