Quote Originally Posted by muddoc View Post
That may be some of the worst advice I have seen in the Ball Python section. Ball Pythons do not brumate. They are from a near equatorial zone, and brumating them would be about the worst thing you could do, as you could potential create an environment that is very condusive to Respiratory Infections.

With that said, the beginning of your statement says to drop 5 degrees. That would probably not hurt the animal, but if there is no intention to breed it, there is no reason to do that either. As far as brumation goes though, I typically lower my colubrids by about 15 to 20 degrees. Also, if someone was to brumate an animal, there is a bit more preparatory work that would be necessary (such as ceasing feeding about three weeks prior to cooling the snakes, to ensure that they have expelled all waste and have digested all food, so that they would not have food rotting in there stomach due to a lack of heat for digestion).

Please make sure that you understand what you are recommending to someone that is asking for help before you make suggestions that are not correct and could potentially cause more grief.
That's correct, if we were talking about colubrids, which we're not. This is the correct way to cool down Ball Pythons. I didn't say she had to. We're not talking bout a true colubrid brumation, but it's what the owner can do if they want to. I've bred a lot of Ball Pythons and your telling me what to do. I've been doing this full time for over 15 years, then took a few years off and I'm now building my collection back up.

By your own admission you have said a five degree temp drop will not cause belly rot, so where is my information wrong. Since there's no chance of belly rot, why stop feed 3 weeks before you drop the temp? So, the owner doesn't have to worry about that. We're just trying to get the snake to slow down. So where have I led her wrong? It seems you got stuck on my use of the term brumation. Well, I may have used the wrong term, but what else do you call it, cool down? You don't have to do anything that I've said to get Ball Pythons to mate, but this is the way I've done it for years. It doesn't hurt the snake, it does calm the snake for a few months.

I have a question to ask you. If a snake goes off its food all winter long (like many Ball Pythons are prone to do), what is better for their metabolism (a slightly cooler enclosure (where they don't use as much energy) or regular temps (where their metabolism continues at regular levels)? Who's doing more harm?

You tell me!
Jim Smith