Cool yet snake stays on cool side...why?

[Rushthezeppelin]

I can't seem to find a good example of a colubrid folding when stuck shed then sorry ><

[Simland]

Here is more or less an example of what I'm talking about with vertical folding:

Ah,ok. No, that hasn't happened yet.

The second bulb has improved the temperatures a bit, now they sit at 24C on the cool side and 27C on the warm side, during the day. It might be too soon to tell if the feeding problem is over, but I have my fingers crossed that it's at least going to help. It ate a worm yesterday. It could have been because the day before it only ate one instead of the expected 2 (after approx. a week) but it seemed somewhat more enthusiastic about it than has been the norm recently.

The weird thing, though, is that this morning, I found it under its waterbowl. The air temps were at 20C on the cool side and 24C on the warm side. Too cool for it to need to cool itself under the waterbowl. It has never done that, as far as I know, not even during the summer (although, granted, back then the substrate was thinner).

Could it be trying to stay cool because its trying to prepare to brumate (i.e., might he get back to normal after a while at these temps [or at higher temps] or is it a sign of something more sinister). Is there a disease that tricks snakes into trying to stay cool?

[joeysgreen]

I've only semi followed this thread. In response to why it remains on the cool side; it can be multifactorial but I"ve touched on that in a previous post and the common reasons are less likely because the animal is already accustomed to the enclosure.
Simple illness or pain can be limiting it's movement for thermoregulation.
It could very well be preparing to brumate, in which it is something you just manage by monitoring health and weight. If health appears to be declining, then it might have to be "forced" in to it's POTZ in a hospitalization enclosure. This is something that should be discussed with your veterinarian as you'll also have to be addressing the primary illness.
There is no disease that I am aware of that tricks snakes in to trying to stay cool outside of being to ill to seek warmer areas.

[Simland]

I like the hospitalization enclosure idea. I'll see what happens with the current temperatures in its terrarium. If it seems to help I'll just buy a heat pad to bring them all the way up. But, if things keep going the way they are I'll repurpose one of my 10 gallons and make a gradient that stays pretty close to the POTZ and see what happens. Should I increase the temps slowly? It already has access to a spot that's at 27C in the afternoon.

By the way, what would you guys say is the POTZ? I've read sources that pin it at completely different temperatures (e.g. 80-82F and 84-86F). My guess is that it depends on species, subspecies, population, etc., but what would you say is the average POTZ for Eastern garters?

[joeysgreen]

In all honesty, and especially since this isn't an exact, controlled environment, if you set it at 85F you should be fine. Use google scholar appropriately to see if POTZ has been determined in any Thamnophis species. I caution against taking away a thermogradient, as that is your cushion, allowing the snake to find what it needs. It needs to be done carefully, and more investigation in to health status needs to occur.

[Simland]

It looks like his eating habits are almost back to normalcy. For the past week, he's been eating almost as much as before and pretty much as often as before. He's just less of a glutton and a bit less regular.

Thanks for all the help.

[guidofatherof5]

Any eating is always a good. Glad things are looking better.