Self-Cooling

[notechistiger]

Hey,

I was just wondering if a snake will cool itself if you don't do it for them. A male spotted was put in with my female to see if they will be able to live together comfortably (will PM you, Trouble), with no intention of breeding. Temperatures remained a near constant of 32C, with no night heat. The snakes were left overnight and we caught them mating.

Now, after the male has been removed, she doesn't want to come near her heat spot. She sat there for about ten minutes this morning (whereas she usually sits there for a couple of hours), and went to curl up underneath her hide box (the coldest part of her tank). The temperatures haven't changed at all.

So yeah, I'm wondering if she is cooling herself because I haven't done it for her.

~ notechistiger.

 

[Emzie]

I have read they spotted pythons don’t need to be cooled to breed

 

[MatE]

Ive got a female jungle who is doing the same thing,she sits at the cold end and may only come out once in a blue moon and i think she maybe gravid oops ive jinxed it now lol.

 

[notechistiger]

Emzie: I've read both. I think it depends upon which source you trust more. Either way, I've always said this particular spotted never does anything like a normal snake.

MatE: Funny you say that, as there's a much earlier "Self-Cooling" thread on here that says that jungles are usually kept at much higher temperatures than what's really needed. I just find it funny that you mention a jungle, that's all. And it's good to hear that other snakes do it as well.

 

[swaddo]

notechistiger: I was speaking with Ross from the Australian Reptile Centre in Canberra and he keeps his Jungles at ambient temps (which in down here can be pretty cool at night) and just supplies a basking lamp. IIRC his is nudging 20 years old and looks in great health.

My girl is at it too, hiding in the cool end (vertical enclosure) which is currently down to around 15 degrees over night. Even when she is out of her hide she tends to hang in the lower half, and I've only got the basking spot set to around 33

 

[beeman]

You are providing cooling by not using heat at night and letting the enclosure
get down to ambient temps!
Anteresia will mate readily when introduced to a partner and at any time of the year
with or without cooling.

 

[wokka]

They seem to manage in the wild. The trouble in most cages is there is insufficient cool enough area. For small snakes, like Anterasia, you dont need much to cool them because they dont have much thermal mass, so a night is enough. Larger snakes need longer at cooler temperatures and most cages setups heat up evn the cool end.

 

[notechistiger]

Ah, thanks beeman and wokka.