Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've heard different people doing different things.
A very common way people are cooling their rat snakes is by purchasing a wine cooler, or some kind of small refridgerator and setting it to a desired temp and cooling that way.
I have a pair of LARGE blue beauties that I would love to cool this year, but don't know quite what to house them in during cooling.
I have them in 4' long cages now, and was thinking maybe a large rubbermaid? But even then, I don't think I could fit a large rubbermaid into a wine cooler or small refridgerator.

Just wondering what some of you do to cool your larger rats.

Thanks
Charlotte

>>I've heard different people doing different things.
>>A very common way people are cooling their rat snakes is by purchasing a wine cooler, or some kind of small refridgerator and setting it to a desired temp and cooling that way.
>>I have a pair of LARGE blue beauties that I would love to cool this year, but don't know quite what to house them in during cooling.
>>I have them in 4' long cages now, and was thinking maybe a large rubbermaid? But even then, I don't think I could fit a large rubbermaid into a wine cooler or small refridgerator.
>>
>>Just wondering what some of you do to cool your larger rats.
>>
>>Thanks
>>Charlotte

I ran into that problem last year. I had a small "portable" refrigerator that I brumated a couple of my corn snakes in.
It wasn't even large enough for a 28 quart sterilite sweater box.
So, considering they would not be active and only needed room to curl up and sleep and room for a small water bowl, if they got thirsty, I jut put them in 6 quart sterilite shoe boxes.
Worked fine.
This year I will be using a full sized refidgerator. Should allow for larger containers and more snakes.
Basically though, they don't need a very large container to brumate. Just something large enough for them and a small water bowl.
Once again I will add that this is MY opinion and what worked for ME
.
Every once in a while people seem to get upset when advise might be a little different them what they have heard or done.
They then get the idea that anyone stating something different is either flat out wrong or giving bad advise.
So, I find it helpfull to just remind these certain few that I am not writing the only solution or possibly not even anything close to the best solution. I am just writing what works for me.
Jimmy

Since I'm passing alog someone else's approach, I won't use their name. A major breeder in the Mid-Atlantic does nothing. He has a separate unheated buildng for his animals and simply lets nature drop the temp. He doesn't worry unless it gets down around 40 degrees. He's never lost a snake. Now, I know most of us don't have a separate snake house but what about your garage? Additonally, I have personally had successful breedings of snakes that I didn't brunmate at all. I simply let them eat when they wanted and let them play around the enclosure all winter. The next spring they went at it like bunnies. I actually know of several other similar success stories. Brumation is a dangerous time for animals and I hear lots of stories about problems people had taking snakes back out of brumation. I'm not endorsing either approach, just wanted to point out that there are options.

>>Since I'm passing alog someone else's approach, I won't use their name. A major breeder in the Mid-Atlantic does nothing. He has a separate unheated buildng for his animals and simply lets nature drop the temp. He doesn't worry unless it gets down around 40 degrees. He's never lost a snake. Now, I know most of us don't have a separate snake house but what about your garage? Additonally, I have personally had successful breedings of snakes that I didn't brunmate at all. I simply let them eat when they wanted and let them play around the enclosure all winter. The next spring they went at it like bunnies. I actually know of several other similar success stories. Brumation is a dangerous time for animals and I hear lots of stories about problems people had taking snakes back out of brumation. I'm not endorsing either approach, just wanted to point out that there are options.

My garage/basement fluctuates too much. The temps can drop too low. Don't have an extra room that I can regulate just for brumating either.
One of my breeding pairs, last season, was not brumated.
They bred quite willingly.
The other pair was brumated. (only two pairs were bred)
The main difference was the brumated clutch all ate willingly but the clutch from the non-brumated pair had several non feeders.
I have no idea if not brumating had anything to do with the feeding problems but I am going to brumate all my breeders this season just in case.
Plus it will give me a couple of months off from feeding a few snakes.
But, if I wasn't able to regulate the temperature I wouldn't brumate them.
I can regulate the temp with a 'fridge so I am not too worried. Without the ability to regulate the temperature I would just shorten the photo period for a while and go ahead and breed them in the spring.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

The person in question does nothing to regulate his snake house either. It fluctuates at will. Mother nature fluctuates the temps outside all winter long. It works for her. I'm not trying to start a debate here - just point out that there are workable options that don't need to be elaborate. Like you Jimmy, I'm just passing along information - not professing expertyise.
You'll always be a Bud Jimmy, even if you did skip out on me at the Birmingham Show last year.

>>The person in question does nothing to regulate his snake house either. It fluctuates at will. Mother nature fluctuates the temps outside all winter long. It works for her. I'm not trying to start a debate here - just point out that there are workable options that don't need to be elaborate. Like you Jimmy, I'm just passing along information - not professing expertyise.
>>You'll always be a Bud Jimmy, even if you did skip out on me at the Birmingham Show last year.

No I was there Mark.
Remember I was still on Eastern time and left before you got there.
I thought I was leaving at 11:30 A.M. when it was actually 10:30 in Birmingham.
I think I left about 30 minutes or an hour before you got there.
I got there at 9:00 and wondered why they waited until 10:00 to open....Finally realized what I had done. They opened at 9:00 I was just early....LOL

speaking of which.....I will be comming down for the November show.
Are you going to be there?
I will actually know what time it is when I'm down there this time...LOL
let me know. I would like a chance to talk in person.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

I won't be at the Birmingham Show anymore. The Air Force sent me west this summer. I'm hanging out in the mountains and deserts of Tucson. Darn cool place to herp. I've never lived this far west so everything is new. If you ever get an excuse to be out this way, I'll show you some good stuff.

Are you talking about the Dixie Reptile Show?

Ironically, I will be there.

Why the heck are you going to be there? I didn't think you lived in that area.

Yeah, I used to live in Birmingham and would go EVERY show.
Now, I live in Huntsville, but we manage to take a trip down there when we can to see the show.
We're going to try to go to the November show.

>>Are you talking about the Dixie Reptile Show?
>>
>>Ironically, I will be there.

Yes, the Dixie reptile show.
Excellent, we will have to meet.
I'm not sure what time I will be there but some time in the next week or so I will let you know if you would like to meet.
Or if you would like to know when to avoid the place...LOL
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Sure! I'm always willing to meet new snake lovers.

>>I won't be at the Birmingham Show anymore. The Air Force sent me west this summer. I'm hanging out in the mountains and deserts of Tucson. Darn cool place to herp. I've never lived this far west so everything is new. If you ever get an excuse to be out this way, I'll show you some good stuff.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it...LOL
Hey I did buy a nice little normal motley corn snake from Bayou reptiles while I was there. Do you remember Bayou Reptile's table.
Louise was running the table. Rob wasn't there.
It was the last table on the right as you walked in the door.
See, I WAS there.
and since this is the rat snake forum and a corn snake is a rat snake here is a pic of the normal motley I bought

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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

I love that deeper red. Its a really great look.
I do indeed remember Bayou Reptiles from that day. They had a Situla I was drooling over. I just didn't have the extra 2.5 bills They had very high quality snakes IMHO.
I rememebred your story as well. I' did the same thing going over to GA almost every time I went (slow learner).

>>.
>>Every once in a while people seem to get upset when advise might be a little different them what they have heard or done.
>>They then get the idea that anyone stating something different is either flat out wrong or giving bad advise.
>>So, I find it helpfull to just remind these certain few that I am not writing the only solution or possibly not even anything close to the best solution. I am just writing what works for me.
>>Jimmy

This is just something that has happened on other forums and every once in a while I just like to remind people that I would never try to pass myself off as an expert.
Just someone who enjoys the hobby and trys to help when I can.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Ive heard of people loosing snakes in refridgerators due to lack of air circulation. Im guessing you dont have this problem. How do you work around it?

I dont cool anything down.I dont even care what time of the year it is either.2 years ago I put my amels together to clean both there cages at once and by the time I got done they were locked up.I cant recall the exact time of year but it was cold out and snow was on the way.Im thinking end of December mid January when it happend.She gave me dozen good eggs that all but one hatched.I do remember the eggs pipping when there was still snow on the ground.I live in central Illinios for a refference.I lost my male hypo to a defective heat mat,god Im glad I was home when that happened.This year Im going to use my male amel to breed my amel and hypo females.I will start early this year with my corns and see if it was just a fluke.Ive also got ball pythons to breed just by using light cycles.Im curious to see if my bairds will breed this spring with no cooling down.As for incubating I loath commercial incubators.Ive had 2 types and there real good for hard boiled eggs.This year Im going to use a 20 long with a heating pad or dark light.Im going to play around with it a little maybe add some insulation to the sides and top.I have a few months to work the bugs out but Im sure it will work fine...Paul

I have to add something.....i talk alot about simplicity at work and in general life.....

My way of incubating (worked for fox snakes, speckled king, Black rats, egyptians, green snakes, and even a bullsnake((wild caught)).......ia a tupperware (airtight), half full of moist vermiculite ( i mix it by hand and wring out excess water), place eggs half down in vermiculite separated, and close lid, and put on a shelf in a warm closet(top of fridge works too but i had a cat recently).....and wait (impatiently).....

Never failed me!!!

keith
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I'm not sure I want popular opinion on my side -- I've noticed those with the most opinions often have the fewest facts.

I've learned 3 different methods.

1. Use vermiculite and set it in a commercial incubator and then wait. The folks I've learned this method from have had decent luck with this method.

2. Use vermiculite and leave it in room temperature. I've gotten 1 babye leopard gecko to hatch this way. The rest of my eggs got molded really badly. STUPID MOLD!

3. Take a cup of perlite with about a cup of water place that in a small ziploc container. Just put the eggs on top of the vermiculite. I've never had an egg mold using this method. Every viable egg went all the way to full term. High hatching success was observed. This year I'd say out of approximately 45 eggs 4 did not hatch. Those four eggs had fully developed dead babies in them.

From what I have heard there are plenty of herps that really do not need much more than room temp for eggs to develop.
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10 Leopard Geckos 3.7.0**
1 Gimpy Leo 0.1
2 Tokay Geckos 2.0.0*
2 Ball Pythons 2.0.0*
1 04 Nicaraguan Red Tail Boa 0.1.0
2 Black Kingsnake 1.0.1*
4 Baird's Rat Snake (Thanks Vadoni!) 2.2.0
***1.0 Loma Alta***1.2Hawkeye 04 stock***
2 Gray Ratsnakes 0.1.1
4 Dekay's Snake 0.1.3**
1 Bullsnake 1.0.0*
1.0 Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum*
1.1 Green Tree Frogs (H. cinerea)*
1.0 Gray Tree Frog (H versicolor)*

0.0.1 Red Milk
1.0.0 Mexican Black/California King Hybrid
1 Leopard Gecko 1.0

*indicates possible breeders
**have bred

Mine go to the basement right before deer season(cuz I go to the cabin!)They are in large plastic containers and the basemant stays around 55-60 degrees.I put them back in the snake room in thier own enclosures around Valentines day.(That way when I'm done,I can remember to get the spousal unit flowers)Warm-up for a week or so and start pounding the feed to them.Especially the females.

I have heard numerous breeders state that they do not cool their animals. Think about the snakes down in FL, they dont brumate and still reproduce. Has me thinking they dont necessarily need brumation, however it may stimulate the breeding urge once they come out of brumation. Just a thought.
Brian
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RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

MILKS
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)
Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Not to sound rude or anything but during the winter monthes it does get pretty cold down there. Not as cold as it does in in the northern states, but still it is a cooling down period for the snakes and other reptiles. A more appropriate thing to suggest would be the tropics or a desert region. Where the daytime tempurature stays pretty constant. and yes I do know that deserts get rather cool at night.

Hello, i live in Arizona where it does not get that cold in the winter, so i just put mine in rubbermaid sweater boxes and put them in my back room, where it only drops to 60 during the nite but back to the upper 70's in the day.. So far i have had 100% hatch rate 2 years in a row.. Good luck!!!!! Mike L.