Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The snake I posted about a few days ago came back. He was outside our sliding glass door. Is it standard behavior for the snake to come back to a place where we were messing with him trying to get him out of the house? We put him pretty far away in the woods.

Do you think he has another family member in our house? Any other reasons he would want to come back into the same place?

>>The snake I posted about a few days ago came back.

How would you know it was exactly the same individual? It seems more likely another snake of the same species happened to arrive at your house. At this time of year in many parts of the country, snakes are conspicuously active as they try to find refuge for the winter. If your house is new, it could be that your house was built along their traditional route from summer grounds to winter hibernation areas. In that case, moving the snake around to the other side of the house could encourage him along his way.

>>We put him pretty far away in the woods.

Recent studies with rattlesnakes show that relocating a snake often dooms it to a long slow death by starvation. Apparently the spend all their time trying to find familiar surroundings and end up not eating and getting killed by being out too long.

These studies suggest that you aren't doing the snake any favors by relocating it. Why not just move it out of your way to a nearby area (another area of your yard, for example) and let it find its own new area.

>>Do you think he has another family member in our house?

Snakes do not form social relationships with other individuals, family or otherwise. And again, you are assuming it is the same individual.

>>Any other reasons he would want to come back into the same place?

The first thing you really have to do is figure out what kind of snake it is. The solution to that is to either get a picture and post it here or try searching online field guides to your area or books in the library. Once you figure out it isn't dangerous, you can just move it out of the way next time it comes near the house.

Having snakes in your yard isn't a bad thing, as long as they aren't venomous.
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Chris Harrison
Central Texas

That was as informed & cogent a reply as has been posted on this board in some time. Good job.

~~Greg~~

np
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1.0 Albino Corn "Lucky"
1.0 Snow Corn "Snow"
0.0.4 Southern Ringneck "Collar", "Bc", "Lazy", "Biggie"
1.0 Green Amevia "Gizard"

Thanks for the info.

You are right. It may not be the same snake. If he comes back we are going to try to get a picture of him.

Nice to know they are not social creatures since my husband has a fear of snakes.

About the woods, even though I say way out...well it actually wasn't. We back to acres and acres of common ground and we put him in the wooded area right behind our house (which is probably where he came from orginally). Our house is over 35 years old, so he was probably just trying to find a place to hang out for the winter. I definitely do not want to hurt him that is why we chose to catch and release rather than catch and kill. We have lots of creatures around our home. My poor husband, I even make him catch and release spiders!

I was just curious that if it was the same one, I didn't know if perhaps there was a nest or something (do they nest?) and wanted to make sure he wasn't separated if there were.

Well will let you know if he comes back and will try to get a photo.

Thanks Again!