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From: oaf@mit-vax.UUCP (Oded Feingold)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Cold snaps and tropical reptiles
Message-ID: <4738@mit-vax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 16-Feb-85 16:27:54 EST
Article-I.D.: mit-vax.4738
Posted: Sat Feb 16 16:27:54 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 20-Feb-85 20:08:48 EST
Reply-To: oaf@mit-vax.UUCP (Oded Feingold)
Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 32
Keywords: python herpetologist
Summary: Request for verterinary advice wrt. burmese pythons

Yesterday I discovered that an electrical failure left my room and four
burmese pythons (python molurus bivitatus) in the cold.  When I entered
the room their temperature was 42 degrees.  I estimate that power had been
off for 36 hours, so they had been close to that cold for that long.  (I
have high confidence in that estimate - clocks and vaporizer water levels.)

All of them recovered vital signs (righting reflex, waking up) after
rewarming in 94 degree water.  Within two hours they seemed alert and
normal, though one had convulsions for 10 minutes on first being rewarmed.
They are now back at 86 degrees, which I hope will stay stable.  I have
not noticed any pathological sequelae so far.

Specific questions:
	1)  What bad effects, if any, should I expect over the next few
		days/weeks?
	2)  Among the four snakes, two had recently eaten - should I 
		assume that digestion failed over that time and the
		food should be expelled?
	3)  One of the remaining two is a one-month gravid female.  What
		effect will the cold snap have on the developing eggs?
	4)  Should I undertake any medical procedures in advance of symptoms?

General question:
	Any other herpetologists on net.pets?

Thanks.

Oded Feingold

MIT AI Laboratory			oaf%oz@mit-mc.ARPA
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Cambridge, Mass. 02139			617-253-8598