Hibernation vs. no hibernation.



Lots of material was brought up. From they do hibernate, to, no they don't. To they are capable of moving and doing things at very low temps. To they are torpid at cold temps. To ice and snow, to no ice and snow, to the snow insulates, to dead trees and all such matters. They congregate or hibernate singly, there may be babies in these groups, to mostly there are no babies in these groups.



You know, I agree with all that. Yes, every single bit of that.



But as I mentioned at the bottom of that thread. With all the variation they do, and all the variation in weather, they somehow do these things at the very same time. Like breeding(colubrids) From late march to late april(or so) To egg laying, from late april to late May(normally) To the emergence of offspring(hatching) from july to sept. How strange is that. Considering they are so different!



Yes there are exceptions like subocs laying in sept. But all in all, they seem to do these basic life events on the very same schedule. Even snakes from Fla.(warm all the dang time) to Ariz(cold in winter, hell in summer) To across the south and across the north. My goodness, how does that happen??????????



Again as I mentioned, If what they do in summer is the same. Wouldn't you think what they are doing is winter is the same too. It only makes sense. Doesn't it?



For sure, some may be doing these things, deep in safe areas as the surface is hostile. Some may be doing this near or on the surface. Some may be doing this in trees or rocks or basements, but they are still doing it. All across the U.S.



The more we study snakes, the more we see lots of species congregating in winter. They congregate in Fla, in Calif, in Ariz, in Neuva York, in Minn. Heck, snakes congregate in Carins and Darwin, and those are near the equator. They congregate in indo, on the equator. They congregate on the high plateaus of Mex. to the low coastal areas. So why do they congregate if its not to protect themselves from freezing?



So while you fellas really like your terms of hibernation and yours truly have to be doing that because thats what you want. But what are they really doing, remember, they are doing it in hot equatorial areas, just like they are doing it under the snow. hmmmmmm



For TC, my wife just saw a fresh DOR diamondback next to our mailbox and a DOR longnose down the street. If you would have asked, I would have explained, large adults(breeders) are no longer moving around(normally), its mainly subadults and juvi's that move on the surface in winter. But abnormal happens, it happens because it can happen. The adults here are now gathering in pairs and small groups to spend the winter together. While the others are doing what they need to do. FR

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