Reptile Brumation Methods

[TheFragginDragon]

I found a thread from a couple of years ago on this subject, and I've certainly read a few methods and tried a couple as well, but I wanted to go a little more in-depth with it. Wondering what method you use for brumation (those that do it, that is), and how you achieve your goal. Be as specific as you can (how you insulate, control temps, etc etc...) Exterior structure means any structure without it's own temperature control (like a garage, closet inside a garage, shed....). I hope we can see some ingenius ideas!

 

[hhmoore]

I had to choose other...I move my colubrids into the basement.
There is no heat control, but it is not like an unheated outbuilding. Its probably about 60 degrees when I move them down (as long as I closed the outside door before it got too cold). During an average winter, it runs 50-55...if it stays at 50 for too long, or drops lower, I start thinking about warming things up a bit (I've never had to).
The colubrids I keep are pretty tolerant of those temps, so I really don't worry too much about them during that period. I usually remember to check on them every few weeks, but the only time I open their boxes is if the paper is wet.

 

[Clay Davenport]

I chose interior cool room with independent thermostat.

My colubrids and rattlesnakes go into a cool room. I have a finished basement and I use one of the spare rooms in that as a cool room. The room has an electric heater I set to keep the room at a minimum of 55 degrees. Sometimes during a warm spell the room gets warmer than that, but it can't get cooler.

For the pythons they remain in the snake room with an oil filled electric heater. The heat pads are turned off and the heater in on a Ranco thermostat set to 70 degrees.

I use the same set up in the rat barn, an oil filled heater on a Ranco set to 50 degrees.

 

[TheFragginDragon]

Excellent, thanks guys....let's keep it going!

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

I voted "Other" cause I brumate my colubrids in the basement as well.

 

[WJS Herps]

I use and unheated/uncooled Florida room, but it never gets too cold. It is enclosed and the ambient heat from the house keeps it over 50, usually quite a bit warmer.

Most of the time I have problems with it getting cool enough!

Bill