Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my first Horridum hibernation cycle. I already know Gila Monsters take about 55 degrees. But, how cool is preferable for beaded lizards? The same?

Also, how much water is needed? Shallow dish?

By the way, this is NOT Kevin. I am Brandon. One of his slaves.
-----
"Satan™" is a registered trademark of NERD, Inc. Any copyright infringement is punishable by ETERNAL DAMNATION and some other terrible stuff.

I would keep the temp above 60 for horidum.

I've hibernated my adult rios between 60-70 several years with no problems at all. However I had much much better breeding response from my males when I droped them to 52 for three months just like my gilas....my temps tend to fluctuate in my hibernaculum by about 10 degrees throughout my winter cycle because its not quite cold enough to drop temps clear to 52 early in the winter and later come springtime. Several beaded breeders from warmer climates urged me not to hibernate them below 60 but my hands on experimenting showed me they were WRONG. There is still a few tricks to learn in the helederm field bro. Don't get mystified by anyones hype trying to sell ya something or assume a cookie cutter approach is whats best always.

Enjoy the holidays folks!
Peace n Happy Heloderms

Awesome!! Thanks. I have them in about 58. I have them in Kevin's closet (because he just lives with his clothes on his bed). Here is New England, cold is promised.

I also took them out and put them in our bath tub for an hour for some water and soak (slightly below room temp water).

This is my second crack at trying these. Last year the lizards just laughed at me, so I am obsessing this year.
-----
"Satan™" is a registered trademark of NERD, Inc. Any copyright infringement is punishable by ETERNAL DAMNATION and some other terrible stuff.

I definitely keep a water dish in everything I hibernate. Cold air is dry. Heloderms in general dehydrate easier than you might imagine in a dry environment. They spend 95% of thier lives in cozy dank burrows that stay relatively humid bro and gilas n beadeds become very active after rains.

I live in So Colorado so its really dry here but I would still keep a water dish with them even if hibernating in a humid area....if nothing else I'd bet ya notice they sleep up against it sometimes absorbing water that way some and it will maintain a healthy humidity in the cage/box too.

peace

Again. Very good advise. Thank you. I am to understand you are using newspaper for hibernation substrate?
-----
"Satan™" is a registered trademark of NERD, Inc. Any copyright infringement is punishable by ETERNAL DAMNATION and some other terrible stuff.

Actually, they were right! Beadeds live in an environment that doesn't get nearly as cold as a gila's environment. Dropping to the low 60s is fine.

Kyle

In twenty-plus years of breeding gila monsters I always cooled them to roughly 55 F for three or four months to get viable egg clutches. However, when I kept them, I found this not to be the case with beaded lizards as I had fertile clutches of eggs three years in a row with no more than a nightly drop in the ambient room temperature from 81 F to 76 F. (I would have dropped it lower but I had tree monitor enclosures in the same room) This leads me to conclude that brumation/hibernation is NOT neccesary for the succesful reproduction of nominate beadeds.
If you do choose to brumate make sure your waterdish is SPILLPROOF and use a DRY substrate. (I used beta-chip or aspen-chip with a piece of 5" sono-tube to hide in for H.s.suspectum ) The slow evaporation of the water dish (which should be checked at least monthly) will provide ambient humidity when enclosed in a large bin.
Just my experiences and observations.
Dave