Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just thought I'd start a good discussion on why we cool in captivity. Wild ball pythons don't get a chance to cool in the wild and produce offspring so....why do we? I believe that cooling may contribute to RI which could be fatal so...why's it done? In Africa breeding is vigerous during rainy season.

I'm curious to see your replys on this topic.

Nuno
-----
Strictly Constrictors....Strictly the best!!

it does cool in Africa, in fact there is a hot season and a cool season, just like there is a wet season and a dry season and ball pythons do not get respiratory infections from mild temperature changes.

It most assuredly does cool in Africa, and MILD temperature drops have a decades-long record of efficacy in initiating successful reproduction in a wide variety of tropical reptiles-often when light and humidity cycles alone have failed.

I believe that in nearly all cases in which breeders report successful results "without cooling", the animals have nevertheless keyed in on subtle temperature changes caused by natural seasonal cooling in winter here in the U.S.
-----
Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....

In West Africa where Balls occur in situ it seldom if ever get's below 65 degrees. The change in barometric pressure accompaning many weather changes is really what triggers breeding. Even on a cool night in the 60's the next day still warms up to the middle to high 80's in W. Africa. I know as I've been there. Many people I think cool them down for an extended period of time and therein lies the problem. It's o.k. for a mild drop at night but the next day they should be warmed up again. Watch this season as a front moves thru what happens with your breeding Balls when the barometric pressure drops...Thanks
-----
Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

Like Evan and Tom said it does get cool at nightin Africa. I drop my temps at night and raise them to normal temps during the day. I start off by dropping the temps for 2 hours a night then SLOWLY increasing the amount of time the temps are cooled for each night. Going to 12 off and 12 hours on.They always have 12 hours of heat during the day.
Ambient temps are always kept a close eye on and I have a heater set up on a thermostat to set the ambient temps. I never let them get below 73-75 at night. I hope this helps you some.
-----
Thanks and Take Care
Thomas Jones
sweetpetsshop2@yahoo.com

I am a 77-80 at night and 83-90 during day. Hot spot at 86-88 24-7.

This breeder don't so much like him some respiratory!!!!!
-----
Bill Buchman

Firstly 'Africa' (remember Africa is a continent not a country) is a big place, and there is plenty of altitudinal variation. So to state that "Africa doesn't cool" seems a little strange. I think it's pretty cold on the little hill below?

OK, I'm only kidding, well, not being too serious anyway! But take a look at these seasonal averages:

Accra, Ghana

http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/DisplayIntlNORMS.asp?CityCode=65472&Units=metric

Atakpame, Togo

http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/DisplayIntlNORMS.asp?CityCode=65376&Units=metric

I'm sure you'll agree, that by definition there is a cooler period, and a warmer one? But what Tom says is bang on, and where so many people get it wrong. You must remember the day time high, as well as the night time 'cools.' That coupled with the low pressure fronts that are more common with the colder weather, is normally enough stimulus to get those snakes a little frisky.

-----
_____

signature file edited, contact an admin. 2/13/06

We don't get much barometric change in So. Cal. but what little we do is enough to get them going. Aside from occasionally cracking the snake room window open - I don't cool - they breed fine -- don't see why people think you need to freeze them overnight to get them breeding.
-----
Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

In Florida, there tends to be a natural "seasonal" change from hot and humid all the time, to less humid with a night time drop in temps. It works very well as my building naturally drops a few degrees at night and warms back up in the day time. When I begin breeding though, I will be watching for the low pressure systems....and rain. It always induces breeding in my pairs. It is the number one thing I watch for....storms coming?? Quick, get those pairs back together!

I don't. Not on purpose at least. My apartment gets cooler, but I don't actively cool my ball pythons. They still breed just fine.
-----
"What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For what happens to the beasts,
soon happens to men.
All things are connected."

-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)

I also do the 12 on 12 off cooling cycle, and it works great for me. Last season doesn't count but the season previous I had 19 clutches using a cooling cycle. The season before I had the same setup and only had 5 clutches. I start in about a week and resume normal schedule the first of march. On really cold nights I'll keep the heat on low and the night I feed and the next day I leave heat on, just to start the digestion process.

My snakes are in my house so they never get too cold, even with no heat for 12 hours. My babies and yearlings all have heat in their AP racks while the adults have no secondary heat in their racks. They rely on a circulating oil heater on a timer with the ceiling fan on all the time. I cycle the boas and balls at the same time and it seems to be working, so I will keep doing what I'm doing.

Jeff Byers

During the summer (South Carolina), we 'cool' our snakes only by turning off the heat lamps, and temps drop to mid/low seventies. During the winter, we keep our house cooler, so evening temps drop in the tank without the lights being turned off. Africa cools to mid 60s, so we feel comfortable turning off our lamps. Also, balls are nocturnal, moving and traveling in cooler temperatures. In the evenings, our snakes are much more active, making a happier, healthier snake. (In our opinion).