How do snakes spend the winter?

Hibernation is not only an adaptation of snakes to low temperature conditions, but also a genetic characteristic formed by snakes over a long period of time. The hibernation of snakes is not a period of sleep, but a dormant state directly caused by low temperature. So how do snakes survive the winter? Come and have a look with the editor.

1. Snakes like to live in groups when they hibernate, often as few as three or five in a hibernating cave, as many as dozens or even hundreds. As winter approaches, snakes have a herding instinct, and sometimes several species of snakes live in a cave, but the reason is not the lack of suitable hibernation places.

2. During the hibernation period of the snake, in addition to paying attention to the heat preservation, we should also pay attention to the humidity, because the humidity in the hibernating place is also very important, which is generally maintained at 40%, 45%, but not too low, otherwise the air is too dry, affecting the normal breathing of the snake during hibernation. At the same time, it should not be too wet, because the humidity will lower the temperature in the nest. A basin of water can be put in the nest or box, which can adjust the humidity on the one hand and provide drinking for snakes on the other.

3. When the snake hibernates, the temperature in the snake nest should be kept at 5-10 ℃. When the temperature is higher than 10 ℃, the snake hibernates restlessly, and the metabolism is strengthened, which increases the consumption of nutrients in the snake, which is disadvantageous to hibernation. When the temperature is lower than 5 ℃, it often makes the snake freeze to death.

Snakes have a series of corresponding physiological changes during hibernation, but sometimes due to insufficient food before hibernation, insufficient accumulation of nutrients, unhealthy snake body, unideal hibernation place and so on, snakes often die during or after hibernation. Under natural conditions, the hibernating mortality rate of snakes is up to 1 × 3-1 × 2. It is determined that the fat coefficient of Agkistrodon acutus must reach 7%, and that of Ussuri Agkistrodon acutus must reach 10% before it can safely hibernate and survive the winter.