So while we keepers really want the terms, hibernation/brumation, to mean the animals are sleeping or maybe held from reproduction, it simply does not work that way.

If you think about it, cooling is a tool to induce reproductive cycles. So cooling IS a part of the reproductive cycle. So all you have here is, a case of timing. That hog girl, was not timed the way you hoped. Your error is, you think that brumation/hibernation actually stops them for going thru the reproductive cycle, and in that your wrong. AS you have seen, they can. Why I do not like those terms is exactly for this reason. The snakes I watch in nature, are actively participating in reproductive biology all winter, both physically and behaviorally. So I have a hard time calling that hibernating. If you remember, biologist do not call what bears do in winter, hibernation, because they give birth in winter.



In your case, it was a matter of poor or misunderstood timing. There is no question, something triggered your female to lay eggs and you do not understand what is was, as you were under the impression that brumation prevented such things. While in FACT, it did not prevent it, did it?

The problem and why we fight is, I think keepers, you in this case, believe in the word first and the animal second. I guess I can only say, keepers really should have more faith in the animals and less in words or terms. Thank you and I hope you think about this instead of fighting.

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