Snakes frequently use existing holes in the ground for shelter. These opportunistic reptiles do not typically dig their own elaborate burrows but adapt natural crevices or tunnels excavated by other animals. Understanding the characteristics of these holes can provide insight into snake behavior and help identify their presence.
Key Features of Snake Holes
Holes used by snakes typically exhibit distinct characteristics. They are generally small, often just large enough for the snake’s body to pass through, usually ranging from 1 to 4 inches in diameter. Their shape can be irregular, such as a “J” or “S” curve, conforming to the snake’s movement. Unlike many burrowing creatures, there is usually no mound of fresh, excavated dirt or debris around the entrance, as snakes repurpose existing structures. The edges of these holes might appear smooth due to repeated use by a snake’s scaly body, and these openings are often found in secluded areas, like under rocks, logs, tree roots, dense vegetation, or even near building foundations.
Telling Snake Holes Apart from Other Burrows
Distinguishing snake holes from those created by other burrowing animals involves observing specific details:
- Rodent holes, such as those made by mice or voles, are often small and perfectly round, typically accompanied by visible mounds of freshly excavated dirt around the entrance.
- Mole tunnels are primarily characterized by raised ridges or “mole hills” across the ground, rather than distinct open holes, and they often disturb surrounding vegetation.
- While moles do create holes, they usually leave a two-to-three-inch mound of dirt, which is absent from snake holes.
- Insect holes, like those of cicada killer wasps, are very small and perfectly circular, often featuring a small, neat pile of dirt.
- Other animals, such as squirrels, might leave clearer signs like claw marks or food debris around their burrow entrances.
Why and Where Snakes Use Holes
Snakes use holes for several important biological functions, including providing shelter from predators and offering a hidden refuge from threats. Holes are also crucial for thermoregulation, allowing snakes, as ectothermic animals, to escape extreme temperatures by moving into cooler, more humid underground environments during hot periods or staying above the frost line in warmer underground spaces during colder months. Some species use holes as ambush points for hunting prey. During colder seasons, snakes enter a state called brumation, similar to hibernation, and often congregate in communal dens or “hibernacula” deep underground, where temperatures remain stable. For some snake species, holes also serve as secure locations for egg-laying, providing a protected, moist environment for their clutches; snakes are highly opportunistic and will utilize existing structures such as abandoned rodent burrows, rock crevices, or spaces under logs, leaf litter, and even human-made structures like foundations or sheds.