fluorescent night lighting?

[metamorph0sis]

i would like to provide some sort of night-time lighting for my bci's plywood cage. i have 2 foot-long fluorescent strip lights mounted to the ceiling for daytime lighting. i know there are incandescent bulbs for night use, both red ones and ones simulating moonlight. does anyone know if there are any fluorescent fixtures like this? i can't find any. i don't want to use an incandescent bulb because the top of the cage is solid, and i would have to construct quite an unsightly apparatus to protect him from the bulb if it were inside. all i can find other than regular fluorescent bulbs are blacklight bulbs... any one have any experience using these? does anyone know how they would affect my bci, i.e. how would he perceive the light? i really like the idea of bulbs simulating moonlight, but blacklights aren't quite the same!
[addsig]

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[jpaulson]

Why do you want night light? Is it for a heating purpose?
[addsig]

[metamorph0sis]

it is not for heat at all. it is strictly an attempt to view my snake at night without disturbing his day/night cycles. therefore it isn't necessary, just something i'm curious about.
[addsig]

[pjmartin]

I've never seen a red flouro bulb. You could put a sheet of red celophane in a flouro fixture to create a red light, although I don't know if this will provide the lighting you desire. Flouros don't really kick off a whole lot of lumens compared to and incandecent, so filtering the light like that is going to make it fairly dim.

As for the blacklight, don't use it. The spectrum produced by them will cause permanent eye damage, and maybe even blindness to your snake. Heck, those things make my eyes hurt!
[addsig]

[XzyluM]

I quit using blacklights due to a controversy about them being harmful to snakes' eyes. There is a variety of blue, red, and green bulbs you could use. They will not affect your snake in anyway, but if you decide to use them inside the enclosure, just make sure you screen them off so the snake cannot come into direct contact with them. Wire mesh is great for this.
[addsig]

[Joeuk]

I was reading the part where it said that the black light can do damage to snakes eyes and was wondering whether or not the sort of lights that are usually used in fish tanks are ok to be used to light my boas viv, because at the momnet that is what i am using to light my boas viv. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
[addsig]

[fishmommy]

there are red fluorescent bulbs available.
However, I don't know how bright they seem.
Here is an example of the many colors of T4 bulbs available (T4 is the size that many cabinet light fixtures use)
http://www.pegasusassociates.com/FluorescentT4Lamps.jsp

[MAG_Pythons]

this thread is from 2002

[fishmommy]

oh, oops.
I got to it thru search and didn't think about the dates before replying

truth is, I was wondering about these bulbs. I would like to use one for night viewing, but am afraid they might be too bright.

anyone tried t4 red bulbs yet?

[Fenderplayer108]

Originally Posted by fishmommy

oh, oops.
I got to it thru search and didn't think about the dates before replying
truth is, I was wondering about these bulbs. I would like to use one for night viewing, but am afraid they might be too bright.
anyone tried t4 red bulbs yet?

http://redtailboa.net/forums/showthr...ight=red+bulbs

[fishmommy]

thanks
I did see that thread also but unfortunately it didn't quite address my question regarding brightness of the T4's

I was thinking of asking for a second fluorescent fixture installed when I order my Boaphile cage, with the intention of running one with a red bulb on a different timer. Without seeing how it looked though I am unsure.