Reptile & Amphibian Forums

to better illustrate my technique I thought I should post a pick of my house, taken this morning. I then shut the heating vent and crack the snakeroom window about one inch. I keep the pyros and greeri at floor level and they stay a nice toasty forty degrees all winter! Well, we do get occasional cold spells and they may drop into the thirties for short periods but they do fine.

freshly shoveled...

Looks like a good snow pack this year.

The past couple years I have hibernated my pyros a little different. Instead of moving them to a location where they would be in the 50s for 4 months I left them in their cages in my garage. The temp there fluctuates between high 40s and about 65 degrees on the warmest days. Realize that the day time high is not held for very long due to the short days now, so the snakes don't heat up much from the night time lows. Anyhow, I have had 2 of my best breeding years doing it this way. Whatever works.

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Rick Staub
R&R Reptiles

Hey Rick,

I used to do the same when I lived in Tucson and had no problems. I know Buzz and my cousin both do the same and have great success. My cousin is still in Tucson, he just opens his snakeroom window all the way for four months. Temps range from 65-70 in the daytime to 40ish at night and he successfully breeds pyros and greeri every year. I haven't done any kind of controlled experiment but I am thinking that maybe length of hibernation is just as, or more important for pyros and greeri than actual temperatures. I know many people hibernate pyros for too short a period and that also causes problems. The most common problem I hear of is pyros that don't feed for two months after coming out of hibernation. It's a simple matter of "they're not ready yet". Hibernation was too short and they are hardwired for a longer period once they get started.

I was just complaining about the six inches we got here in Chino Valley, LOL

And good/bad news (depending on your take) is that you (Flagstaff) will be getting more of it!

Kerby...

I keep having to work 20 hour shifts due to this danged white stuff. Not to mention having to spend all my time off shoveling my drive and my mother in laws. I'm ready for summer!