It is a common sight to find holes in the ground, whether in a garden, yard, or natural area. These mysterious openings often spark curiosity about which animals might be responsible for their creation. Many people wonder if snakes, with their elusive nature and tendency to hide, are the architects behind these subterranean tunnels.
Do Snakes Dig Holes?
For the vast majority of snake species, the answer is no, snakes do not actively dig complex burrows or holes. Their physical anatomy, specifically the absence of limbs and specialized digging tools like claws, makes them unsuited for excavating in compacted earth. While some snakes, such as certain hognose snakes, can root around in loose soil or sand to find prey or create shallow depressions, they do not construct intricate tunnel systems.
Specialized burrowing snakes do exist, like the Brahminy blind snake, often mistaken for an earthworm due to its small size. These fossorial snakes spend most of their lives underground, creating narrow tunnels in loose soil or leaf litter. The tunnels made by these burrowers are generally very small and intricate, distinct from the larger holes typically associated with mammals.
Snakes as Opportunistic Residents
Snakes are highly opportunistic creatures that frequently utilize existing burrows, crevices, rock piles, hollow logs, and other natural shelters. They seek out these pre-existing spaces for various reasons, primarily for protection from predators and the elements. Snakes also use these shelters for thermoregulation, moving between warm and cool spots to maintain their body temperature.
Existing holes and burrows also serve as locations for brumation, a state of inactivity similar to hibernation that snakes enter during colder months. These sheltered spots provide secure places for snakes to shed their skin and can function as ambush points from which to hunt prey. Snakes often take over burrows created by rodents such as mice, gophers, chipmunks, or even tortoises, finding safety and resources in these ready-made accommodations.
Common Hole-Digging Animals
If snakes are not typically the culprits, then what animals are responsible for the holes commonly observed in yards and natural areas? A variety of animals are adept at digging, creating distinct types of burrows for shelter, nesting, or foraging. Rodents are frequent architects of holes, including mice, rats, and voles. Rat burrows, for instance, are 2-4 inches in diameter, often found along walls or fences, and may have a fan-shaped pile of fresh dirt outside the entrance. Voles, which are small, mouse-like rodents, create shallow tunnels with dime-sized holes and distinct runways through the grass.
Larger mammals also dig significant burrows.
- Groundhogs (woodchucks): Create extensive burrow systems with one main entrance and several escape exits, often 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Their burrows can extend up to 6 feet deep and 20 feet wide with multiple entrances.
- Badgers: Powerful diggers known for elaborate dens (setts) with multiple entrances and extensive tunnel networks up to 300 meters long. Entrances are often large and D-shaped.
- Foxes: Dig dens (earths) typically 6 to 12 inches across, sometimes with multiple entrances and a distinct musky odor.
- Skunks: Dig small, cone-shaped holes, usually about 3-4 inches in diameter and depth, as they forage for insects.
- Gophers: Create crescent-shaped mounds of dirt with a plugged hole. Their burrow systems can cover large areas, sometimes between 200 to 2,000 square feet.