Reptile & Amphibian Forums

your snakes? Thanks.

Scott

I put my snakes in a cupboard in my attic, where the temperature is around 50-55 degrees.
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Mike
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
www.kingpinreptiles.com

Nice, but down here in the SW corner of NM, the temps drop to 30-. Any ideas?

Scott

I bumated 8 snakes this year. I live in Maryland, and the temps are much colder than 30. I put min on my basement floor against the wall where the temp stays between 50-60. If it goes to 50, I pull them away from the wall where it is warmer. I also put a little fan as high as I can get it to blow a little warmer air around the snakes. Derek

I used an Avanti wine cooler that successfully maintained temps right about 55 degrees. My problem in south Florida was excessive heat all winter long. Our temps are almost always over 55 degrees. We got down to about 44 one night and that was what we call a real cold snap. Probably be the coldest day of winter this season. You’d laugh at us breaking out the designer parkas and winter gear! I only cooled mine for about five weeks, no gradual cool down, just stop feeding wait for the last poop, and bam- 55 degrees. Then warm them up same way- no gradual warming, just right back to normal. They’ve been back up a couple weeks now, eating and no signs of RI or any problems, so I assume all went well for those cooled. I will start introducing snakes after a couple more meals- gotta make sure those female Brooks and Goini are not too hungry.

This WS Brooks is the youngest snake I cooled this year, not sure if he’s mature enough but I guess we’ll see...

"NICE'' Brooksi!

I kept mine of the poarch of my house in this set up. It is plugged into a thermostat set on 55 degrees. It also has an aquarium air pump pumping fresh air through the drain plug. This set up held 8 snakes for me (corn, king, rat, hog). And cost maybe $60. The best part is that it will double as my incubator later this year!!

Great idea, since don't have a basement seems to be the way to go!

Scott

Thanks eveyone for your great advice!

Scott

I brumate mine in a closet in the room farthest from my furnace, temps flucuate from 50-65 depending on the day. I live in NY and brumate western hogs, florida kings, eastern milksnakes, and eastern garters. this has worked well for me the past few years.
wayne

How long do you burmate them for?

Scott

I live in the western Piedmont/foothills of NC. I have had success brumating snakes in my garage. Temps there stayed around 40-50. I have also had success keeping them in my unfinished basement...temps between 48-55 down there between December and February.

Where are you in North Carolina? I use to live in Morganton. Use to find some really huge black rats up there. I use to think I was the only "snake dude" up there.

Conover. Tons of black rats out here...caught 80 in 2004. Found a 6 1/2 foot black rat near the South Mountains in May 2004. If you are ever out this way, let me know and we can hook up. I catch mole kings, eastern kings, copperheads, and other cool stuff out here.

Hi,

I have a very large collection of eastern kingsnakes and I chose not to hibernate/brumate/force cool them this year. Instead, I just provided the adults with a much greater range of temperatures this winter. While leaving the heat tape on, which will allow basking, feeding and other activities, I moved the bank of cages so that the backs of the cages comes into contact with the outside wall. This allows a temp range of mid fifties to the the low 90s.

They have been using all of the temps offered and have recently increased their feeding in a pre-cycling manner, so we'll see what happens when the eggs start coming.

Will

This was my first winter doing so.

Since I was incubating a late clutch in the snake room, I waited until that clutch hatched (last one was out Dec 2). Next year they go down mid november as it is cool enough. Then I stopped feeding the snakes. I actually stopped feeding when the first egg pipped. My old WC male had already stopped taking prey about a month earlier, but he always stops by november even when kept warm.

Two weeks after last meal I turned off all heat and blocked heater vent to that room. A week later, I cracked the window in that room. Temp was typically low to mid 50s in Dec and January.

Woke them a few weeks ago, well, they woke, but I should have just let them be as we now have another cold spell - spring was just teasing. Anyway, when I saw them out - I shut window and a few days later turned heat back on.

Females are eating like pigs, males are eating but their feeding response is much more limited. They are taking less food.

I will do it the same way next year, only I won't be fooled by a slight warm spell in feb - they wait until first warm spell in march. The wild lizards were out so I thought spring had come, but now wild lizards are gone again.
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3.3.3 L. getula californiae
1.1 L. getula nigrita
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2.3 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata