hibernation of diamonds

[tweety2]

Hiya all
i just brought a new diamond python today from roy pails and now i need to get all the facts on hibernating him. Wot i would like to know is when should i start cooling him down. wot temp should i take him down too. How long should i leave him cooled down before i turn his temp back up. do i feed him before i cool him down, if so how long before i cool him. and do i feed him before i put him with a female diamond that my mate across the road has or do i just take him there to do his job then bring him home after a week or two then feed him.
thanks in advance for any and all advice or if anyone knows of a website that i can look all this info up in it would be greatly appreciated
cheers
lisa

 

[Rennie]

I'm only a relative newbie so I don't know much but here goes...
I dunno about temps but feed up until hibernation, put with female any time during hibernation, hibernate about 3-6 months, don't know about male but feed female as much as she'll take prior to mating.
I had a 5-6 ft female for a year or so a couple years back and she refused food for at least 5 months from April I think.
Can't help with links.
Come on guys, help him out!

 

[Rennie]

PS Lisa if he's a hatchling I wouldn't worry about hibernation the first year, I didn't with any of my hatchlings, just fatten it up as much as possible the first year.
Rennie

 

[tweety2]

thanks rennie, tiny is a 5year+ diamond so really needs to be hibernated

 

[zen]

Rennie,

You may have to reveal a little more detail first to get good advice.

Vital statistics like your rough location & whether the snake is kept indoors or outside would help. :?:

Also, what condition the snake is in is important, as you should only cool specimens that are in good condition. :?:

Can you put a pic up, as a picture speaks a thousand words. :wink:


Plus, do you know the geographic origins of the bloodline?
If it's kept indoors, you should cool it according to the regional specs of it's origins. For example, a Diamond from Eden would enter hibernation earlier & for longer than a Diamond from Port Macquarie.

 

[tweety2]

oh sorry zen, i had no idea about that kind of info needed. Tiny is kept indoors (in the lounge room), We live in geelong vic, i dont know the geographical origins of his blood line but i can ring roy pails and ask him. He is in really good condition, Roy was feeding him 2 adult rats and a chicken every fortnight and the day i brought him home from Roys he ate an adult rat and a chicken. I will try and put some pics up of him in the next couple of days but he is roughly 7 to 8 ft long and in no way undersize . thanks for letting me know zen about other info i have to get, as i am not having much luck finding anything on the net
cheers
lisa

 

[zen]

That last post was supposed to be addressed to Lisa not Rennie.
Must be the Alzheimers kicking in :lol:

Anyway, thanks for the extra info Lisa.

Ring Roy & find out, if you can, cause I reckon it's important to know it's geographic background.
I've got Diamonds from different regions that go down at different times of year for brumation, even when housed together.
Must be genetic blueprint, hardwired into the brain or something.
They mate at different times as well, at different temps.


Rennie said:-

just fatten it up as much as possible the first year.

I disagree with this statement.
I reckon you should always keep Diamonds on the lean side. Exercise restraint when feeding Diamonds, throughout their life.
Overfeeding them (it's been hypothesised) is linked to DPS :!:
The only exception would be feeding adult females as much as they want in their off season, i.e the year between reproductive years. And shortly after they've layed to regain condition.

Never heat Diamonds at night if you're in their natural range.
Except just after a feed, when I make a heat mat available, which they readily utilize.


Also, as you're in Geelong, protect your Diamond from extremes of temperature.
Not just the cold, but the heatwaves you guys get from time to time as well.
Being indoors, I suppose that would moderate temps anyway.

Since it's being kept indoors, you should take it out into direct sunlight regularly.
Early to mid-morning sun or late arvo sun is best (they can easily overcook at midday).
Always take its Q when doing this, so when it wants to move to a cooler spot, let it.

Never overheat Diamonds. When cage temps get up around 30 degrees, make efforts to cool things down or stabilize at least. Alternatively and ideally, they should always have access to a cool spot in their enclosure.

You won't have to start cooling down for sometime yet, i.e Autumn, so you've still got plenty of time to prepare.


More later, when you've got the vital statistics and hopefully some pics too.



Cheers, zen

 

[Rennie]

Whoops, thanks zen, I'll keep that in mind next time i get a hatchy diamond. Fortunately the one I've got (my little sisters, about 2yo now) isn't a pig like I've heard is typical of diamonds and my sister is lazy so it mainly gets fed when my others refuse or I get one out for it and it decided to starve itself soon after i purchased it despite my best efforts to get it eating which worried me greatly (obviously it knew what it was doing much better than we did at the time). 2 of my childrens and my bredli quite happily ate through their first winter, I thought this was a good idea to get them up to a nice healthy size quickly.

 

[zen]

No worries Rennie. Sounds like that Diamond will be just fine.

I even go so far as to say, only feed them lean rodents.

If I buy feeders from the petshop, I pick fit & healthy ones. If I've got time I'll give them a diet of fresh veges & grain for a while to reduce excess fat.

Keep 'em lean & keep 'em keen! :wink:

 

[tweety2]

thanks for your help zen and rennie, it is all much appreciated , unfortunately zen we are going to have to wait on the pics (tiny is going to shed) but as soon as i can get a couple of shots off i will. All my snakes go outside at some stage of the day about 4 to 5 times a week and all have a uva uvb light in their enclosure. Tiny has a good temp range in his enclosure zen, under heat lights is 29.7 and cool end 25.8. and all lights go off at night about 11pm (incluing heat) and back on about 8am, does that sound ok??? Haven't had a chance to ring roy as yet but will do that in the next couple of days.
thanks again for your help
cheers
lisa