I mention the above because its only one small apart of what they are doing. It just happens to be a part WE THINK ABOUT.
In captivity, we give them temps, but nothing else that is important to them. Nothing, then we call it natural.
Naturally they gather with family or clan members and naturally with other species of snakes and reptiles. Naturally they are doing more then sleeping. They are interacting with future mates, etc.
ALso, as mentioned already, the vast majority of species occur in the tropics, the need to hibernate for survival is simply not there. Yet they still gather and go down.
The confusion of up(surface) and down(below the surface) is anthropomorphic. We somehow think down is sleeping, Its not. They live down, which is why they do not have legs.
Bottom line is, go see them hibernate in nature, then look at what we are doing, then try to call what we do natural. To offer cool temps, is only one small part of natural.
Whats plain to me is, we keepers really do not understand what temps these snakes utilize. The real fact is, they commonly use low temps, both winter and summer(when available)
I often mention, its funny but, I commonly see snakes crawling on the surface with temps between 40 and 60F. I have seen five species of pythons crossing roads between 50 and 60F. Oh and boas, they love those hibernation temps. Saw them on the surface and crawling as low as 42F. So to think 55F is hibernating, is a bit foreign to me.
So Gregg, its fine, cool them cause you want to and it works well for you. Which is great. But its not natural.
One last point, snakes do "enjoy" the world. Even in places they hibernate, they utilize places with a VIEW. They sit and watch the world go by.

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