Brumation in Captivity?

[B.O.S Reptiles]

Hi. Someone said that brumation should be induced for reptiles in the winter. Is that true, or can they just continue on with their normal lives?

[Rickys_Reptiles]

Which type of snake?

[decensored]

In regards to ball pythons, it depends on who you ask. There are people who breed successfully without a cooling period. However most people start dropping the night temps in October or November to stimulate the breeding cycle.

[JLC]

Hi. Someone said that brumation should be induced for reptiles in the winter. Is that true, or can they just continue on with their normal lives?

The question is far too broad to answer. Not all reptiles brumate, and if you try to induce brumation in a species that doesn't naturally go through that cycle, you aren't doing them any favors, even if they can survive the process.

Of those species that do naturally sleep through the winter months, it still varies widely about whether or not they NEED to do so in order to stay healthy. Some can live in captivity without ever going through a "winter" and be perfectly fine. Some need that natural cycle of temperatures and light to trigger breeding behavior. Some need it for overall, long-term health benefits and would not thrive, even in an otherwise perfect captive environment, without it.

These kinds of questions need to be far more specific to get any useful answers.

[satomi325]

In regards to ball pythons, they don't brumate in the wild. Africa stays pretty warm year round.

Brumation is an evolutionary adaptation for reptiles to survive cold winters by going 'dormant'. So many North American species will do it. Most colubrids will.

In captivity, if you keep temps constant throughout the year, they won't/don't need to brumate. However, many breeders will allow their animals to brumate because it supposedly gives them a higher chance at a large successful clutch. The snakes can breed regardless if they brumate or not, but some will claim that they have had better success after brumation.

Overall, not necessary in captivity.

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