I just had a thought while browsing through the web about russian rat sankes.As I have my Nikita now,I was wondering how a snake reacts to not having a 'wintersleep' for 6 month.Because she is already 7-10 years old,and most of her life she had a 'wintersleep' and is used to not eating in that time,will I get problems with her if I don't get her to do 'wintersleep'?Sorry I forgot the English word for it,but you are clever enough to know what I mean!

Hibernate (or brumate) is the word. When I know my colubrids won't be breeding, I don't brumate them unless they insist on it (which one or two sometimes will). I've never had any negative results from it (aside from not getting as much of a break on the rodent bill). If you keep her temps up and keep her light cycle the same, I don't think there is any reason why she shouldn't do fine without it.

Thanks a lot Alleto;this helps a lot!

I have heard from a lot of people, professional breeders and amateur keepers, that after their first or second year of life, it is best to brumate yearly. Apparently it increases the longevity of their animals when their metabolic functions get a little break now and then. I brumate all snakes 2 years or older because everyone else's reasoning to do it makes sense to me haha.

I have been given the go-ahead by several professional breeders to NOT brumate as well. The best thing to do is study the reasons given on both sides, and decide what works out for your snakes.