Posted by:
rtdunham
at Tue Oct 7 10:09:43 2003 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by rtdunham ]
>>My az has been off feed for about a month now. I want to put him in the basement to brumate but my basement doesn't get down to 50F, it ranges from 60-65F. What should I do?
>>-----
You don't have a lot of choices, and this isn't a horrible one. Make the best of it. Remember brumation is the combination of several forces: temperature; light periodicity; feeding. So put the king where the temp's as low as it can be, maybe nearest a window, or near the floor; put it where it will be dark 23 hrs a day, or even 24 but with a nightlight in the vicinity so it's got the equivalent of occasional moonlight if it wants to go to the water bowl (you can always just drape a black cloth over the cage); and as I'm sure you planned, don't offer food. Assuming your snake has reasonably good body weight now, that should suffice for brumation.
Remember too that herpers brumate their snakes for two or three different reasons:
1) to stimulate the changes in reproductive organs necessary for breeding the following spring;
2) to minimize or almost eliminate weight loss during a period when a snake instinctively refuses feed;
3) for a seasonal break from the daily activities of snake care.
Your 60-65 degrees won't necessarily suffice for #1, though it might, but it should suffice for the 2nd and 3rd motives in that list.
Good luck!
Terry
[ Hide Replies ]
- Help with az mountain king - herpin1579, Tue Oct 7 09:24:57 2003
 RE: Help with az mountain king - rtdunham, Tue Oct 7 10:09:43 2003
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