Dumb Civilian Laser question

[Archide]

I am looking into purchasing a better laser for my pets. I have two black labs, one is getting fat, but was losing weight when I was playing with him in the snow this winter with the laser.

I go through lasers like no tomorrow spending money on these $7 lasers at the pet store and it's time to look into buying a pen that will last a bit longer.

So my questions are, what mw level do I need to stay under for it to be safe, and are there any charts on price vs duration. I don't care much about the quality as long as he can see it, he's going for it.

My apologies for asking idiotic questions about pets and lasers in a more adept forum but I wanted the best answers.

 

[Krogith]

Most common laser pointers marked <5 mW will not Really be 5 mW and around 20-35 mW and "could" hurt your pets eyes if he gets to close to the dot, For sure in the Snow!

If you want a proper 5mw and want it to last
Optotronics Product Details

But even with that laser really try and not have it shinning into there eyes and/or reflecting towards there eyes.


EDIT: Welcome to the forum BTW, And if you think you not going to buy more Lasers after that purchase :crackup:

 

[Archide]

Excellent thanks. Is there a place you all normally buy batteries in bulk? Or basically everyone gets rechargeable batteries?

 

[Deleted member 16589]

Dogs and cats can not see green lasers as well Or just follow it will there head and don't chase it I do not know why. I would recommend red or violet.

 

[JBTexas]

Agreed.

My cat used to play with my old cheap Radio Shack red laser pointer. (now defunct due to battery leakage)

My beautiful but expensive Laserglow Lyra B-5 4-5mw greenie arrived today. (VERY pleased with it).

Cat barely notices the dot. He is more interested in " ... what is that in your hand, and why are you twirling it? Well, if you are goona twirl it, I'm gonna GRAB it! (snick-claw extension sequence engaged) Whats that on your hand? Blood? oh, SO sowwy! Here, let me lick it off. Yum!"

I knew that cats are cone-cell deficient (near-colorblind), BUT I also remember from some place that this artificially "shifts" their color sense to greenish... they "see" the world in greenish / bluish tones. The rod cells should still work. So logically... the only thing I can think of... is that the cat isn't BLIND to the green laser dot so much as maybe it "blends in" to the background?

shrug

 

[ferd19]

just get the standard cheap red laser pointer you'd find in any store. You don't need anymore since it's for your pets.

if you want quality though, it's kinda hard to find quality 5mw red lasers, since they don't tend to be very popular w/ people. maybe this one would work
http://www.z-bolt.com/BTE6-red-laser-pointer.html
may be better than your average pointer

 

[Archide]

just get the standard cheap red laser pointer you'd find in any store. You don't need anymore since it's for your pets

You may have missed the original post.

 

[ferd19]

You may have missed the original post.

edited my last post! all i could find for a safe powered pointer in red w/ may be better quality wise than what is in a general store

 

[Archide]

Nice thanks man, I just want to stop burning through batteries every 3 days and buying a new pointer.

 

[anselm]

These greens and reds all use standard AAA batteries, even rechargeables:
$7.99 - True Green Laser Pen 5mW - Green Lasers
$2.62 - Red Laser Point Pen (2xAAA) - Red Lasers
$10.90 - 30mW 650nm Red Laser Pointer Pen (2*AAA) - Red Lasers
$22.02 - 2-in-1 5mW 650nm Red + 5mW 532nm Green Laser Pen (2*AAA) - Red Lasers

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

^^^I wouldn't trust the green laser to actually me <5mW. 30mW red is also unsafe imo.

My brother's dog doesn't really react to laser, but I did look for one that would last reasonably well.

Eventually settles on this: Amazon.com: SE 8 LED + 1 Laser Pointer Flashlight, Black: Home Improvement

The laser pointer comes in at 3mW on charged batteries, runs on 3AAAs, I haven't had to recharge mine since I got it though. It has been dropped 3 times at this point.

As a flashlight it's pretty weak, but perfect for up close stuff.

Also I can't see (no pun intended) a 405nm (puple/violet) working since th power would have to be in the ~30mW range to provide a half decent not.

 

[grenadier]

Dogs and cats can not see green lasers as well Or just follow it will there head and don't chase it I do not know why. I would recommend red or violet.

Actually my cat seems to chase the green ones more than it does the red ones; perhaps it's just a matter of personal preference?

 

[Archide]

Actually my cat seems to chase the green ones more than it does the red ones; perhaps it's just a matter of personal preference?

Contrast to the surrounding?

I'm sure cats will see green light (perhaps as a grey/blue scale) but much the way we see grey in a black/white scale.

If the contrast is not high enough to the surroundings though it might lose it to easily.

The red contrasts with everything in my house, and in the middle of the night outside with the dogs the color probably doesn't matter. All that being said, I'll just default to a red light most likely.

 

[Lotus_Darkrose]

It's not that they can't see it, just they perceive colors differently. That being said, my cats go nuts over 405nm (cats are sensitive to UV). But I would want a 5mW or less to use it with them regularly.

 

[Toaster]

My cat chases from 405-780 so IDK what you guys are doing wrong. lol

Also Cats eyes have a higher damage threshold.

People get worried about lasers above 5mw, but I personally am not worried till about 100mW because I don't stare into my lasers. I have been flashed by my 1.5W 445 and I have no spots or damage. I am not advising looking at dots of high power lasers up close or shining one in your eye. Have a healthy fear of them but not so much that you don't enjoy them.

Good luck.

 

[Lotus_Darkrose]

So you are suggesting we use up to 100mW of lasers with our cats? Try not being so vague, lol.