Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering if voluntary basking (by monitors) at an unusually hot temperature has a cleansing effect on the blood? Here is my reasoning and rational.

About 7 years ago I was out with Bob Clark and Steve Sherrod from Sutton Avian research. We were in Texas and Rattlesnakes were basking at 33F one degree above freezing! (stay with me). There were multiple specimens doing this. It was warmer underground about 20 degrees warmer.

We as humans have a steady body temperature but when we are ill our temperature spikes. Do you think these variable blooded reptiles actually manipulate their temperature to keep unwanted nasties out of their blood?

If a reptile was to almost freeze or almost cook would blood born pathogens that thrive at say 84F the temperature the ACADEMICS suggest be removed from the equation? Could this be one of the problems people have with imports? I use no prophylactic treatment on imports but I do give them extreme options and very rarely have problems unless they are sick on arrival.
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."

Hi Bill, In the post below, about temps. In my first response, I listed several reasons to raise boby temps. Number four, is appropriate to your question.

Also, about your trip. You were looking at denning rattlesnakes, in early spring, males Post. That is the emerge and coil up. They often stay there overnight when temps drop below freezing. Females mostly return back underground. This also occurs in late fall, to a lesser degree. At least the ones I have been watching for 35 years do that. hahahahahahaha

In early spring, high temps are avoided by snakes, this is a time of breeding and socializing. They do not feed until later. I know, I tried feeding them and all they do is copulate. Yea, I got pics to that too. Cheers

This was in the fall around Amarillo. The snakes took an hour to crawl into the burrow!
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"Life without risk is to merely exist."