Light and temperature cycle techniques

[thesnakeman]

I would like to begin a thread to share everyones techniques for cycling there drys for breeding. We know that we must take them through a period of cooler, longer nights. But how cool, how long, and for what period of time??? This is my first year at this, but here is what I am doing so far. Please feel free to share the way you do it, and to critique what I am doing.

Each cage has a basking light, on a timer, and thermostat wich is currently on for 15 hours a day. The temp in the hot spot is upper 80s. The other end of the cage is the same as the room temp, 75. The room also has a light on a timer which runs congruently for 15 hours a day. No attempt has been made to black out the windows. The night temp. in the room is 75. So right now, they are on a long day, warm night program, or summer cycle.

In about a month, when the days are shorter yet, and the nights are nice and cold, I will begin to cut back the timers at a rate of 1 half hour every other day until they are at 12 hour schedule. I will continue to cut back the basking lights at the same rate until they are on a six hour schedule. And I will alow the night temps to drop to about 65 degrees.

A week or two after that, I will try an introduction. I think I will keep this regimen for another month during repeated mating introductions. After which time I will begin to raise the temps, and extend the daylight hours back to summer schedule.

So tell me guys, am I even close? And how do you all do it. Thanks,
T.

 

[oldherper]

I use a photoperiod of 12:12 (day/night) during the spring and summer months, with an average temp of 80 degrees F., mid-day high of 84 and night drop to 76. During that time I mist the snakes lightly with water once a week. In the fall, I cycle to a photoperiod of 10:14 and lower the temps gradually to an average of 72 degrees, with a mid-day high of 75 and a night drop to 69 or 70. During this time I mist them at least every 2 days and keep damp cypress mulch in the cage. With the southern subspecies, I start putting them together in early October. For couperi or erebennus you are probably better off waiting until at least early November to put them together. I let them stay together usually for 24 hours at a time, if the female seems receptive. If she's not receptive, I never leave them together. I use air-conditioning and heating to control my temperatures so I'm not dependent upon the outside temps. However, when it's cold and rainy outside, I leave all the doors open so the outside conditions can get in a little...I don'know if that really helps, but it makes me feel better.