do nelsons milksnake hibrnate?

Question

do nelsons milksnake hibernate if so how long of time?

Answer 1

No snake hibernates in the sense of the word. The correct term is "brumation." Brumation differs from hibernation in that the snake does not sleep all through the winter; he wakes up every 10 days or so to drink.

Nelson's milksnakes will brumate if it gets cold enough. However, in captivity, a snake will not brumate unless you actively lower the temperatures to simulate winter conditions. If you keep his heat source on all year round, he won't brumate. Hope that helped.

Answer 2

No. I actually have a milksnake living in my shed....big pain in the butt! They are just more active in certain seasons (spring time is mating for them and this guy is always sunning himself for the ladies), but they don't nessarily hibernate. Though in the winter they are not seen, but they are just hiding where it's warm...not sleeping off the season. So like any other snake or lizzard, they're always about just not easily found.

Answer 3

A snakes, like other reptiles body temperature is ambient,,,(dependant on external temperatures).

Certainly they have tolerance levels as mammals do, and ways of dealing with survival.

All snakes will go onto some level of stasis depending on climate, season, etc. Even a snake kept caged will be less active, less hungry, indoors if the temperatures don't strictly suit it.

Example: I lost a snake once, in my SUV, in December. I tore the truck apart looking, with no success. I even left "Pinkies" in the truck.

In April the next year I was doing a construction job, and carried some waste materials in my truck. I woke one morning to unload the trash, and there on top of some decayed lumber, was my snake. She seemed healthy, though not very active. She ate, and resumed a normal, kept life.

With no food or water for 4 months, I'd say "Hibernate" qualifys as an accurate definition of what took place.

Answer 4

Jason is right,they go into brumation if the temperature gets cold enough,I own 7 snakes and my house doesn't get below 70 deg. so they eat years round