Height and Light

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

Height:
I am going to purchase a new cage. I have though about getting a 4x30x15 http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=22&de=676005 . But it is only 12 inches inside, then with the inch or two of substrate and the light fixture I'm installing that would get rid of a couple of inches making the cage very short, but would/could it still work? Or has anyone used animal plastics? Has anyone used these http://www.animalplastics.com/ ? Is there the same amount of height lost?

Light:
I have recently been hearing of people keeping their skinks in cages without lights. If skinks are diurnal, frequently bask, and spend most of in light, wouldn't it be necessary to keep them in cages with lights?

[Jeff]

Not sure where you have been hearing about people keeping BTS without light, but I wouldn't recommend it. I think light is very important to them.

[Jeff]

I like to separate my light from my heat, if that is causing confusion, but I provide both to my skinks. It's just light without heat, and heat without light.

[El Lobo]

Height:
I am going to purchase a new cage. I have though about getting a 4x30x15 http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=22&de=676005 . But it is only 12 inches inside, then with the inch or two of substrate and the light fixture I'm installing that would get rid of a couple of inches making the cage very short, but would/could it still work? Or has anyone used animal plastics? Has anyone used these http://www.animalplastics.com/ ? Is there the same amount of height lost?

Two of my three enclosures are only 16" in height with the third being 18". They all have lights mounted on the inside of the top and a reasonable depth of substrate. I have not found any real problems with this height.

Light:
I have recently been hearing of people keeping their skinks in cages without lights. If skinks are diurnal, frequently bask, and spend most of in light, wouldn't it be necessary to keep them in cages with lights?

Where has this information about keeping skinks without lights come from? Does it mean they are not being provided with an overhead heat source? I can't recall anything on this forum.

Skinks are more generally crepuscular than diurnal.

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

I like to separate my light from my heat, if that is causing confusion, but I provide both to my skinks. It's just light without heat, and heat without light.

Ah, yes yes. This is it:
http://seikereptiles.com/forum/viewtopi ... =62&t=1405
My mistake, I misunderstood what you said.

@ElLobo - Do know the height of the cages from the inside, or the distance between the ground and the light? How would I prevent the skink from burning himself on the light?

[El Lobo]

@ElLobo - Do know the height of the cages from the inside, or the distance between the ground and the light? How would I prevent the skink from burning himself on the light?

Enclosure is 16" internal measurement. Substrate a little under 3", light and fitting 5", leaving 8" of space. The UVB is CF so about 1" longer. I use a 60 watt spotlight connected through a HabiStat dimming thermostat. I can get enough heat with a 40 watt globe but I found they don't last very long, I think the filament is too fine for the constant variation of a dimming thermostat.

Regular checking of the basking spot temp helps, particularly if I notice any of them moving off the slate directly under the lamp after a short while, I check the temps and adjust the thermostat as necessary.

[Richard.C]

some people have kept blueys just usin heat cord or tape,no lighting,like how some folk keep and breed snakes in rack systems

[critterguy]

Can you argue with success?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmj_bgTJ ... rofilepage
(check out the other videos...what an embarrassment of riches! Must be fun to get to know so many skinks)

While they don't seem to require light to grow and breed, they may very well benefit psychologically/physiologically from it.

[Bird_Brain]

Can you argue with success?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmj_bgTJ ... rofilepage
(check out the other videos...what an embarrassment of riches! Must be fun to get to know so many skinks)

While they don't seem to require light to grow and breed, they may very well benefit psychologically/physiologically from it.

Starting at the 0:17 mark of that video, it appears there is a fluorescent fixture above those tubs on the floor.

[Jeff]

I'm a little confused about what that video is supossed to prove. So someone has some adult skinks in totes? I know it is not necessary to have overhead lighting in a bts enclosure, but even skinks kept with heat cable or heat tape are generally exposed to a photoperiod even if the light is on the outside of their transluecent tubs. I have never heard of anyone keeping and breeding bts in total darkness.

[critterguy]

Brad: Midway into the video the kid pulls one of the bins out. The lid is opaque. It is possible some of them have light strips over them.

Jeff: I agree with you 100%. I don't think that keeping BTS in total darkness would work. But yes, these animals don't have powerful overhead lighting and breed every year and seem to be very healthy.

What is somewhat odd is the use of newsprint. I know HK is quite humid so that could account for their success with that.