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Just a quick question for some more experienced Lampropletis keepers out there-
I have noticed that this particular year, my small collection of Lampropeltis have been refusing food and showing signs of wanting to cool down much earlier then past years. In past years, most of my adult snakes, and some younger ones, would start refusing food and start lingering on the cool end away from thier heaters around November. However, my adult pyro, adult annulatas, and seemingly now my adult zonata multicincta are starting this trend in early October (mid/late Sept for the adult pyro). I am not really concerned, as all of them have good weight on them, and I have cooled my snakes (exception to the Z which is a new addition)for the past years before. However, I was just wondering if this was kind of normal? I normally cool them from November to late Feb/early March (about 3 months, give or take a week or two) with great results of hungry, healthy snakes.
So I guess, the main question, aside from is this normal, is that should I wait it out till the end of Oct to cool them, and give them a month (more for the adult pyro) period of no food and heat (that is, until I switch off the heaters for a week or so prior to cooling)?
Thanks and sorry for the long drawn out question
-Zach

My 08 and 09 pyros began to stop eating as early as August. I turned off their heaters in mid September when it seemed certain nobody wanted to eat anymore, and everybody had long since excreted any food. I just today took their weights and then put them in the brumation chamber (under my work table in the cabin). Between August and now they had only lost a few grams each. It did seem this year they shut down sooner. But then we had a very cool summer, unusual for here.
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Bob/Chris
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire

I have noticed the exact same thing. I am still going to offer food a few more times. I always offer until the end of October.
However, now i am thawing out a lot fewer mice than normal so i dont have to throw as many out.
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Chris - TX

2.2 Splendida
1.1 Nigrita
1.1 Ruthveni
0.0.3 277 Alterna

For what it's worth all 4 of my female graybands are refusing food already, and I have them in a room with no windows and it stays warm. The one male I have is still chowing down.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

The other species of snake I have is pituophis; three 08 Pacific gophers, two 09 Pacifics and a pair of 09 bulls. They are all still eating. Last year I brumated my bulls starting in early winter because the male had stopped eating on October 1st. This year he is showing no signs of shutting down, having eaten a batch of hoppers just yesterday.

I really think this weird weather this year has a lot to do with how my animals are behaving.
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Bob/Chris
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire

All of my Mountain Kings are done. Refused last 3-4 meals, I'll still offer however. All of my others are still going strong (Kings, rats, rosys,GTP, ETB, etc..etc..) Only my Mountain Kings have stopped, a bit early for my neck of the woods.
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Brian Suter

www.serpenteer.com

Yeah, now I think of it, we have been having very odd weather this year in California. Either way, I guess I'll just leave the heat on till mid October then give them a week or so of room temp, then in the garage they go.
Thanks for all the info and observations guys.
-Zach

Zack,
I am glad you started this thread. Although my kings seemed okay, I was beginning to wonder what was going on.

I also wonder if they know something we don't; like, what sort of winter are we in for? A friend who is an experienced snake keeper said snakes respond to atmospheric pressure, not length of days or temperature, in influencing their feeding activity. I thought atmospheric pressure varied all year without any major changes except during the onset of inclement weather, when the pressure drops but then rises as the weather clears. This is a topic I will have to investigate at meteorologist and climatology sites.
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Bob/Chris
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire

"A friend who is an experienced snake keeper said snakes respond to atmospheric pressure, not length of days or temperature, in influencing their feeding activity"

Snakes most DEFINITELY respond to all three of those conditions, it matters GREATLY which of any of these factors are present at any given time, or what combination of these is more prevelent and WHEN. There is no one single thing that governs what snakes do, but any one single condition of the three mentioned can indeed change their behavior drastically. It just all depends on many different things in a large variety of situations.

In regards to noticing any change(s) in the short term, there is no doubt that atmospheric preasure would have the most immediate effect on feeding as your friend mentioned, but in the over-all scheme of things, the photo-period of light and temps definitely play a heavy roll as well as anything.

It is true that winter months are generally dominated by more high pressure influences unless a particular low weather pattern moves in, and of course the other two factors(less light and cooler temps)are a much more constant influence that generally change more gradually.

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

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Behavior changes from babies to adults under given conditions. It is true. That is why it is often no big deal to have a baby eat all through its first Winter, but then as an adult, the same snake shuts down in Fall.

BTW, on that subject - do you know why many hatchlings (not all, but most) eat right through Winter but adults don't? Well, actually many adults will eat depending on many factors, but a well-fed adult certainly does not have to. But why do babies seem not to care it is Winter? It isn't due to breeding. I've had too many first year males never forcibly cooled successfully impregnate females. It is something else.

Also, they will breed anyway even when cooled. I've only seen it when they are kept in groups in big cages, but it has happened. You'll likely not see this keeping one snake to a 28 qt box, that is why most will say it isn't so.

That is what is funny about this hobby, and I have been one of the most guilty of this in the past. We keep the snakes a certain way (one per small box) and then say that is how they behave, that they WANT to live alone in one small box or else they will decimate each other or get one another sick. Fact is, there are a range of stuff they want to do, and not each snake is exactly the same in that regard. Anyway, I guess this is off the original topic, so I'll end this here.
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Mark

I have a few individuals of montane species that shut down early every year, and they are also starting to shut down now.
www.4lakessnakes.com

I have three alternas, two females and a male, all '08s. My smaller female's last meal was Sep 23. The other two are still eating.

I will go ahead and keep feeding them for another month I guess, unless they stop sooner.
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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
1.1 Hypo (het lavender, striped) cornsnake hatchlings
2.2 Normal (het hypo, lavender, striped) cornsnake hatchlings
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase
1.1 Oregon rubber boas

I don't know enough to know if it's earlier than normal but 3 of my Florida kings are acting like they want to burmate--my male axanthic is acting like he wants to mate though! Confusing. I put him in again with Chomper, the big female and no joy that I could see, and no visible mess the next day *shrug*

I've been leaving a window cracked in the snake room (just cracked, not all the way open) and our nights are starting to drop into the 50s...I've been leaving the heat tape on but I guess it was enough to trigger it. My female speckleds are still eating but the male ain't eaten for 3 weeks or so and hasn't shown any inclination to. I plan to feed the ones that are still eating through Nov 1st, do one last weigh in, and turn off or maybe just way down the heat tape around thanksgiving and wake 'em up whenever we get the spring thaw.
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We wouldn't have 6 and a half billion people if you had to be beautiful to get laid.
6.6 African House snakes
3.2 reticulated pythons
.1 corn snake
4.2 Florida Kings
1.2 speckled kings
1.2 ball pythons
0.0.1 Argentine boa