nigel the corn snake
yummy mice!
Do Corn Snakes Hibernate???
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Do they hibernate
- Thread starter nigel the corn snake
- Start date
Fenderplayer108
MC Reptiles
Brumate in captivity yes, and in the wild too.
SkyChimp
New member
Brumation and hibernation are two different things, though they appear similar.
Brumation is a slowing of the metabolism and is intentionally induced in captivity to stimulating the breeding urge. I would guess snakes brumate in the wild as well if temperatures do not get low enough seasonally to send them into true hibernation.
Hibernation is a more complex process where metabolism sometimes all but stops. Terrestrial snakes slow metabolism, and some produce glucoses in their blood which resist freezing. Some snakes, like certain water snakes, can hibernate submerged in water under ice without access to air, their ability to absord oxygen from the water through their skin sustaining them. AFAIK, no one recreates environments sufficient for captive snakes to truly hibernate. Many snakes die each year while in hibernation because temperatures become too extreme for even their neat systems to handle.
The answer to your question is yeas, cornsnakes can and do hibernate, if they live in areas where seasonal temperatures require it.
Brumation is a slowing of the metabolism and is intentionally induced in captivity to stimulating the breeding urge. I would guess snakes brumate in the wild as well if temperatures do not get low enough seasonally to send them into true hibernation.
Hibernation is a more complex process where metabolism sometimes all but stops. Terrestrial snakes slow metabolism, and some produce glucoses in their blood which resist freezing. Some snakes, like certain water snakes, can hibernate submerged in water under ice without access to air, their ability to absord oxygen from the water through their skin sustaining them. AFAIK, no one recreates environments sufficient for captive snakes to truly hibernate. Many snakes die each year while in hibernation because temperatures become too extreme for even their neat systems to handle.
The answer to your question is yeas, cornsnakes can and do hibernate, if they live in areas where seasonal temperatures require it.
Joolz68
I'm a Sunlog!
Brumation vs. Hibernation
Brumation: a period of reduced activity, usually during the coldest time of the year, and in places with short (but not very cold) winters. Some reptiles "wake up" and move around at least occasionally.
Hibernation: a state of being dormant or inactive, and only in areas with long and cold winters.
While animals in hibernation "sleep" all the time, those that brumate are just less active.
Brumation: a period of reduced activity, usually during the coldest time of the year, and in places with short (but not very cold) winters. Some reptiles "wake up" and move around at least occasionally.
Hibernation: a state of being dormant or inactive, and only in areas with long and cold winters.
While animals in hibernation "sleep" all the time, those that brumate are just less active.
SkyChimp
New member
More...
Over most of the range corn snakes are active from April to November, with most surface activity ocurring in April-June, but in the southeast states individuals may be found in all months, and in sourthern Florida it is doubtful that the population ever undergoes weather-related inactivity. Farther north, these snakes hibernate during the winter in rodent burrows, old stumps, hollow logs, caves, rock crevices, and old stone walls and building foundations.
Snakes of the United Stes and Canada
Ernst & Ernst
Elaphe guttata
page 112
ISBN 1-58834-01908
Over most of the range corn snakes are active from April to November, with most surface activity ocurring in April-June, but in the southeast states individuals may be found in all months, and in sourthern Florida it is doubtful that the population ever undergoes weather-related inactivity. Farther north, these snakes hibernate during the winter in rodent burrows, old stumps, hollow logs, caves, rock crevices, and old stone walls and building foundations.
Snakes of the United Stes and Canada
Ernst & Ernst
Elaphe guttata
page 112
ISBN 1-58834-01908
wildangel
wildangel
Hoping to get an answer here. I have been doing a lot of reading on this brumation thing and I think I might have just figured it out from what I read here. Now one thing, do they have to have a constant temperature around 50 degrees? In my area between December1 and March 1 we can have temperature ranges from 70 degrees to 10 degrees and short of putting my corns in the fridge, it would be hard to keep a constant temperature. They are in a room by themselves and my Idea is to just open the window near them during the day and close it on the real cold nights. The only thing that bothers me is what happens after about a month of brumateing and we have one of those warm days pop up it their temperature gets above 65 degrees? Will this be harmful? Any thoughts on this?
bitsy
Owned by Corns since 1991
You don't actually have to brumate Corns in captivity if you don't want to. I've never brumated any of mine and they're fine. The reason I don't brumate, is that I can't provide the correct conditions.
I just need to be careful with some of them, as they occasionally tend to pile on weight if I keep up their normal feeding regime through the winter. A couple of my males go down to one adult mouse every three weeks about Oct-Feb, to make sure they don't flab up.
I just need to be careful with some of them, as they occasionally tend to pile on weight if I keep up their normal feeding regime through the winter. A couple of my males go down to one adult mouse every three weeks about Oct-Feb, to make sure they don't flab up.
chris68
Arundel Reptiles
A lot of breeders would (and still do) put their corns in brumation for as much to get a break from the stresses and rigors of dealing with 100's (or 1000's) of breeders, future breeders, holdbacks, unsold hatchlings as any other reasons...
Like Bitsy I have problems providing a "natural" (northern US climate) brumation. I drop the temp on the adult rack to 74-75 F and keep them in complete darkness for 6 weeks around mid January, alto this seems to vary from year to year by a week or so earlier or later.
Brumation is not necessary to breed corn snakes, let alone keep them
Like Bitsy I have problems providing a "natural" (northern US climate) brumation. I drop the temp on the adult rack to 74-75 F and keep them in complete darkness for 6 weeks around mid January, alto this seems to vary from year to year by a week or so earlier or later.
Brumation is not necessary to breed corn snakes, let alone keep them
wildangel
wildangel
ok, somebody correct me if I am making a mistake. I have a male and a female corn, the female is 2 years old and the male is 3 years old. I keep them in my spare bedroom in seperate tanks where I can open windows or close them. They get and abundance of morning sun that will warm the room up some during the winter. My plan is after a gradual cool down of room temperture till around the first of December, I will cut off their heating pads and set the thermostate to 70 degrees during the day and 60 to 65 degrees at night. Should I open a window and cool them down more? Do I still need to feed them at these temps? On March 1 I will start their warmup period and turn on their heating pads after a weeks warm up period. From my understanding we are not hybernating we are just cooling them down for several weeks. What temps will send them into a hybernation stage? I had one breeder to tell me to drop their temps to around 45 degrees for 3 months to stimulate their breeding. I am afraid I will hurt my babies. also I might can keep it at 45 during the night but the way the days can warm up around here there is no way.
xxalishaxx
New member
hi I got a snow corn snake about 2 months ago and it was fine it was feeding every friday and i would clean the tank out on a Sunday but not it does not move aye noticed something was wrong when it refused its last feed. At first I thought it maybe shedding but I am not sure does it hibernate and if not hoe can I tell if its dead
diamondlil
Mice! They taste so nice!
You think your snake is dead? Have you tried picking it up?
epicdoom
New member
wild angel are you planning on breeding the snakes you have the 2 year old female and 3 year old male if so your female probably isn't ready for that yet. She should be 3 years old. If your not breeding them there is no need to brumate them there is a 333 rule for breeding females 3 years old 300Grams 3 feet long that's not to say it cant be done its however risky. I used to follow the rule with my rat snakes and even then problems can happen and do.
xxalishaxx
New member
yes it did not move and it felt normal but my brother said it feels like its shedding and it does not smell but the tempeture did drop quiet a bit because my heat mate broke but it was only for a day
diamondlil
Mice! They taste so nice!
Alisha, when you picked it up, was it breathing?
xxalishaxx
New member
i dont know when it was moving i couldnt feel any breathing but it does feel and the eyes are cloudy but i thought it would move when it was shedding