Can someone answer this question.......

[COLUBRID]

I just got in my collection a 4 foot wild caught wisconsin bull snake. I have had him for about a month, and I have fed him a large mouse every week until yesterday he turned down his mouse. He was with a pervious owner for 10 months in captivity before me. The question I had was do you think it is trying to go into hibernation for a couple months. If so how long could it go without eating. email me back @ dave.cheli@tyson.com commets would be nice!!!

[cthulhu77]

Why not just hibernate/bruminate the snake for the winter?? Seems like the easiest solution, and what the snake is used to...
greg

[COLUBRID]

The cold as it gets in my house is 70 degrees. So how can I get down to that temp? Also should I soak him in warm water and get his system cleaned out thats what another guy said to do. When would I take him out out burmation.

[Russ Bates]

for at least 2 weeks after his last meal, then put him in a sweater box w/ a secure lid and place it in the bottom of a closet that is not heated. It will do fine and it will go into a brumation even if it's not 60 degrees. The darkness will simulate a brumation period.

Good luck.
Russ

[cthulhu77]

Yep... I just wait for a few weeks , then would put them in a sweater box, then out into the garage for the winter, with fresh water. Check on him every couple of days to make sure the water level is fine...past that, let the snake snooze the cold months away !
When it comes time to bring him out, don't do it rapidly...a week or so of medium warm temp would be good (a closet somewhere) and then back into the cage with normal heating...wait a week prior to feeding !
greg

[COLUBRID]

I don't have a garage however I will keep him in a cool area in the house.

[old guy]

RIGHT ? But maybe photo period of light ? I was with the same problems for several years ( many ) where i just never could get that perfect brumation temp down and had multi species to deal with. So I found out that just by darkening the cages or keeping the species DARK worked as well. I did several things, I taped newspaper around the cages ( in my case just the window / door systems of the cages ), had the cages in a dark room, and cut all light in the room. Really though the darkening of the cages was enough. The only negative thing that someone would or might bring up is : but you are not simulating one of the reasons a reptile brumates/hibernates. That reason is the longevity of a species by in fact having lower temps. but then again, not all species brumate for that reason. Some go " inactive " due to heat of where thay come from. In central Kansas while snakes definitely hibernate in winter due to cold, they also brumate in hot weather normally starting in late June through early to late Aug. I DO agree that there is scientific research enough to suggest that all reptiles need a " inactive " period to live longer wether it is brumate or hibernation. One might also want to ask : what is the difference of brumate and hibernate............I'll wait for someone else on this....................