Another (hopefully not duplicated) HIBERNATION question.

[Lovok]

Is it an absolute that garters must hibernate? I'm not planning on breeding her, and where I live, there aren't any places where I could "store" her without the risk of freezing her to death. No basement, no garage, and my roomie would have a coronary if he opened the 'fridge and saw a snake in bag (hmmmm...there's an idea, though completely off-topic..heheheh).

I don't want to throw off any "internal clock" she may have by letting her stay awake & active over the winter. She'll be good & warm in her tank where she is (my bedroom), and she loves salmon, tilapi, and I'm sure I can get her onto pinkies for over the winter months. Food and heat won't be problems, sooo....If I'm not gonna breed her, can she stay up for the winter?

[ssssnakeluvr]

she will do just fine without brumation. some snakes will go off feed automatically, but just keep them cool, give them plenty of water, wait a month, then crank up the heat a little and the snake should start eating. if it doesn't go off feed, it will be just fine!

[guidofatherof5]

That will be up to her. She may want to brumate. I've had some radixes want to, so they went off food. I left them alone and didn't try to force any food on them. About a month later they started eating again. I have also had radixes refused to eat after even a month so let them chill in the refrig. for a few weeks.
Brumation helps stimulate breeding but isn't the magic switch for breeding. I've had many non-brumated snakes breed during the winter month.

Some of what you want isn't up to you it's up to your snake and what she needs. Hope this has been helpful.

[jitami]

My male goes off feed for several months each winter. If he refuses food three weeks in a row I remove all heat sources but don't truly brumate him. I continue to offer him food every couple of weeks and he usually comes around in Feb or March. It's not something I look forward to, but he always comes out of it just fine. For the first time in his life he's a little fat right now, so maybe it'll do him some good this year <gg> (had to stop feeding him & Ella together as he's been eating both of their portions!)