How to Brumate My Black Pine Snake

Unlike mammals, reptiles don't hibernate. Instead, they brumate. Brumation is a metabolic change in reptiles during which they become less active and avoid eating in order to survive the cold weather months. Because of metabolic changes and because snakes do not eat during brumation, brumating a pine snake in captivity can be a risky process. Captive snakes do not need to brumate. However, snakes typically breed after a period of brumation, so brumating a snake is a good way to stimulate natural breeding behavior.

Things You'll Need

  • Box
  • Thermometer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take your pine snake to the vet for a checkup. Snakes should only be brumated when they are in perfect health. Hormonal and metabolic changes can result in shock to snakes that are already ill. Moreover, underweight or sick snakes cannot tolerate fasting for several weeks. Because brumation is unnecessary for captive snakes, it should only be attempted when a snake has a clean bill of health.

    • 2

      Give your snake slightly more food than usual in the 6 weeks before brumation. Your snake will need nutritional reserves and a bit of extra weight in order to survive brumation.

    • 3

      Stop feeding your snake 2 weeks before brumation. This allows your snake to transition gradually into a period of brumation. Attempting to brumate your snake without this gradual transition can result in shock and death.

    • 4

      Cool the temperature in the snake's cage to approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, your snake will not brumate but will stop eating and starve. The transition to the low temperature should be a gradual one that mimics the natural seasonal transition a snake would experience in the wild. Lower the cage temperature 7 to 10 degrees each week.

    • 5

      Provide your snake with a dark hiding area in its cage. Most snakes will burrow and hide during brumation and your snake will be more likely to survive if it has an appropriate hiding place. You can accomplish this by giving your snake a dark box to hide in or simply by adding more of the substrate you already use in your snake's cage.

    • 6

      Give your snake fresh water every day during brumation. The snake will not need food, but you may see your snake occasionally drink water. Without fresh water, your snake will die of dehydration.

    • 7

      Brumate your snake for 7 to 10 weeks. This may seem like a short period of time, but snakes do not brumate for the entire winter in the wild. A few weeks of brumation are a sufficient period of time to encourage your snake to breed after brumation. A brumation period that is too long can kill your snake.

    • 8

      After you have brumated your snake, gradually warm the cage back up 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit every week until the cage temperature has risen to its normal level of warmth.