That second post seemed rather sarcastic, but I'll hope I'm just reading it wrong.
Brumation period is basically their winter break...they are exposed to cooler temperatures, and their metabolism slows down. Living in the northeast, I have always just put my bulls in the basement for the winter. In my old house, the basement has outside access, and the temps would generally start in the low-mid 60s, then drop into the 50s when winter set in. If we had a really cold period, it might drop into the mid-upper 40s for a while. The new house doesn't have outside access to the basement, and it stayed much warmer...I didn't monitor temps, but I doubt it dropped below 60 degrees all winter.
It isn't necessary to brumate bullsnakes, though there has been some discussion on the theory that it could be beneficial in some ways. I rarely brumate babies, preferring to feed them through the winter months. Some colubrids, particularly WC, will go off feed in the fall. If that happens, it is best (IMO) to cool them so they don't burn through their fat stores. I usually wait at least 3 weeks after the last meal before cooling them, to make sure they clear everything.
Different keepers have their own theories about water. I usually leave their containers dry for the bumation period - if I keep water bowls in them, it means I have to clean/change them regularly, and I prefer to leave the snakes alone unless I suspect a problem.
