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captnemo
at Mon Sep 24 01:24:03 2007 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by captnemo ]
Having never worked w/ Diamonds, IMO, Chiras seemed to forget about microhabitats and the Diamond Python's utilization of UV rays. In the wild, they don't curl up in a ball at 50 degrees for 3 months. These snakes are constantly thermoregulating.
Ross states in Reproductive Husbandry of Pythons and Boas:
"....winter temperatures in the range of 45F - 50F as a NTL and 65F-70F as DTH's. Field transmitter studies in diamond pythons demonstrated...these snakes emerge from hiding....to bask.... In an ambient temperature of 65F, diamond pythons were able to elevate their body temperature to 91F by basking..."
I have a hard time getting from this credible research to the Stan Chiras method. Consider this statement on basking and then take into account the fact that when temps do drop to 50F or below, the snake that's just spent several hours elevating it's body temp retreats to a burrow, log, etc. which has a higher, more stable temp than the ambient temp, and it spends the night there conserving that precious body heat.
I've been considering aquiring some diamonds, and have been doing some sporadic research on their husbandry. I've read Chiras' method as well as as much info I could find (both on-line and anecdotally). I am not an expert, but this isn't the first time I've heard of seriously bad results from using this method.
It also puzzles me that I never see him offering them for sale. Considering his love for the species and the confidence he seems to have in his methods, I would have expected them listed with some of the other animals I've seen him selling in the past. I have also noticed that the last time I looked for this information, it was unavailable on-line (perhaps I looked in the wrong place).
This is in no way an attack on Stan Chiras...I simply question the idea of hibernating boids, as well as the number of bad results I've heard of using this method. I would also like to spark a little debate on the topic. Has anyone had good results w/ diamond pythons using Stan Chiras' method? The more information and accounts, the more knowledge to be gained!
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"He who would stifle debate rather than engage in it, does so at the expense of his integrity and credibility"
Mike Curtin
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RE: Worrying Winter Cooling! - captnemo, Mon Sep 24 01:24:03 2007
