When people observe holes in the ground, they often wonder if snakes created them. While snakes are frequently seen entering or exiting such openings, they do not actively dig their own complex burrows or tunnels. Instead, snakes are highly resourceful, utilizing existing structures for shelter and other needs. This article clarifies how snakes interact with the ground and why these spaces are important for their survival.
Do Snakes Dig Their Own Burrows?
Most snake species do not possess the physical adaptations for excavating intricate burrows. Unlike mammals with specialized limbs and claws for digging, snakes primarily move by undulation, which is not suited for extensive earth removal. While some species, like hognose snakes, have upturned snouts that allow them to root around in soft soil or loose leaf litter, this differs from digging a stable tunnel. True burrowing snakes, such as sand boas, black-headed pythons, or certain worm snakes, are rare. They are primarily adapted to move through very loose sand or soft earth.
Snakes That Utilize Existing Burrows
Snakes are opportunistic creatures that commonly inhabit holes and burrows created by other animals. They frequently use abandoned tunnels dug by rodents like mice, voles, chipmunks, and gophers, as well as those made by turtles, frogs, or crayfish. Natural crevices in rocks, decaying logs, or human-made structures like foundations and old pipes also serve as suitable shelters. Common species such as garter snakes, rat snakes, king snakes, and various vipers are often found in these spaces. Snakes enter these burrows not only for shelter but also to hunt the animals that originally dug them, or to displace existing occupants.
Identifying Snake Holes
A key indicator that a hole might be used by a snake is the absence of freshly excavated dirt mounds around its entrance, a common sign of active digging by mammals. Snake-occupied holes appear as clean, circular, or oval openings, ranging from half an inch to three inches in diameter, often with smooth edges from the snake’s repetitive movements. Signs of snake presence near a hole can include discarded snake skins or distinctive droppings, which are dark, cylindrical, and topped with a white cap. Faint wavy or S-shaped tracks may be visible in the soil leading to or from the opening.
Why Snakes Use Burrows
Snakes, being ectothermic, rely on their environment to regulate their body temperature. Burrows provide a stable thermal refuge, offering insulation that protects snakes from extreme heat during the day and cold temperatures at night. Burrows also serve as shelter from predators. During colder months, snakes enter a state of dormancy known as brumation, and burrows provide the necessary stable, insulated environment below the frost line for survival. Many snakes are ambush predators, using burrows as concealed positions to wait for unsuspecting prey.