Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have my wine coolers,and have been getting everything to start to cool down my snakes this weekend for my first ever breeding attempts....

I've noticed my Male Black Pine is in shed.Do I have to wait until he is done before I cool him??

Thanks.
-----
Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

you can wait if you like but you don't have to. it is not uncommon for snakes to shed while in brumation......

that's a good question,one i have wondered myself...i suually end up going the 'better safe than sorry'/cautious route-letting them finish their shed cycle before cooling.i often hear this isn't neccessary;but i like to do so since i feel their resistance is not 100% during this time,and we all know the hibernating process is stressful to them-think how often you hear people say they lost this or that specimen during hibernation.(for the record,i have yet to lose one over the winter).good luck.

'the hibernating period is stressful to them', ??? it's more like restful actually. the reason sometimes one is lost during this period is because of other introduced variables, not because of them doing what just comes naturally. also for the record, snakes are not [true] hibernators, they brumate which includes brief periods of awakeness & activites. ie- drinking & shedding........

ok dan,i call it hibernation as opposed to brumation,which i have always considered a more brief 'down time',say to jump start a feeding response,etc....i would think the amount of activity is going to be determined by any fluctuation of temps,etc...of which there would be none if we keep the temps more or less steady somewhere between 45-55,as opposed to natural warm spells,etc. they'd exp. in the wild...nevertheless,i keep a fresh water bowl 'within reach' for them....when i say stressful,i mean more to their system,due to lowered resistance to these 'introduced variables' as you say,which i agree with-seeing as how i hear about snakes being lost while in this proccess at a higher rate compared to when they are not dormant,that is what i was talking about.