Overnight Temperatures

[mb90078]

As we get deeper into fall, I was wondering what are the lowest acceptable (healthy) overnight temperatures when electing to not brumate?

Assuming when I wake up each morning I will bring the temperature up to the normal recommended range, is it ok for it to be somewhat significantly cooler overnights? I ask because my house gets quite cold in the winter and late fall, especially overnight, and I don't want my garters to end up in some sort of a confused state halfway to brumation.

If more than a very slight drop is a problem, I can always leave the heating pad on all night, or put it on a timer.

By the way, this would be for a pair of Red-Sideds (probably more tolerant of cool temperatures than others).

[guidofatherof5]

I would think nothing colder than 60-65 would be acceptable.
I run heat pads 24 hours a day even in the Winter. Unless the snakes are in the fridge. This seems to work for me.
I'm sure there are many varying opinions on this subject.

[ConcinusMan]

Heck, 60-65 is fine at night even for summer time if that actually is achievable in the summer. I always recommend a significant drop at night any time of year, especially for snakes from northern climates or high altitudes. Regular (put lights on timers) day/night cycle is important too I think, and so is a somewhat natural light spectrum.

Also, to simulate the seasons, check the day length for the latitude your snakes come from (for red-sideds you could just use the day length that happens around the Canadian/U.S. border, that would be close enough)

Just an opinion (no proof) but I think it shortens a garter's life span if they don't get an annual reduction in day length and some cooling down. Constant summer will enhance growth and possibly immunity but these animals evolved to adapt to seasons and winter rest and so who are we to say it's better that they don't get it? My first concinnus pair lived to be around 20 years old. They didn't get huge very fast. Heck, they were 10 years old when they approached 3 feet. They got their annual cooling even if it wasn't full brumation. I think this slow down in growth and the annual cooling could have contributed to their long lives.

Even if I don't brumate or plan to breed or brumate, all my snakes get a shorter day, and cooler temperatures for a few months out of the year.

I'd say it's probably safe for healthy red-sideds to get down as low as 50 at night, and say 70 during the day during the winter. An 8-10 hour daylight period with a high of 70-75 will keep them somewhat "awake" and allow some daytime activity. They will probably eat less, or maybe even go off of food for while, but it's not full brumation.

Keep in mind that even if you don't "stick them in the fridge" and thereby giving them a full brumation, the mild seasonal cool down I described might still trigger breeding when the day increases and temperatures increase in the spring. So, if that is unwanted, keep the sexes separate.

[kibakiba]

Up here we have no heater except the tiny ones that don't heat much, so they all get cooled down regardless of whether I want them to or not. They are all lazier, but what's new. I give Mama and Snakey a large dish of food, pick them up for love and the rest of the time they sleep, except Mama... She sleeps no matter what shes doing. She's fallen asleep in the food dish before too, with some food in it still. Snakey pulled a prank on her and nudged some salmon onto her head and she didn't notice it until it fell off. :D