Brumating in a mini-fridge...

[Logan256]

I'm brumating several of my corns in a mini-fridge, and the temp remains at around 50 degrees farenheight day and night.
I removed some of the stripping around the door to provide ventilation, and to keep the temps from dropping too low.
Is 50 degrees a good safe temperature to keep them at?
Though I have been keeping and collecting corns and other herps for many years, this is my first time cooling them for breeding.
I guess I'm a bit paranoid. :eek1:
Any advice is welcome.
Thanks,
Logan

 

[WLReptile]

the temp could be around 45°-65° for cooling bt I never heard no one puting them in a fridge u should place them somewere with more ventilation

 

[tricksterpup]

Most just place them in a cool place in the house or apartment. Could be a closet or such.
Now I have heard people placing Rubber boas in the Fridge for brumating and I hear they actually cruise around in the container even at those temps.

 

[Logan256]

the temp could be around 45°-65° for cooling bt I never heard no one puting them in a fridge u should place them somewere with more ventilation

I actually read about brumating in the fridge from a book on Kings, Milks, and other Colubrids, and with mine I removed much of the stripping from around the door of the fridge and added some weather stripping so it's always open about an inch, so I don't think ventilation is an issue...I just don't have a place to put them where I could drop the temps low enough for brumation, as the building I house them in is full of other herps that need constantly higher temps...and my house just isn't cool enough :shrugs:

 

[Logan256]

Most just place them in a cool place in the house or apartment. Could be a closet or such.
Now I have heard people placing Rubber boas in the Fridge for brumating and I hear they actually cruise around in the container even at those temps.

I've noticed some movement, but everything seems to be in slow motion...when I changed their water the other day one of my girls struck at me, but she was so slow that it took her about 5 seconds to complete the strike! Lol.

 

[WLReptile]

I understud it as if u opened it a couple times a day for ventilation ma bad and does the temp remain at a constant with that oppening ?

 

[Logan256]

I understud it as if u opened it a couple times a day for ventilation ma bad and does the temp remain at a constant with that oppening ?

No worries
Yeah, with the opening it stays within one or two degress of 50, because the room the fridge is in stays around a constant 75-78 degrees. When the fridge was completely shut it used to stay around 38-40 degrees. I'm just worried that having the temp at 50 all the time with no fluctuation could be bad for them...but like I said, maybe I'm just paranoid.

 

[DragonBoy]

This is my first year brumating as well and my hope is that it improves my overall production rates by enabling me to double clutch. Last year all my second clutches were non viable or not fertile. Being a relative new person when it comes to the hobby in general I fiugure I better get this sorted out new before everything in the house is breeding age.
What I did is took an empty bedroom, closed the drapes, shut the heat off and the window is cracked slightly. The room is about 58-60F 90 % of the time. That is about the coolest I can get it here in the house apart from the basement and that area is damp which to me says no for both the rodents and the snakes. I plan on pulling my crew out of brumation around February 14 with the hopes of breeding in March. Time will tell.
Scott

 

[Jynx]

The only concern I could think of was ventilation, but it seems like you have that covered. Your temps are about perfect. Sounds like a pretty efficient (and clever) set up. Maybe that would have saved me a tad bit of cash. I just went to Home Depot and purchased a, air conditioning unit for my garage... tempes here sometimes just don't get cool enough.

I would just keep an eye on them to make sure the coolant isn't bothering them (repiratory wise). There might be more circulating in there somewhere then we assume, so watch them closely for any signs of respiratoty distress.

Good luck to you!

 

[Drizzt80]

Drill a 1 or 2" hole through the side of the fridge if you have ventilation concerns. Sounds like a great plan, and constant 50 shouldn't be a problem. I'd be more concerned with daily disturbances to their "sleep" with opening and shutting the door/containers for ventilation.

D80