Winter Blues!

[adamanteus]

Most of my Garters have been in brumation for a few weeks now. I'm left with just four sub-adults and the few remaining radix babies. I must say, it's pretty quiet around here!
Anyone else missing their sleepy little snakes?:)

[crzy_kevo]

im missing them im just left with 2 little ones in a 30 gal. tank and a pair of mice lol

[drache]

well
I've got quite a few awake ones
all three of my babies are on a normal schedule
then there's two adult males and four females that are not in brumation
the males aren't eating, but the females are, and they're hanging out and active too - the males less so
one of my adult parietalis females has been extremely active and begging to come out of the enclosure
and then there's the lizards - they've barely slowed down

[Sid]

Yes James, I already had the winter blues and came home today to find the only adult Eastern that I kept out for school exibitions dead. Now "Blues" is a little mild for my feelings:(.

[adamanteus]

Damn. So sorry Sid.

[Sid]

Thanks, James. She just ate like a champ this past Sunday and was fine yesterday.????

[adamanteus]

Sometimes they just seem to 'throw a curve ball', don't they, Sid? There's no way you can see it coming, and probably nothing you can do to change the outcome. It just sucks.... really sorry you lost her, Sid.:(

[crzy_kevo]

sorry to hear that sid

i have a question i just check on my 2 girls in the fridge they were both awake i took them out for a minute to examin them and they both seem to be getting a little slimmer should i be concerned at all they have been in brumation for a little over a month and a half however i know that in the wild they will usually go for about 5 6 even 7 months

[adamanteus]

If they're losing weight, Kevin, the first thing I would check is that they are cold enough to become totally inactive.

[adamanteus]

If that's difficult or dangerous to achieve, I would begin to warm them again..... if you're sure they're losing weight.

[Sid]

I wouldn'd be overly concerned yet. They do lose some weight during burmation, Kevin.

Yes, sometime we do get a curve tossed at us, James. I have before this one and know it will happen again.....still upsetting though.

[crzy_kevo]

im not 100% sure they are the temps in there is 40 f i have peeked in there a few times to find them completely motionless and gave them a little nudge to get a tongue flick to make sure they are alive ill keep a closer eye on them if i suspect any problems i will warm them up

[infernalis]

Yes James, I already had the winter blues and came home today to find the only adult Eastern that I kept out for school exhibitions dead. Now "Blues" is a little mild for my feelings:(.

I have not even read the rest of this thread yet, Sid, Sorry for the loss.

As for the rest of the collection, everyone is still active and feeding. I have to stop feeding my 2 momma breeders, I want them to ovulate for me, so they will be taken off feed soon.

[adamanteus]

Kevin, if you need to nudge them to get a response I wouldn't worry too much.... they're cool enough!

[snakeman]

Even if the temps are in the 40's they will come out to get a drink.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I miss my garter snakes like crazyyy!!! I have 6 tanks in the basement stacked on top of one another will all the adults sleeping peacefully... I still have lots of snakes upstairs... but without the adult garters zooming around it is just not the same or nearly as fun!!!

[jitami]

Sid, sorry to hear about your girl :(

[mtolypetsupply]

Sorry to hear about your loss, Sid.

[guidofatherof5]

Sid, I just read about your loss and feel for you. There is so much we don't know about them without expensive blood work ups and such. Then there's genetic unknowns that I believe make up a lot of deaths. It's just part of keeping them. It sounds like you have a good handle on it. That being said it still feels terrible to lose one. You're in our family prayers.

[ssssnakeluvr]

sorry for you loss!!! :( it always sucks to lose one!!! I lost 3 in brumation so far..hopefully no more. If it's in the 40's, that's plenty cold enough...if they are showing signs of weight loss, might be time to bring them out....

[reptile3]

Sid sorry to hear about your snakie!!

I have a question, do all garters have to brumate?

[drache]

Sid
I'm so sorry for your loss
was she an older snake?

[infernalis]

I have a question, do all garters have to brumate?

Not necessarily Stephanie, we have a few adults with a "history" The fellas shackin' up with my 3 oldest Dekayi ladies have never brumated while in my care.

If you are intending to breed, or if they refuse to eat during the winter, brumation may be required.

If the snake is simply your pet, and it eats all winter long, then brumation is not a requirement at all.

Could actually present an unnecessary risk (in my eyes anyhow) since a few members have lost snakes during brumation.

[Elliot]

I agree with you Wayne, since my snakes are just my pets, I'm not going to even attempt to brumate them. My ribbons did however breed without being brumated.

[infernalis]

I agree with you Wayne, since my snakes are just my pets, I'm not going to even attempt to brumate them. My ribbons did however breed without being brumated.

That happened to me once with a pair of Dekayi snakes, My first ever captive litter, A fast learning experience that changed me forever:)

[reptile3]

Thank You Wayne... just trying to get all the knowledge I can about these snakies!! yeah mine are just pets... all 900 of them.. ah ha

[salzar]

omg I am to scared to put my snakes in the fridg, they would shurly die, no!!
the 2 little brown snakes I have are not going to hybernate is this okay will they still be fine , nag is eating like a horse and just shed sal is slim as a string bean, but just ate yesterday, James will they be okay if I do not chill them!its not important to me if they breed or not.
lmk
bye
michelle

[adamanteus]

So long as they remain active and continue to eat, they'll be fine.
If they do stop eating, sometimes it's enough just to cool them off a little and keep them in the dark for a couple of weeks... a 'full-blown' brumation shouldn't be necessary.

[infernalis]

Never brumated a Dekayi yet...................

[GartersRock]

You lost 3 to brumation this year Don? The prospect of brumating is really starting to scare me. Is it really that big a risk??

[crzy_kevo]

i was talking to a guy the other day about my snakes and he said he found a bunch of garters under an upside down can frozen yesterday those poor snakes didnt find a suitable den :(

[infernalis]

Even though that's sad Kevo, it's not as uncommon as you think.

Sometimes severe winters can cause the frost line to be quite a bit lower than normal, and entire dens get wiped out.

[drache]

that's it
I'm bringing mine in before winter starts for real
that was kind of the plan anyway
these guys here I've already brought in because they're not that big yet

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/3117143082_72079ccd2d_b.jpg