# Storms



## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

OK, who else has noticed a dramatic increase in their snakes activities over the past few hours due to the low air pressure forming as two storms are forecast to hit the UK later today through to Friday.

All four of the Royals next to me are out patrolling their vivs..... Time to pair up I think


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## Central Scotland Reptiles (Nov 23, 2008)

Yes, my snakes are far more active at the moment.


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Mine aren't. If anything they're even more lethargic than usual for this time of year, with a couple of them that usually feed all year refusing feeds.


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Yes, it is par for the course. Snakes are able to detect barometric pressure and alter their behaviour accordingly, nobody really knows how, or to what extent. But I notice an increase in activity around storms as have many other keepers.

We know that barometric pressure can affect _amphibians_ to a great extent (for example strongly increasing the rate of calling, to the point that certain amphibians such as the Common tree frog _Hyla arborea _were used as makeshift barometers in times gone by).

We also know that _birds_ can detect barometric pressure (and altitude) using organs in their middle ear, and it is thought that some reptiles also have that ability.

What is known is that a number of factors affect reptile activity and your chances of seeing herps in the wild - for example stage of the moon, temperature, relative humidity, precipitation - and barometric pressure is one of those factors. One of the best times to see snakes, for example, is just before a storm (I can attest to that myself).

It has been pointed out that sea snakes are able to detect catastrophic tropical cyclones and that in areas previously very abundant with them, they will all disappear prior to a storm, and then repopulate the area after it has passed.

Barometric pressure has also been identified as one of the precursors to breeding of certain snakes such as tropical vipers and has been seen as useful in attempted breeding of Bushmasters (_Lachesis spp_).

There are plenty of anecdotal accounts of Royal pythons emerging and becoming active before and during storms and at least two field herpers I know have told me they often climb trees during these periods.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Well I've repaired the Pastave Enchi to my Pastel Lesser for their second introduction.... The female went straight into wagging her tail and exposing her vent... but the young (30 month old) male didn't show the same interest as before in his first introduction. Lets see what happens over night


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## LiasisUK (Sep 30, 2019)

Yes storms definitely do something, particularly in regards to breeding behaviour. Lots of locks from my snakes yesterday, my _Apodora papuana_ were locked for 9 hours yesterday. I have never seen them mate for that long. It also helps that their enclosure now has an automated misting system to replicate seasonal changes in rainfall.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

So that's why mine were more active yesterday. Well, that was until we lost power which is the downside of living in the sticks. No doubt will have same issue tomorrow.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Well mine now seem to be settled - and pressure is rising which might explain things

Here's the graph for yesterday - not a huge drop and rise, but still noticeable


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## arwen_7 (Oct 21, 2009)

Our snakes I've not noticed much change in them around storms. Perhaps they are a bit more alert, but movement wise I wouldn't say there is much change.
The axolotls become active and most of them seem to enjoy floating around more than usual. 
The weather loaches, predictably, go a bit crazy 😅

ZaZu, the parrot, becomes very cuddly.


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

I have a soft spot for weather loaches, having kept them from childhood. Endearing and entertaining 😁


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Sat here expecting to loose power again. My Royals viv dropped to just 18 degrees night before last due to powercut.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Interestingly everyone of my 7 Royals struck and ate first attempt last night !!

Normally one will be in shed mode 


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

arwen_7 said:


> Our snakes I've not noticed much change in them around storms. Perhaps they are a bit more alert, but movement wise I wouldn't say there is much change.
> The axolotls become active and most of them seem to enjoy floating around more than usual.
> The weather loaches, predictably, go a bit crazy
> 
> ZaZu, the parrot, becomes very cuddly.


Yeah our Italian Greyhound is even more attentive than normal 


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Elly66 said:


> Sat here expecting to loose power again. My Royals viv dropped to just 18 degrees night before last due to powercut.


Guess it’s only like cooling them down ??

I’ve never done it myself but I know that some breeders do 


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

All mine were food focused last night - three striking the glass as I moved passed, and when offered the rats almost shot out of the vivs... made feeding time interesting


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

This current storm is causing havoc - 46mph wind gusting to 63mph.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Malc said:


> This current storm is causing havoc - 46mph wind gusting to 63mph.
> 
> View attachment 359509


They reached 122 mph somewhere today ( uk) apparently 


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Zincubus said:


> Guess it’s only like cooling them down ??
> 
> I’ve never done it myself but I know that some breeders do
> 
> ...


Fluffy is currently blue, so very inactive but seems OK.
The situation wasn't helped by the pulse thermostat, it didn't come on when power did. Never had that with more standard ones. Also finding the pulse thermostat doesn't seem to keep the viv temperature as well as standard one. Beginning to think it was money poorly spent.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Elly66 said:


> Fluffy is currently blue, so very inactive but seems OK.
> The situation wasn't helped by the pulse thermostat, it didn't come on when power did. Never had that with more standard ones. Also finding the pulse thermostat doesn't seem to keep the viv temperature as well as standard one. Beginning to think it was money poorly spent.


I’m not great on the technical side but I do seem to recall that Pulse stats work better with either hear mats or bulbs .. but I can’t recall which one 


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

Elly66 said:


> Fluffy is currently blue, so very inactive but seems OK.
> The situation wasn't helped by the pulse thermostat, it didn't come on when power did. Never had that with more standard ones. Also finding the pulse thermostat doesn't seem to keep the viv temperature as well as standard one. Beginning to think it was money poorly spent.


Keep a close eye on it in case the power cut caused damage to the stat, when surge of power came back on?
Some stats come with additional fuses, I believe some are designed to cut power to the heat if a fault is developed, tho I’m not a sparky, just relaying what I’ve heard.
Dimming stats for bulbs.
Pulse proportional stats for mats etc


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Swindinian said:


> Keep a close eye on it in case the power cut caused damage to the stat, when surge of power came back on?
> Some stats come with additional fuses, I believe some are designed to cut power to the heat if a fault is developed, tho I’m not a sparky, just relaying what I’ve heard.
> Dimming stats for bulbs.
> Pulse proportional stats for mats etc


Maybe that’s the issue ..

Pretty sure they are using bulbs ( normal household ones I think - not ceramic but I maybe wrong )with a Pulse ..


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Elly66 said:


> Fluffy is currently blue, so very inactive but seems OK.
> The situation wasn't helped by the pulse thermostat, it didn't come on when power did. Never had that with more standard ones. Also finding the pulse thermostat doesn't seem to keep the viv temperature as well as standard one. Beginning to think it was money poorly spent.


Soooo I read somewhere that you are using bulbs so that’s why you maybe having heating issues ( especially if they’re just normal household bulbs not ceramic ones ) .


I maybe completely wrong about your set up though 


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Swindinian said:


> Keep a close eye on it in case the power cut caused damage to the stat, when surge of power came back on?
> Some stats come with additional fuses, I believe some are designed to cut power to the heat if a fault is developed, tho I’m not a sparky, just relaying what I’ve heard.
> Dimming stats for bulbs.
> Pulse proportional stats for mats etc


We use surge protectors and our mains box is new and also offers extra protection. 
The pulse thermostat is only linked to the ceramic heater. We'd never use one on a bulb. Hubby is a trained tech, so very switched on with electrics.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Zincubus said:


> Soooo I read somewhere that you are using bulbs so that’s why you maybe having heating issues ( especially if they’re just normal household bulbs not ceramic ones ) .
> 
> 
> I maybe completely wrong about your set up though
> ...


You've miss read. 
I use uva/uvb bulbs in all vivs. In corn viv it's a higher wattage one that provides plenty of heat for around 12hrs a day, it doesn'tneed heat at night.
In my Royal viv, I use a compact one for around 10hrs a day and heat is via a ceramic heater 24/7.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Elly66 said:


> You've miss read.
> I use uva/uvb bulbs in all vivs. In corn viv it's a higher wattage one that provides plenty of heat for around 12hrs a day, it doesn'tneed heat at night.
> In my Royal viv, I use a compact one for around 10hrs a day and heat is via a ceramic heater 24/7.


Ahhhh

All is well then 




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## loxocemus (Sep 2, 2006)

i remember a very old paper on the black pinesnake (_Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi_), the author lived within the natural range of that species, and whenever a storm rolled thru during breeding season he would open the window in his snakeroom and pair them up, more often than not they'd go at it.










rgds
ed


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