Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Rick_Albig]

How much of an affect do you believe light intensity has on monitors? Do you think an increase in light intensity may stimulate more activity or breeding?

Cheers

Rick

[Scott W]

personally I don't think it has a big bearing on breeding, I think a well fed compatible pair is more important.

What are your thoughts?
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[signchris]

Hi,

We know that monitors love the sun and they can come out from 7-8 o'clock and basking on 25-28 celsius degrees.No lamp can provide the shiness and benefits a sun the sun.I think the UVA rays make the monitor more active and happier.
This is a big subject if you think that there is a difference between WC's and CB's.Generation by generation in captivity make them lose some of their nature needs.

Cheers

Christos

[kev]

hi
only some monitors sit in the sun all day.
most small monitors probably derive most of their heat from their surroundings seeing as they are eaten by a range of other creatures and being on open display all day is not a good idea.
being forced to suffer uva or uvb rays all day may not be a good thing also.
another thing is that monitors will utilize the calcium in their diet without the need for uv of any sort whereas with some lizards like iguana's uv seems to be beneficial in calcium absorption.
personally i use tubes like the reptisuns but dont tend to replace them till they stop working so uv emissions are probably quite low most of the time.

[Rick_Albig]

I didn’t really want to go into the whole UV light issue. I was more interested in the intensity of the light.

All of my monitors have deep substrate with various burrows as well as various other dark hides so they can escape the light when they want. My Ackies and Argus are sun worshippers and spend a lot of time basking and out in the open. My albigs are very similar but do not enjoy it quite as hot. My doreanus and salvator have the lowest levels of light as they are more tropical and spend most of there day in the foliage or in the water.

Cheers

Rick

[kev]

only way really to find out would be to try upping the levels of light to see if it affected behaviour at all.

maybe try a small metal halide like they use on marine fish tanks as they are way brighter than the average reptile lights.

my ackies are sun worshippers also
my tristis tend not to be out in the open to much.
and my griseus tends to stay where its warm but not in the open.

my cyclura seem to be more activated by food rather than any kind of light as they regularly wake throughout the night in dull light when i put food in for the morning,
none of the monitors seem to wake in dull light conditions unless physically toched or surroundings disturbed.