It went from my garage temp, probably mid-70s to 40-45. A gradual cool-down does seem a bit safer, but I don't think that is what snakes experience in the wild. I know that here in the Tampa Bay area, temps can go from the 70s to 40s or slightly less from day to night if a cold-front moves through. I've found snakes under plywood in my back yard with temps in the lower 40s, and even my box turtles will be out and about on days like that. I've thought that as long as these temperate zone species' body temps didn't get to freezing point (assumedly 32°F, where the water in their bodies would crystallize) they would be more or less okay. My box turtles will half-bury themselves at night, especially if temps are below 32 at night, which happens for at least a short time on almost every night from late December to early Feb. I'll take ground temps from where my turtles are buried this winter to see what difference between air and ground temps are. They aren't colubrids, but they are temperate-zone reptiles prone to freezing and are living semi-naturally.



Then again, you are working with Honduran milksnakes from Central America and I'm working with an eastern king from southern Georgia, which should experience fairly different temperature extremes in a natural setting.

[ Show Entire Thread ]