Cable-I am not the walking bible on reptiles especially lizards, but I totally disagree with this scenerio that was put forth. Here is my considered opinion based on years of keeping horned lizards outside in a 2 x 8ft cage in California, and having wintered many horned lizards and in general having observed many different species of lizards over the years.
These are facts as I see them, and then I will summerize.
1. Tempreture variations are significant in different areas and at different years.
2. May species and subspecies can be observed or have been observed out of hibernation during warm years, admittedly less for horned lizards.
3. The 45 degree idea is obsured in my opnion because it can go down to freezing and up to 80 degree's even in the winter.
4. Most of those really cold temps are at night during the day it usually goes up to the 50's or 60's.
5. You know it's not unusual to find a baby horned lizard even in late october when the big boys have started their sleep.
6. I have found with respect to breeding that a low consistant tempreature is not necessary in order to procreate animals the following spring. It's not in my opinion the cold only but a length of time of domarncy from inactivity due to hibernation but again temps in the wild can very 40 or 50 degrees week to week.
So in summary-I have found that the horned lizards once they go dormant usually stay dormant, however in very warm years I have observed my outside collection as coming out(some of them) but not eating or being very active, and then going down for the count again. Admittedly I thought that was a rare ovccurance, but if you observe the lizard fauna here in Texas you'll see many species out on a warm winter day. As I have noted previously I have yet to observe a Texas Horned Lizard here in San Antonio, we have had an inordinant amount of rain and cool temps. Yet as early as February I observed, swift lizards, anoles, brown skinks, and one baby stiped racer runner out and active. So I believe that most lizard fauna reacts to the temps over time, I think that horned lizards are probably the best winter's compared to other species that I have observed. The last horned lizard I caught in California was on March 15th and it was 71 degree's in the early morning about 9:30 in Riverside.
So my last statement is that I have wintered baby horned lizards and lost them outside. I don't know why because my full growns did fine. So when I had babies I eaither didn't winter the first year or I had them in the house under a higher temp but enough for them to go down so I could keep track better. Because healthy animals grow so fast, The next year they should go down for the winter o.k. I just really have a problem with that kind of sustained steady unrealistic temprature. SO know I given plenty for everybody to discuss this in more depth, but I think what I have stated above is factual based on years of observation and collection, and though I don't have any nor have had any horned lizards recently I have many years of experience and feel this would not be my option with repect to wintering. I would put them in an outside cage with plastic coated wire and 6 or 8" of sand with large pieces of sand stone or other pieces of wood that they can burrow down under. I usually take these guys out around March 15th if they are not out already. Anyway you posed an interesting scenerio there, but I understand there are people that use this type of methodology, but I would rather use the real temp variations as a matter of hibernation, especailly if your in the same local as the specie your keeping. I think this is artifical and misses some important issues in temp and length variations..............
