Thanks for the reply--I wasn't sure you would see it. The year I had sucess I brumated mine in the crawlspace under my house. It stayed a constant temperature under 60 degrees with the ductwork and furnace being under the house and I wonder if the humidity was higher than my reptile room--I never checked. Also your statement about the weather outside playing a part. With the Gilas under the house they may have been more directly exposed to these environmental changes outside. A friend of mine and I have discussed this before and I know that some of my frogs (Pipa Pipa)tend to breed when it starts raining--the barometric changes and then I provide a change of water with a temp drop and they breed. I have used under tank heating and think you're probably onto something by heating from the sides. I also feed mine heavier but usually 4 to 6 adult mice--but sometimes they won't eat but 3 at a time. Thanks for the advice and keep posting any other tips you have.