What is brumation and does my snake need it?
Brumation, otherwise known as overwintering, is a winter cooling period where snakes retreat underground to spend the cold months in relative “biological shutdown.” It is during this time that their metabolism slows, they stop feeding and utilize stored body fat, and their reproductive processes recover from the past breeding season, synchronize, and prepare for a new season. In nature all Rosy Boas do this including neonates born just prior to winter, and it may represent an evolved adaptation to deal with the scarcity of food during winter. In captivity it is not necessary to overwinter boas unless breeding will be attempted, but it is unclear if year-round activity alters longevity or health. In our opinion, boas maintain optimal health in nature by brumating and captive care should strive to mimic natural conditions as close as possible. Thus, we overwinter all of our boas with a few exceptions (an obviously ill or underweight snake or a baby we want to grow a bit faster). Other re
