Snake Won't Bromate

[elliott]

Hi, I have recently been trying to get my python into the bromation cycle over winter but he doesn't seem to be getting any less active. He is a South western carpet python and is 2yrs 5months old (4-5ft). Over about 2 weeks i slowly reduced the time that the heat lamp is on during the night until it was only on from 6am-6pm. This is how it has been for about almost 2 months but he is still really active during the night. The night temps range from 15-20 with no heat just room temp sometimes slightly lower. I haven't fed over this period.

Any info is appreciated.

Cheers,
Elliott WA

 

[MrBredli]

It's normal, don't worry about it.

 

[JasonL]

Brumation in reptiles just means less active to varying degrees, whilst the onset of cold weather may make some reptiles bury / hide away for months, it makes others want to breed. Male Pythons generally stop eating and go looking for a lady in the cooler months.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Yes, that's actually BRUMATE. You indicate you've REDUCED the heat down to 12 hours a day - heating for that period of time won't allow your snake to brumate at all. If you reduced it to about 4 hours a day, (8am-midday) you might have a change of behaviour. Also, your night-time lows are still only normal summer minima for the SW of WA.

Your snake is getting more heat during the day in winter than it would in summer if you are supplying heat for 12 hours, so it won't brumate as you expect it to.

Jamie.

 

[pythonmum]

With only 8 hours of daytime heat and light, my male Darwins are still active at night. They are looking for their girlfriend, not in the ambush hunting position. It won't hurt him to go without food. You can take the day length down more if you want to get a more natural brumation, but it's not necessary unless you are breeding.

 

[elliott]

Is it safe to still feed him if there is no heat at night or should i just wait until the weather starts to warm up a bit? El

 

[Pythoninfinite]

It depends what you want to do. If you want to breed from him, let him get cooler for longer, and don't feed. If you want to keep him active over winter, why reduce the temps in the first place? if you want him to brumate, don't feed, but you might find that a male python goes off feed at this time even if you do keep it warm, because they are getting ready to breed.

Remember, SW carpets are a cool-climate python, they share the honours with diamonds for being the southernmost species of python in the world. You said you reduced the heat to 12 hours a day in winter, what regime did you follow during summer?

It's difficult to suggest a strategy without knowing what you are trying to achieve.

Jamie

 

[elliott]

I have kept summers temps since I've had him and have been told that that is fine but I want to try give him a more natural season cycle so i can eventually just keep him outside when he is full grown. it was said above that a night time temp of roughly 15 degrees is a summer night temp still so it should be OK to offer him food if he will still take it, is that right?
Thanks el

 

[cockney red]

I have kept summers temps since I've had him and have been told that that is fine but I want to try give him a more natural season cycle so i can eventually just keep him outside when he is full grown. it was said above that a night time temp of roughly 15 degrees is a summer night temp still so it should be OK to offer him food if he will still take it, is that right?
Thanks el[/
Give him 4 - 6 hours, 6am - noon at 28 - 30, and nothing thereafter, and he wont want food, as long as night temps are cool enough.

 

[Snowman]

If you do feed it, be mindful that the night temps don't drop too low. I'm in a similar area to you and my herp room can get down to 12deg at night.

 

[elliott]

thanks, my night temps are 14.5 minimum without heat so I'm just wondering if that is still enough warmth for him to digest food properly? I don't think i will ever put night heat on again because it seems that its warm enough anyways. He has lots of hides to retreat to at night. during the day the temps range between 26-30degrees under the heat source. Thanks

 

[Snowman]

I'm not experienced enough to advise, but generally summer night temps are 20+ I do know that it's possible for the food to go off while being digested if it's not warm enough.
I used to heat 24/7 (and still do hatchies yearlings).... But I don't feed my adult imbricata in the cooler months, but like you will only be providing 12 hours heat in summer rather than 24/7 heat.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

OK, so you want to keep him outside in a year or two. You won't need to condition the snake for that, just put him outside in the early summer, say around October, when the nights begin to warm up, and he will adjust as he needs to through summer and as the seaons change. Make sure he has plenty of draught-free hides (parrot nest boxes are very good for this) into which he can retreat in cooler weather, and make sure the enclosure gets morning sun throughout the year. It needs to be protected from extremes of heat through the summer period - at least constant partial shade from about 9.30-10.00am, or he will die the first hot day you have. Hides up high for winter, down low in the cool for summer. Excess heat will kill a reptile much faster than too much cold.

 

[elliott]

thanks for that info very helpful. Cheers guys