Mimic the weather?

[Lori P]

Oy. I restated the already stated, didn't I? Sigh... it's early, and it's cold out. My brain is muddy. LOL

[mtolypetsupply]

Lori, I'm a member of the Redundant Society for Redundancy too, sometimes! LOL

Actually, I've been thinking about this, and the post about the "rain=abundant food supply". I've noticed that since the winter dryness has arrived in my house, the humidity in the tank has dropped, despite the addition of another water dish. I can't seem to get the hygrometer to read over 40%, and 40% is after moistening the surface of some of the substrate. It's by no means wet, and it dries in a few hours. However, the consistent humidity is about 30%.

Now, when the humidity was consistently 45-50%, my little ones ate voraciously! Since the drop in humidity, they eat, but not nearly as much nor with as much fervor. I do understand that this is a time of year when they may go off their feed, but I'm wondering since they're babies, is it linked to the humidity, or to a need to brumate?

The "brum room" is available, but many forum participants have posted that brumating babies is unnecessary. They're florida blues, so I've read that they also don't require "real" brumation, as in their range in florida, nighttime temps of low 60's would be typical in the winter, with daytimes in the 70's.

I'd like to experiment with this without doing harm to the snakes. I would like to see if adding humidity to the environment a couple of hours before feeding increases feeding response. That's easy to do.

I need to know, if it does not increase the feeding response, should I brumate? If so, considering the morph, should I just lower the temps? Temps currently range from maximum 80degrees on the hot side daytime, 70's cool side daytime, high 60's at night. Or should I bring them down cooler in a more classic brumation?

If I "semi-brumate" honoring the Fl. temps, will they need food? Total darkness like in classic brumation?

And how would I know if the brumation is not going well, and I need to resume normalcy????

They do come out in the late afternoon, cruise around, hang in their plants, but I've never caught one bathing in the water, despite plenty of room for them.

Oh, this is so much fun!!!!! Brainfood!!!!! I love learning all about my babies!!!!! Teach me, O Wise Serpent MASTERS!!!!!!!

[infernalis]

Try adding some real potted plants.

Real vegetation will raise that humidity for you.

Coconut hair substrate (Eco-earth) holds moisture best, repti-bark a close second (I mix them together frequently)

My little Florida's munch like mad at feeding time, Did yours come from Shannon??

[mtolypetsupply]

Try adding some real potted plants.

Real vegetation will raise that humidity for you.

Thanks, Wayne, now would that be #359A. on my list of things to do in a day or #360---- Take care of plants in viv for garters????

Coconut hair substrate (Eco-earth) holds moisture best, repti-bark a close second (I mix them together frequently)

I'm using "Jungle Bed" which is a blend of Forest Bed, Coconut, Calci-Sand, and Vermiculite.

My little Florida's munch like mad at feeding time, Did yours come from Shannon??

Yes, they came from Shannon, and I got them at the last Hamburg show. I don't know how old they are because *someone* doesn't answer my desperate pleas to know their birthday.

anyway, yes, they did eat voraciously. Now, not so much, and the only two correlational variables are time of year, and humidity. That's why I have the urge to play "mad scientist" and experiment with the humidity first. I have to make a walmart run today anyway, (Yea! The little princess is finally big enough for a front facing car seat!!!!!) so I'll pick up a new spray bottle. Every other one I have has had a cleaning solution in it.

[jitami]

Stephi, my '08 babies have cut back on food significantly, too. I figure it's a combination of time of year and possibly slower growth. I mean they can't continue to grow several inches a month for the rest of their lives... they're going to have to slow down eventually, right? And when they do they won't need as much food? Just a thought. My guys are both in the 15"+ range already... need to measure them!

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

I often notice, that despite artificial lighting and temps, my corn snakes, for instance, retreat into their hidey holes when it's raining outside; they must sense the change!

As for substrate, I use aspen for my kings and corns, and a sand, soil, bark mix for most of my garters and other small snakes. My aquatic garter has sand, river cobble, and a very large water dish.

A note on vermiculite: It has become increasingly difficult to obtain vermiculite here, since it was discovered that vermiculite contains trace amounts of asbestos and has therefore become less popular.

Coconut bark is great when it's been freshly hydrated and wrung out, but over the long term I find it annoyingly dry and dusty; if you humidify it, it often begins to cake.

Steven