Posted by:
FR
at Sun Apr 14 18:22:45 2013 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by FR ]
Hmmmmmmmm I do not see snakes nesting in rodent burrows. You use the word abandon. I am not sure that happens. Rodents constantly use burrows, make more, etc.
Hogs have their own burrowing system. They dig very well. They also live is soft soils.
What is funny is, I commonly see their burrows pop into other burrows.
Rodents and snake nests do not mix. Reptiles normally dig their nest chambers, then if not attending the eggs, cover the burrows and hide the entrances. Where I am doing my tracking, they normally go from a snake burrow to another snake burrow. You know, the burrow entrance is the exact size for the snake to squeeze in. There are also cases of larger burrows that have hog burrows in them. Can't tell you if its the cart or the horse. The rodent dug up a snake burrow, or the snake is using a rodent burrow.
Whats missing is, they normally cover all entrances, that is, they do not leave an entrance so other animals can smell and consume their eggs.
I cannot say they never use them, Its just not my experience and not very logical.
If you test deep nesting in a big cage, you will see there is no need to start a burrow or use an old burrow, they simply go down in the earth as if they live there. Oh wait, they do live there.(humor)
The closets population to me occurs in relatively harder soil them most, but its the very extreme part of their range, and they are not all that successful there. In those areas, they occur in farmland(plowed soils, and raparian, next to creeks.
There is a lot to learn about these guys, can't say what they are doing. Best wishes
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RE: Hognose nesing in racks. - FR, Sun Apr 14 18:22:45 2013