Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Was wondering my female yellowtailed was cooled down for a couple of months, since I have warmed her up she seems to ack different. Its really hard to explain but it looks like she has some nerve damage. She just doesn't move right. Any ideas of what this could be?

How cool did you allow your YT to become?
I know of more than one person who has killed a YT by cooling them.
Humidity and photo period are the primary cycling factors regarding YT's, not lowering temps...

Jeff

A cool down for a yellow tail should be VERY subtle, if at all.
these animals are from a tropical wet and dry climate. The main seasonal differences are dry and wet seasons that happen twice per year.

The main "trigger" for breeding in captivity (just like boas) seems to be the coming of the wet season.

The "rainy" season often has cooler nights. 65 at night should be ok, but I wouldn't go lower, and the daytime temps MUST get warm or you are going to lose the snake.

I have also known people who have lost yt's by cooling them too much.

Is the snake "sneezing" or wheezing? You may want to check the mouth for signs of respiratory infection.

I don't think photo period should even have much of a bearing on cycling yt's. Check out the photoperiods for various times of the year in Guyana, Suriname...any equatorial region.

They very close to the same all year round. The only notable climatic changes are the wet/dry seasons.

It is true, there is not mush of a photo period, in the sense we are accustomed to here in NA. However, during the rain season, the daily overcast creates the effect of such.
Having lived in Panama for two years, and having traveled extensively throughout both Middle and So. America, during the time I was stationed there, I can certainly attest to such.
Personally, I attempt to mimic environmental conditions as closely as possible for captive specimens...

Best regards,

Jeff

Makes sense though.

I'm sure altitute makes a BIG difference in temps as well.
From my understanding, melanurus in SA prefer highlands and corais lowlands.

My guess would be that melanurus would require a bit more of a spike in NTL temps during cycling than do corais.