Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am considering breeding my two adult normal corn snakes this coming season. Breeding mostly for the fun, practice and to see just what hidden hets these two may have (and assuming of course what hets they do have are compatable, ie, both have it). ALl I know from the previous owner is one or both may be 'het' for okeetee....not even sure if a wild type locality pattern can be considered recessive. But as you can see, that doesn't really tell me much other than the babies or some of them may look Okeetee phase like.

Anyway, on to my question. IN the winter, my apartment is heated to a nearly constant 75F (heat is set by landlord, can't alter it in the apartment at all, other than opening windows). This fluctuates a little if it is much colder outside than normal, or unseasonable warm (thus it may range between 73-77F). I am not sure what the floor temperature is during the winter, as I never thought to measure it LOL so the floor temp as oppose to eye level temp (according to my wall thermometer) may vary as well. (it most likely does when I have the window open during those unusually warm winter days). So, assuming the floor temp isn't much different than 75F, is that an ok temp to properly cool corn snakes?

THe corn snake manual indicates much cooler temps, even as low as 65F for the cooling period...which is something I can't easily do. (can't fit an AC into my bedroom nor can I afford to run the AC all winter...and have it fight with the heater for control of room temp). The floor temp may get cool enough with a window open, but not sure if that 'draft' would be healthy for my snakes.
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PHLdyPayne

If you can't get the brumation temperatures down low enough (around 53F is good), your best bet is NOT to brumate, and to feed both snakes as normal over the winter. Then, starting around Jan/Feb or so, start putting the male in with the female each time she sheds and/or every week or two. More often than not, cornsnakes will breed and produce fertile eggs without brumation.

You don't want to brumate at temperatures which are too high. The snake's systems (including immune) slow down, but the bacteria inside them do not slow down at mid-range temperatures, so it's very easy to get a sick snake out of improper brumation. A half-hearted brumation is worse than none at all.

-Kat
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This Space For Rent

directly next to an outside wall? Perhaps you could put a tank there, if the temp is low enough. I did that with a trans-pecos ratsnake one year. Covered the tank up with a light cloth, so the light was reduced and left him there for two months.
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phflame
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