From:
Vicki Montgomery
Date: 2007-12-17 12:53:47 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Question on timing of light cycle
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I would think that what is important is natural light cycles. It seems to me that the absense of light - natural light would be as harmful as too much light.
There are a lot of studies done on humans showing that during the winter months when there is less light and in some northern countries, there is a higher percentage of depression and suicide. Also, direct sunlight is necessary for absorption of Vit. D, necessary for healthy bones... So I would think that sunlight or full spectrum light would be very important.
The recommendation I've heard for the last few years is that ferrets should get at least 14 hours per day of darkness, but no where have I heard 24 hours per day of darkness. I would think the vets would recommend strongly against constant darkness, unless you're doing some case studies on these ferrets to see exactly what almost constant darkness does to them.
I think keeping your ferrets in darkness ALL of the time is a bit of overkill to the melatonin solution and maybe a bit cruel. JMO...
Vicki
Becky at Shady Pines <director@shadypinesferretsanctuary.info> wrote:
I keep my ferret room dark, with a string of decorative lights as a
"nightlight" but they only get full light while I'm cleaning. I
haven't been operating long enough to know if it helps, but it's
supposedly more similar to how they'd live outside.
On Dec 15, 2007 12:51 AM, Carol J Owens <queenbee@gainbroadband.com> wrote:
>
> I have been giving my ferrets light from 8 am to 6 pm, mostly, for
> several years since I read about the importance of making a long dark
> dark night to stave off adrenal disease. However, someone who fosters
> for us keeps her ferret room dark ALL the time, with the window blocked
> off with foam, and hardly any light on any time except while she cleans
> or feeds.
> What is the importance of light, the quality of light, is she doing harm
> to the ferrets?
>
> Carol Owens,
> Ferret Friends, Inc.
> Tucson AZ
>
<a href=http://www.glitter-poetry.com><img src=http://dl6.glitter-graphics.net/pub/612/612426o42mam79jm.jpg width=90 height=90 border=0></a>
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