>>When I lower the temps for brumation they seem to hunker down together, but alot of the mexicana and montane kings will move about even in 40F temperature......Makes me wonder if I should warm them up and feed them or provide an isolated hot spot like others do to getula during "brumation."
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>>Given my experience over the last three years I would suggest that if you kept a hot spot and fed them through the winter fertility would suffer. I do not fault communal housing as the cause of my results. I believe the prime cause to be the lack of an adequate cycling period. Given heat AND food the animals just didn't sync up.

I have followed that belief as well.....

The only thing I attempted to change this year was to keep their temps in the low to mid 70s during breeding season. I have yet to turn on their heat and they have been devouring food.
Last year I had fertility problems with some animals. We'll see if the lower temps from out of brumation to completion of breeding helps with this. Things are certainly happening slower than what I've experienced in the past.
I don't believe I will offer a hotspot and feed throughout brumation any time soon.

More changes will be depending on the results of my temperature adjustments this year.
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John Lassiter
Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part...

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