Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Has anyone ever used a refrigerator to winter snakes? If so, is there a way to rig it for some sort of ventilation? I have a small refrigerator that holds a 55 degree temp on the highest setting and it doesnt exactly stay cold all winter here in Texas. Any advice? Thanks
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Dustin Smith

>>Has anyone ever used a refrigerator to winter snakes? If so, is there a way to rig it for some sort of ventilation? I have a small refrigerator that holds a 55 degree temp on the highest setting and it doesnt exactly stay cold all winter here in Texas. Any advice? Thanks

Dustin,
I, too am from Texas...South Texas (Corpus Christi)....Very warm here throughout the winter...
That is a great question...I've heard of people loosing snakes while hibernating them in refrigerators....

Years ago I rigged a refrigerator with ventilation tubing....
I simply drilled 10 holes (5 on each side) through the rubber gromet that holds the magnet on the door..This was a full sized frig.......I drilled behind the magnet - between the door and the magnet.....I slid 1/4" diameter stainless steel tubing through the holes....It held temps well and the snakes had plenty oxygen....
I think it may be possible to melt the holes through the gromet by simply heating the tubing and pushing it through.....
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John Lassiter
Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part...

My worry is that a fridge is going to be extremely DRY-I would want to make sure the snakes had ready access to water, and check often for evaporated dishes.

We live in s. TX as well (just NW of San Antonio). We brumate in an unheated room just off the garage, and even though we get some days where the temps get up around 70, usually it is the low 50s-60s, which seems to cycle the colubrids very well. Good thing too-we'd need several refrigerators for this collection!!
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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

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

>> "My worry is that a fridge is going to be extremely DRY"

Yes, the air in the fridge would no doubt be very dry. I would simply put several, or one larger very shallow, wide-surfaced container of water inside so it can dissipate into the air inside and monitor the relative humidity with an inexpensive hygrometer and make sure it stayed at least around 30-40 percent or so.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

I would just rely on the normal outside temps if I could in some way utilize them, my snake room is in my garage and the temp usually stays 10 degrees warmer than the outside air temps. Im not sure if this will be consistent enough. Thats a good idea using the tubing in the seal strip, I may give that a try with just one snake for a couple of weeks and moniter the results closely. Thanks for the advice.
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Dustin Smith