Reptile & Amphibian Forums

At which temperatures should I hibernate my black pines and for how long ?

Based on the range of black pines in the coastal regions of Mississippi, Alabama, etc., I would assume a two the three month hibernation at 50=60 degrees F would be adequate. Pretty much typical colubrid hibernation conditions.

Yeah, that's what I do - 2 to 3 months at 50-60 degrees - works just fine for my Black Pines.

Tim

Third Eye

My hibernation room is from 45-50. Do you think that will harm them in any way?....I'm guessing not but would like to hear from others. Thanks

Tim, that is an awesome looking animal. How difficult in general are keeping the black pines, and what are there temperaments like compared to say a bull or gopher snake?

Well, they get bigger than most corns, milks and kings so they need bigger enclosures. They also go on hunger strikes, sometimes in the Fall and sometimes for no apparent reason. Those would be the two "difficulty factors" I'd keep in mind when keeping Black Pines.

As far as temperment, I've kept San Diego Gophers and Great Basin Gophers. I've also caught a ton of Pacific Gophers while vacationing in California. I've found these subspecies to be as tame as Corn Snakes. There may be other subspecies of Gophers with more aggressive temperments, but I've never kept/caught them.

I've only had one Bull Snake, which I raised from a baby. I found it to be "squirmy" even as an adult. It never seemed to enjoy being handled. I also found it to have a very aggressive feeding response, wanting to eat all the time and often attacking (as a feeding response) when I serviced the cage.

I have five Black Pines, and they each have their own "personality." One was quite aggressive, striking while it was still partially in the egg. It is still very aggressive more than a year and a half later. I also have two that are as tame as Corn Snakes. The other two I'd describe as "figidty." They're not "mean," but at the same time aren't at ease with being handled.

Pacific Gopher that I found on Mount Hamilton in April:

Third Eye

Hi! Merry Christmas to all!

My black pines are brumated in an unfinished room. The temp varies from 45 degrees up. I have a little space heater that keeps it from getting any colder. Being in N. Florida, sometimes it gets up around 70 in there. They do just fine with a two month or so brumation. I usually can't stand it any longer and have to take them out.

I find the pine babies are easier to deal with than bull babies. They spaz out less and strike less, but they can sure work up a pretty good hissy fit. Adults are real similar to bulls, tho they don't quite have the appetite. Sometimes, they just aren't hungry - unlike my red bull female that will eat every day of the week.

Amy C