![]() ![]() I studied prairie rattlesnakes in Wyoming, where one den contained over 600 individuals! In really cold climates, the ground can freeze up to 4 to 6 feet deep, and the reason there were so many snakes in one spot is probably because suitable dens sites are limited. In colder northern climates, rattlesnakes can form huge denning aggregations. And unlike tiger rattlesnakes and black-tailed rattlesnakes, both of which tend to den by themselves, Western diamondbacks often den in groups of up to 10 to 20 individuals in the same area. They may hibernate inside a pack rat den or along with other reptiles, such as Gila monsters and desert tortoises. The Western diamondback typically dens on rocky slopes or in small caves that form on the sides of washes. Tiger rattlesnake dens are in rocky outcrops, so they go into the cracks and crevices of rocks – about 2 to 4 feet down – and you don’t see them again until spring. There’s some debate on whether we should call it “hibernation” or “brumation,” which is essentially hibernation in ectotherms, but for our purposes it’s OK to call it hibernation, or a period of winter inactivity.Ī: Where and how snakes den also varies by species. Western diamondback rattlesnakes, a larger, more common species, will go into their dens a little later, on average.įor the most part, around Tucson, at this elevation and with the winters we have, almost all reptiles undergo a hibernation period. One species that I have studied extensively is the tiger rattlesnake, which is a smaller, retiring species that tend to go into their dens from late October to early December. That said, the timing and length of the overwintering period varies by species. They will stop feeding and enter into a sometimes long period of inactivity. Rattlesnakes are very long-lived – about 15 to 20 years, or more – relative to their body size because they’re really good at conserving energy. As it turns out, being an ectotherm has some advantages, like being able to essentially shut down your system and save energy rather than spending it on trying to stay warm. When winter temperatures get too cold, snakes typically go underground or into natural shelters, like rockpiles or mammal burrows, to avoid freezing. Therefore, snake body temperatures are coupled with environmental temperatures, although they are very good at behaviorally thermoregulating to keep their body temperatures fairly constant. Q: Why do rattlesnakes hibernate during the winter?Ī: Snakes are ectotherms, which means their internal body temperatures do not remain constant like mammals, which are endotherms. Goode is especially interested in how urbanization and conservation efforts affect snakes. ![]() He is an investigator in the university’s world-renowned Venom Immunochemistry, Pharmacology and Emergency Response, or VIPER, Institute, which is affiliated with the BIO5 Institute and the College of Medicine – Tucson. Matt Goode, assistant research scientist in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, has published more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters related to ecology and conservation of herpetofauna, particularly snakes. They’re shutting down their systems, conserving energy and revving up for reproduction, according to a rattlesnake expert at the University of Arizona. When snakes hibernate during the cold-weather season, they are far from inactive, at least metabolically speaking. ![]()
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