Appropriate Size for Brumation box?

[SilasBannook]

Hey team. I am brumating 4 of my larger garters--2 radixes and 2 wandering. One of the radixes and both of the wandering are taking to my set up really well. My biggest snake-Big Mama-not so much. Big Mama is 28" long and has been barely eating for a month and a half and totally ignoring all of her food since December 24th. I put her into the same boxes I put together for my other snakes and she just ended up pushing a lot of her substrate into the water dish in her container. I went to clear out the water dish after the third day and when she crawled out of the box she took up a striking position with me and for five minutes I watched her display quite a bit of anger. She has never once lashed out at me so I know she was quite unhappy with being in that box. The box I used is 12" long and 8" wide and 3" high. Given her size should I have her in a bigger container? Below are pics of her container in particular and the other snakes happily in theirs. Currently I have her out of the room I am brumating the other snakes and have her back in her tank where she is back to being her normal nice but still not eating self.

Big Mama sizing pic 12_15_12.jpgBig Mama messed up box 1_2012.jpgFlamestrike Brumation 1_2012.jpgIsis Brumation 1_2012.jpg
Pic 1: Big Mama in sizing picture in container (not her brumation box) with 6" ruler
Pic 2: Big Mama's messed up brumation box with substrate in water dish
Pic 3: Big Mama's bo, Flamestrike (23") comfortably staying in his box
Pic 4: Wandering garter Isis (16") in her box

I had the heat pads turned off for the past few months. I am starting all of the snakes out in these boxes in a cupboard where the temp is around 55^o for a week before I move them to the floor where the temp ranges from 45^o - 51^o. My concern is why is Big Mama having such a hard time with this when the others seem to be doing just fine. Appreciate any thoughts. Thanks.

[thamneil]

During brumating, the snakes try to expend as little energy as possible. This entails soaking in the water basins for the most part or simply laying around. I wouldn't think that a container would have to be excessively large. As long as the snake is able to choose between moist and dry, things should be fine.

[ProXimuS]

Are you feeding them during their brumation? I haven't brumated any snakes, but it's my understanding they shouldn't be eating, as their body temperature will be too low for them to digest. Other members please correct me if I'm wrong.

[adamanteus]

I don't think the size of the box is important as the snake should be inactive during brumation. Are you sure the temperature is low enough?

[Selkielass]

Try paper towel substrate with a n old dish towel for her to hide under. She is big, so a deeper water dish shouldn't confuse her, and it may keep the towels dryer.
I have my big gal in a sweater/ boot storage box so that she can curl up comfortably in either her dish or under her hide- both spaces are about equaling brumating around 45 degrees, and they move quite slowly, but they do move and react when I disturb them. I try to do as little of that as possible.
So far so good...

[Invisible Snake]

Also remember prior to placing them in brumation to avoid feeding them for at least 2 weeks.

[ConcinusMan]

During brumating, the snakes try to expend as little energy as possible. This entails soaking in the water basins for the most part or simply laying around. I wouldn't think that a container would have to be excessively large. As long as the snake is able to choose between moist and dry, things should be fine.

I agree. Containers don't have to be very big at all but they should have the choice to soak, sit in damp substrate, or dry substrate. That's the approach I took this year. Sometimes I find my snakes sitting in the water, sometimes I find them buried in damp substrate, sometimes I find them all sitting in the dry area.

You really should fast your snakes for 2-3 weeks at near normal temps. Gotta get all the digestion and defecating done before the temperature drops too low. You don't want them brumating with bowel and gut contents.

Mine are sitting at 45-52 F currently. It rarely gets above 50 or below 47 though and when it does, it's just briefly. This seems about right. There's no activity and when I go to check on them, it's obvious they are sleeping deeply. The only time they seem to be more awake is when it gets above 48. I don't like to go below 45 either for fear of brain damage which can occur at temps as high as 40.

Your container sizes seem about right to me but IMO the substrate shouldn't all be damp. If they want to be wet they'll just sit in the water. If the humidity seems to low you can always give them a mist.

[SilasBannook]

Thanks. Big Mama hasn't eaten in over a month and I put her back into brumation in a slightly bigger container. I have a bigger water container and I am using paper towels as a substrate with an old rag in there as well. I will check on her in a couple days to see how she is taking to it. I will also include some pictures. Thanks all for the feedback. I am wondering if I should go back to the aspen chip as a substrate so she can have more of a wet substrate. Let me add some pictures in a couple days and then you guys can tell me what you think.