Chris;
I only maintain Charina bottae for research purposes so I try to mimic the conditions that transpires in nature. Consequently brumation generally begins sometime in mid to late October in most years as I allow the temperature and lighting in my snake shed to fluctuate with what occurs outside. The exception being that I have a space heater to keep the winter time temperature a few degrees above freezing.

Since some adult males in this region (Willamette Valley of western Oregon) can be found under surface objects in the month of February, in about mid to late February, I will turn on an heat source (40 watt bulb) over a hide at one end of the cage housing adult males. Some males will remain under a hide at the cool end of the cage into March whereas others will gradually be found under the hide with the heat source hanging overhead. The light bulb is on a timer that is set to mimic the light / dark cycle outside at that time of year.

In mid to late March, I will generally do the same for the adult females. Here again, some females will begin to be found under the hide with the heat source overhead while others remain under brumation conditions well into April under a hide at the cooler end of the cage.

For all juveniles and subadults, I do not provide any external heat source but allow them to emerge from brumation as the temperature conditions dictate. Most of these small snakes generally begin to become active sometime in April depending on temperature conditions outside and in the snake shed.

Richard F. Hoyer

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