Active during brumation?

**Pareeeee** · 10-24-12, 07:25 AM

Boaz decided to go into brumation at the beginning of this montg, sleeping on the cool side, not eating, etc. He did this at this time last year as well.

Is it normal for brumating snakes to cruise around their tanks all the time? Should I back off the temps more or something? Why would he be so active?

Charis · 10-26-12, 12:28 PM

What are your current temps at? I find that both my adult Rosys do better when brumated. One is an LTC and the other was a long time breeder who has definite ideas about when she should be brumated.
Some activity is normal during brumation. But if he is trying to brumate and the temps are too high, that can be a problem. If the temps aren't low enough, he can still be burning more energy than he should while fasting. If you decide to actually brumate him, wait a good two weeks after his last meal and then turn off whatever supplemental heat you have on his cage. Ideally the temps should be between 50 to 55 degrees but 60 is acceptable if that is as low as you can get it. Some people suggest slowly lowering the temps from whatever your normal room temp is down to your brumation temps over the next week and some say it is better to bring them straight down to those temps. Both arguments seem to have something to them, so I usually just go with whatever method is most feasible. You can move either the whole viv to wherever you plan to brumate him at or you can put him in a Tupperware container with some substrate and a small water bowl. He should have water to drink at all times but should not be able to soak in the bowl and you need to watch that the water doesn't get spilled. Being in a mostly dark place is also what he needs while brumating.

CK SandBoas · 10-26-12, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pareeeee

Boaz decided to go into brumation at the beginning of this montg, sleeping on the cool side, not eating, etc. He did this at this time last year as well.

Is it normal for brumating snakes to cruise around their tanks all the time? Should I back off the temps more or something? Why would he be so active?

He may be looking for a girlfriend.......

**Pareeeee** · 10-26-12, 02:15 PM

Ok I will shut his heater completely off. Probably too warm for him right now. Last time he ate was the end of Sept./beginning of Oct. so he will be fine now. I forgot that's what I did last year (turned heat off). Coldest it gets indoors in the winter is 19°C. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment and there is nowhere cooler than that to put him. It seemed to work OK for him last year though.

**Aaron_S** · 10-26-12, 09:07 PM

If you aren't planning to breed just keep the temps normal. There's no reason for brumation and to my knowledge I've never heard of a snake putting themselves through it.

Charis · 10-26-12, 09:21 PM

My female Rosy wants to brumate every middle of Oct. I didn't brumate her the first year I had her and she ate poorly the whole rest of the year. She fasted almost completely through mid Oct to around mid Dec/Jan and then never ate consistantly the rest of the year. The next year when she went off feed in Oct I did brumate her and once she came out of it, she ate much more consistantly. But she is an older snake that was used as a breeder and I imagine that she was used to getting brumated for years. Most snakes I've heard of though, don't seem to care one way or another.

**Pareeeee** · 10-27-12, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

If you aren't planning to breed just keep the temps normal. There's no reason for brumation and to my knowledge I've never heard of a snake putting themselves through it.

He chooses to do it himself, though...not like I can stop him. I just want to make it more comfortable for him while he does it...he did it last year and went off food for 6 months, from the end of Oct. to the beginning of May. He ate consistently through the whole summer, actually, he gorged himself! I hope he doesn't go THAT long this time.