should I cool down my snakes?

[rhyno]

I have a 18 month old female salmon het for sharp and a 6month old male sharp albino. I will breed these in the future, but I would like some feedback on this fall/winter time period. My female is eating a large rat every 7 to 10 days, my male eats a small rat every 7 days. I have read much about the cooling process, and
slowing down the feeding even if they are to young to breed. I want to know
if I need to do this, or just keep everything normal until they are ready to breed.
DTH is 83 NTL is 78 and the hot spot is 95.
I have seen many graphs on many different cooling methods, I am more confused than ever. Please point me in the right direction. The last time I had Boas, aquariums and heat rocks were cutting edge.

[Linda]

I've never cooled my boas.

I've never understood the reasoning behind cooling a Boa.

I've always thought they come from a more tropical temp climate. By this I mean, temps in the 80's during the cooler months. Maybe there's some species of boas that live in higher elevations and their temps get below 80 degrees. I'm really not sure.

Anyway since I've never intentionally cooled my boas.... I probably wouldn't suggest doing it. I actually don't even know how to go about cooling a boa.


Hopefully someone that knows how to do it, or has done it will reply.

[rhyno]

Thanks, I might be reading far to many books. From what I've read, it simulates the dry fall season, with cooler temps and shorter days. This allows their natural instinct to time the birth of their young for the following spring when food is plentiful and temps are warm. Once again, I read this and have no practical experience, I'm probably mixing up information. But now I know that I can keep up my current method with no problems, so again, Thanks.

[Missi]

I'm not sure on the reasoning for cooling boas either. I'm kinda with Linda on this one since I don't cool my boas either. However during the fall/winter seasons I don't adjust my heating in the cage and let the temperature and humidity regulate itself. During the summer however I'm all over the cage making sure that I don't overheat them. Right now, with the fact that we're supposed to have a rain storm coming in later this evening, my day time temp is at 82 degrees on the cool end with 46% humidity (that's actually low, normally it's between 60 and 70% and will get up to 90% during a rain storm). The sunlight was hitting the gauge so the temp may not be correct. Then during the night time, with the same gauge under the heat light, it generally holds the same temperature as during the day. So I'm assuming the cool end of the cage at night would be even cooler. Directly under the heat lights is about 95 for the day, I haven't checked under the night light since it's more for looks and just happens to also control a cooler night heat.

Don't let things confuse you. I've only read one book and from there I've gone by complete gut instinct when it came to the housing. For breeding and other little questions, I come here. :) If you want to check out my cage that I have set up, I think the pictures can be found in the Caging section here on the forums and I believe I titled it Current Caging. There might be more details that I put in that post that could be helpful.

[KG Constrictors]

I agree with Linda and think that cooling may not be required, especially if you follow a breeding season such as pairing in November and babies being born in June. This is what I do. The first year I cooled to 80 and last year I did not and they did their thing while the warm side was in the 90's. I guess whatever works for people works for them. I am concerned that too cool may cause health issues. My cages cool a few degrees by night but mainly stay in the high 80's on the warm side sometimes reaching 93 at times.
I also feed from mid June through Halloween and thats it and it seems to work great. It is funny how there is no set rule for breeding boas and so many different techniques seem to work for different people.

I love this hobby!

[crotalusadamanteus]

I know it's sorta old, BUT....
I can tell you it DEFINITELY ain't required. I've never changed temps on any of my Boas for as long as I've kept them. I've had females cycle on me, ovulate, and slug out over the years, without even introducing a male. Though I admit males were in the same room and near by.

I still don't cool them and I put my Salmon in with a couple girls. He's done his thing, one has ovulated, and I suspect the other has also, though I didn't actually see it. We'll see if he was successful. This is my first attempt at actually letting them breed, though I got my first Boa in 1975. :D

As for the cooling, from what I've read here and there, many do it to sorta force the changing season to MAKE their females cycle for breeding. Some others say it also makes for a larger follicular development, and healthier litter. I don't know myself if that's all true. YET! I just know I never have, and my females have all just done their thing, or didn't.


Rick