Hibernation issues...please help!

[Renee]

My little spotted python has been hibernating this winter, due to the fact that I couldn't keep the temperature in her enclosure high enough. Unfortunately, even though I live in Queensland, it gets very cold out here in winter, down to neg. 4 overnight. I managed to keep the temp. around 20 degrees however, by bringing the enclosure inside the house. The vet told me that I would kill her slowly, unless I kept the temp at 32 degrees all year round, as I didn't have enough experience to hibernate her...

I would keep her at a constant 30 degrees if I could keep the tank warm enough! Even inside, it just doesnt seem to be possible, especially when the local pet shop doesnt ever stock globes that are hot enough!

My question....

If I keep the temp at 28-30 degrees during Summer, and at around 20-22 degrees in winter, am I hibernating her correctly? How do I know when to lower the temp? Can I just gradually increase it as it gets warmer outside? Or should I be following a strict regime?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[rednut]

I honestly have no idea about hibernating them, but can recommend heat cord, which you can buy from hertrader.com.
It will help raise the ambient temperature in and will heat the snake from the ventral side, you can run it under the substrate (under a hide, etc) to ensure the snake will stay warm even with the lamp is not shining directly on her. Hope this helps.

[SlothHead]

You dont have to make the whole enclosure warm, you just need to provide an area where the snake can warm itself. So a basking area of 34-36 then the rest of the enclosure at those cooler temps are fine. Just so long as it can get warm.

As far as alternating temps for hibernation, just follow the cycles of the year and alternate the amount of heat given with a 24hr timer.

You might want to have a base temperature so a heat cord or small heat mat at one end of the enclosure which just keeps an area of mid twenties, and this never goes off, then you can suppliment this with a basking area either using creamic heat emitters or basking lights this will actually warm the air temps.

[serpenttongue]

Originally Posted by Renee

My little spotted python has been hibernating this winter, due to the fact that I couldn't keep the temperature in her enclosure high enough. Unfortunately, even though I live in Queensland, it gets very cold out here in winter, down to neg. 4 overnight. I managed to keep the temp. around 20 degrees however, by bringing the enclosure inside the house. The vet told me that I would kill her slowly, unless I kept the temp at 32 degrees all year round, as I didn't have enough experience to hibernate her...

I would keep her at a constant 30 degrees if I could keep the tank warm enough! Even inside, it just doesnt seem to be possible, especially when the local pet shop doesnt ever stock globes that are hot enough!

My question....

If I keep the temp at 28-30 degrees during Summer, and at around 20-22 degrees in winter, am I hibernating her correctly? How do I know when to lower the temp? Can I just gradually increase it as it gets warmer outside? Or should I be following a strict regime?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Firstly Renee, your vet doesnt know a thing.....

Is this a glass tank you are using? Glass doesn't hold heat in very well, you would have more luck with a timber enclosure.

I am on the south coast of NSW and my spotteds dont get night heating( unless just fed). As you can imagine, the temps drop very low during the cooler months where i am, but that really is of no concern to me as long as i make sure the day temps rise back up to 29-30'c.

If you are having trouble reaching these temps then i would try using globes of a higher wattage and also use a heat mat under half of the enclosure. You dont need fancy reptile globes. Just go to the supermarket and get a pearl/frosted globe of 60,75 or 100 watts depending on the size of your enclosure( an enclosure with dimensions 1m long, 50cm high and 50cm wide is best). Allowing a drop of 20'c is good, some may even go as low as 15'c and is completely safe as long as the snake can bask in temps of 28,29,30'c during the day.

Keeping the temps around 22'c during winter may lead to a respiratory infection, which is why it's a good idea to raise the temps to 29'c during the day. You can either manually turn the temps down each night by turning down the dial on the thermostat or you can just turn off heating completely overnight.

Spotteds are tough little snakes and i know that they occur where you are, but it is still best to house them inside on a permanent basis.

[RevDaniel]

Well said SlothHead

[Logan & Allana]

I agree your vet sounds like a twit, hibernation is exactly that lowering the temps at night and offering normal day time temps, the only difference is photo cycling (meaning amount of light they get and heat). If your snake is just a Juvie or even yearling than yes it could be a bit bad and they shouldn't be cooled as they loose condition a lot faster. I live in QLD too so I know how it gets and I wouldn't be leaving your mac in a outside enclosure, the only real pythons you should have outside here is coastal's and diamonds without other heat sources. Like serpentounge said you don't' need fancy reptile globes I just buy the supermarket one's and I use 20w and 40w and that gets me a basking area of around 32deg (as stated you only want a spot at this temp not the whole enclosure). Take a reading under your basking area to see what it gets too, obviously too the longer a snake basks the hotter it gets. If it's in a tank then move it into a pine enclosure they hold heat better, also you may have too much ventilation so too much heat is excaping. If she is in a pine enclosure, got good ventilation and you still can't get the temp at the basking spot over 20deg then up the wattage of the bulb and when the nights get really cold you can always add a towel over the enclosure I've done this numerous times over cold winter nights that got down to 1deg here at bribie and something as simple as this I found can increase your temps up to 5deg. Hope that helps

Allana

[Renee]

Thanks guys, great advice. The heat cord and mat is a great idea as the enclosure is made of glass! Will definately be keeping the temp higher all year round then.

Thanks again everyone!

[Lucas]

If you're having trouble keeping a glass enclosure temps up try lining the OUTSIDE with foam. It may not look pretty but it helps insulate. Get inch thick styrofoam sheets and cut it to size. Masking tape is all you need to hold it in place. I would cover 3 sides and the top, leaving space for the vents during winter in Canberra. It made a huge difference.

[Renee]

Thanks Lucas... sounds like it would work. Might need to try that next winter if I have to keep her outside.

[grimbeny]

Keeping a glass enclosure outside doesnt sound like a good idea at all to me.