brumation or not?????

[dance2water]

I just got into snakes this summer. I would like to get some advice as to whether or not it is best for the snakes to cool them for the winter. I have an adult albino black rat snake, an adult beauty snake, a baby beauty snake, and juvenile northern pine and sonoran gopher snakes. With the possible excepton of the beauty snakes I think all of the others come from areas where they would be subject to low temperatures in the winter.

Also I do not know how to tell if they are in good enough condition (well fed enough) to be cooled and not eat for a few months. Perhaps this is not a concern as snakes can manage without eating for long periods anyway.

thanks :rsmile:

Jean