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View Full Version : hibernation question...how smart are snakes?


snakesarentevil
10-18-15, 08:44 AM
I piled up a bunch of random length dimensional lumber behind my garage, partly with the idea of attracting snakes. It worked, as all summer under the right conditions I have had a variety of snakes basking, mostly fox, garter and brown snakes. Here in the Midwest, it gets very cold and the frost goes several feet deep (5 feet on a really cold year). The wood pile is on concrete, and as the temps get cooler I imagine that concrete will remain warmer temporarily. But as I understand it, snakes must find a place to hibernate which remains above freezing all winter.

My question: are the snakes smart enough to sense that hiding within/under this wood pile is not a good long term plan or will they be lured into a false sense of security and then die from freezing?

Thanks in advance

Pareeeee
10-18-15, 02:33 PM
I doubt you need to worry. Wild snakes instinctually know where and when to hide for the winter. I wouldn't worry about them.

snakesarentevil
10-18-15, 04:16 PM
I hope you are right. We have an area with a lot of deep rodent holes...if need be I could move the wood pile one board at a time and relocate any snakes to such an area.