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Refrigerating Snakes
- Thread starter CodeJones
- Start date
Serpwidgets
New member
We haven't used a fridge, but we used output from our air conditioner to brumate ours last year. They stayed in the high 50's to mid 60's and it worked wonderfully. 
With a fridge, the biggest concerns would be if the air is being recirculated instead of bringing in fresh air, and whether or not you can set it to stay in the temperature range you want without getting down too close to freezing. If you can work out those two issues, I'd think it could be done successfully.
With a fridge, the biggest concerns would be if the air is being recirculated instead of bringing in fresh air, and whether or not you can set it to stay in the temperature range you want without getting down too close to freezing. If you can work out those two issues, I'd think it could be done successfully.
CodeJones
Officer Chase
Thats what I originaly though with the fridge, but another breeder told me in a email they had a freind that used an "air stone" from an aquirium to bring air in, but wouldnt the snakes be too cold, whats the benifit? this is my second year breeding corns, but in FL, its never not been cold enough, is it realy nessicery? (p.s not judging, just researching)
snake5007
SOLVE LORA INFERNIS!
CodeJones said:
nah, brumation isn't really necessary. there are a lot of people who breed corns without brumation. on the other hand, brumation increases fertility in males and females apparently. i've never brumated and my snakes have bred successfully,but i don't really know how true the fertility theory is,so you'd have to ask someone who brumates every year. i hope this helps!
Serpwidgets
New member
Brumation isn't necessary in order to breed corns. One advantage is that it allows you to know when they will be coming into breeding season, and you can also have some control over the timing of breeding season.
You will probably get a lot of different opinions about what temperature range to brumate your corns. Just so you know to expect it.
The idea behind brumating them in the 50s-60s is that when you cool them, their whole metabolism slows, including their immune system. At those temps, they are cool enough that any bad microbes are also slowed down... in the higher temperature ranges the snake's immune system is "weakened" more than some of the baddies are, so it is easier to end up with problems. The other advantage is that they don't burn off nearly as much energy at the lower temps.
It is also thought that the lower temps produce a more clear signal that it indeed IS winter. This combined with cutting off all light sources seems to be sufficient to tell them it's winter, making for a successful brumation even if it is not exactly "winter" outside.
You will probably get a lot of different opinions about what temperature range to brumate your corns. Just so you know to expect it.
The idea behind brumating them in the 50s-60s is that when you cool them, their whole metabolism slows, including their immune system. At those temps, they are cool enough that any bad microbes are also slowed down... in the higher temperature ranges the snake's immune system is "weakened" more than some of the baddies are, so it is easier to end up with problems. The other advantage is that they don't burn off nearly as much energy at the lower temps.
It is also thought that the lower temps produce a more clear signal that it indeed IS winter. This combined with cutting off all light sources seems to be sufficient to tell them it's winter, making for a successful brumation even if it is not exactly "winter" outside.
I have brumated plains garter snakes successfully in an old refrigerator. I opened the door every day or two for air exchange.
The temperature would have to be raised significantly from the usual refrigerator temperature for corns of course. The temperature is adequate for corns in my basement, so I've never used a fridge for them.
Some years ago I talked to some wild life rehabbers, and they said that a major concern with more modern refrigerators is dehydration because of the autodefrost feature. Now these people were mammal rehabbers. Mammals don't move much during hibernation so wouldn't get to a water bowl. Snakes do move around and could get to a water bowl, I think. I don't know whether this would make a difference with the dehydration problem. I've always kept a water bowl with the snakes I've brumated, anyway.
The temperature would have to be raised significantly from the usual refrigerator temperature for corns of course. The temperature is adequate for corns in my basement, so I've never used a fridge for them.
Some years ago I talked to some wild life rehabbers, and they said that a major concern with more modern refrigerators is dehydration because of the autodefrost feature. Now these people were mammal rehabbers. Mammals don't move much during hibernation so wouldn't get to a water bowl. Snakes do move around and could get to a water bowl, I think. I don't know whether this would make a difference with the dehydration problem. I've always kept a water bowl with the snakes I've brumated, anyway.
CodeJones
Officer Chase
I breed I previously mentioned said her freind took the snakes out once a week and water them and they survived, I would assume you could water them every other day and they would be okay (http://www.applegatereptiles.com/articles/king-milk.html) , right? appplegate says in his care sheet for kings and milks that you can water your snakes once a week and they'll bee fine, the only thing I see with the defrost it is activly removes the mostuire in the air, would a humidifyer work here? then add a air pump and vent mabye? but then you'd just be creating an air condiotioner, and anothor quick question, dose anyone know who was the first person to do this was? (as stated previously, this is goin to be info in a research report for my biology course.) and a qiuck thanks to those who have provided their thoughts alread.
mike17l
Self-Admitted Duckoholic
Like the others, I do not feel that brumation is necessary for corns, but I used my frig to brumate my alterna and mexican milks this past year. I set the fridge as high as it goes and would turn it off quite often. It was quite a process as the fridge would not stay above 50, even on the highest setting. If you could get the fridge to stay in the high 50s you should be good. Just make sure you open it like the others said for some air exchange. I plan to find another way to incubate this year as it was quite a hastle. Hopefully, I can get a hold of an ac window unit and make a box in which to brumate all my snakes this coming year. Hope this helps some, good luck on the paper.
brokenchinadoll
New member
Brumation
Hello everybody, I wan't to breed my corn, and was wondering if this can be done at any time of year without brumation, or whether it is still best to breed them in Spring, or if I could possibly re-create a more 'springy' atmosphere in his viv so i could breed ASAP?
Thanks
Hello everybody, I wan't to breed my corn, and was wondering if this can be done at any time of year without brumation, or whether it is still best to breed them in Spring, or if I could possibly re-create a more 'springy' atmosphere in his viv so i could breed ASAP?
Thanks