Seasonal Observation

[fourexes]

I just wanted to invite discussion about an observation I've made over the last few weeks or so with the weather starting to get colder again. All three of my snakes have been noticeably more actively seeking food lately more often & they have been fed more than ever. The overnight temp is dropping (even though they all have heat 24/7 they still know) & morning temps specifically are alot colder than they have been.

Being barely over a year since I got my first python I'm still honing my husbandry & in particular, feeding regimes (hate using that word as I know it's far from a regime with reps but you get the idea) and I've noticed they seem a lot 'hungrier' lately than ever before, and oddly all of them at the same time. They don't seem more 'active' per say just seem to be seeking food, without elaborating too much.

I guess my main question which may seem pretty newb, but do snakes know when winter is coming and 'stock up' before it hits?

 

[bigjoediver]

Don't know about the stocking up but they do know winter is on its way. Very soon there will be a heap of threads from new owners of Antaresia wanting to know why their snakes have stopped eating even though their temps haven't changed. My thoughts are maybe they are sensitive to lower atmospheric pressures associated with cooler weather. Just a theory, does anyone have a better one?

 

[fourexes]

Thanks joe. My theory on that is more simple , in my enclosures, even tubs, to gain the thermal gradient heat sources are usually only at one end of the enclosure (or even just a mat underneath) leaving the other either at ambient temp, or still affected by ambient temp.

Another thought I had was that because I have been feeding them a bit more in general would it stimulate their appetites making them hungry more often?