can crested gecko's see red light??

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rach1369

New member
Just a question for anyone that knows the answer...Can Cresteds see red or blue light???
I have just gotten my first crested and I have read a lot of the threads and researched all about them but I have not come across if they are bothered by different coloured lights.
Thanks for all the help...in advance!!:biggrin:
 
R

rach1369

New member
I really wanted to see what he is up to at night but instead of turning the lights on in the house I thought a coloured bulb would work, but if it bothers them I will not get one!
Thanks
 
Dendro_Dave

Dendro_Dave

New member
Its generally thought that nocturnal reptiles cant really see Red light well, which is why RED lights are favored for nocturnal viewing/heating. As for the blue and even the low powered white LED's, i guess its assumed that such low levels of light especially in 1 spectrum or spectrum/intensity similar to moon light will have little impact on most animals and may in fact be beneficial.

I would be very curious though to know the exact or even general spectrum ranges that various diurnal and nocturnal geckos actually percieve. What does the world look like to a gecko? So if anyone has that info, feel free to enlighten me, or point me towards it ;)
 
MsShlee

MsShlee

New member
I am sure it is fine so long as the light is not putting off too much heat and is not very close to the enclosure
 
B

bareass

New member
i use a red party light. just a red 13W coiled bulb. they definitly notice it. if it is too close to the tank or pinted right at them their eyes narrow. they are not as active even when the light is away from them, but that could just be because they see you.
it is awesome seeing them hunt and jump around though. i would suggest trying some type of light.
its the downside of nocturnal animals. if you can't see them at night you'll only here them jumping around and chirpping, and eating crickets!
 
MsShlee

MsShlee

New member
Most of mine will hunt in the light

one of them will eat all the crickets right when i put them into the tank regardless of the time of day or the lighting
 
Dendro_Dave

Dendro_Dave

New member
bareass said:
i use a red party light. just a red 13W coiled bulb. they definitly notice it. if it is too close to the tank or pinted right at them their eyes narrow. they are not as active even when the light is away from them, but that could just be because they see you.
it is awesome seeing them hunt and jump around though. i would suggest trying some type of light.
its the downside of nocturnal animals. if you can't see them at night you'll only here them jumping around and chirpping, and eating crickets!
Click to expand...

Because thats a coated cp flourecent bulb it may be throwing off a spectrum that is more in the range that is visible to them. Not all "red" bulbs are created equal ;) You might try a red glass incandecnt bulb and see if they react to that (since they are fairly cheap)...might be a fun experiment atleast ;)
 
B

bareass

New member
its usually ok. i just keep the light away. if their eyes are big and black then i don't think they are bothered by it.. its more my presence than anything else.
 
O

ofrench560

New member
hi, talking of lighting, my geckos viv is nicely heated with a heat mat and that seems to give him a nice tempreture but he gets no light, how can i give him a good day & night cycle, could i just make a circuit board full of LEDs and put them on the viv roof?
 
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AnthonyRenna

New member
ofrench560 said:
hi, talking of lighting, my geckos viv is nicely heated with a heat mat and that seems to give him a nice tempreture but he gets no light, how can i give him a good day & night cycle, could i just make a circuit board full of LEDs and put them on the viv roof?
Click to expand...

What are your temps? a heat pad isnt necessary for cresteds temps above 85 can kill them, 65-80 are the right temp for these geckos. Most peoples room temperatures fall in this range so general 0 extra heat is needed. That being said if its especially cold i have a 50w infrared heat bulb on a dimmer to add however much heat i want and not too much heat. A crested can withstand temps in the 50s for a few hours but temps too high get lethal very fast.
 
K

Kristy

New member
I have been told and have read they can not see red or blue light. They see there is brightness but not color. I use a blue moonglo 50 watt on some nights for the heat aspect. But as for viewing I prefer the look of the blue light, it is more subtle. I use a uvb light a few hours a day which is white light, but I dont like the concept of the bright light right over my crestie either.
 
Hilde

Hilde

Administrator
Staff member
There's a lot of info on this forum about colour vision in nocturnal geckos.

http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...96-night-light-can-someone-answer-please.html

If you don't want to read the whole thread, check these posts:
#40
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...t-can-someone-answer-please-4.html#post319573

#41
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...t-can-someone-answer-please-5.html#post319574

#42
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...t-can-someone-answer-please-5.html#post319577

In short - yes, nocturnal geckos can not only see red and blue light, they have good colour vision in the dark.
 
O

ofrench560

New member
hummm

AnthonyRenna said:
What are your temps? a heat pad isnt necessary for cresteds temps above 85 can kill them, 65-80 are the right temp for these geckos. Most peoples room temperatures fall in this range so general 0 extra heat is needed. That being said if its especially cold i have a 50w infrared heat bulb on a dimmer to add however much heat i want and not too much heat. A crested can withstand temps in the 50s for a few hours but temps too high get lethal very fast.
Click to expand...

i have a leopard gecko, sorry for not mentioning that earlier and what light can they see that gives off no heat?
 
S

skittles467

New member
well i have a red night light in my cresties tank to watch him while hes hunting and it does not seem to even bother him. :)
 
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