A study that I believe was conducted partly in Tennessee back in 1999 or 2000 by S. J. Mullin, W.H.N. Gutzke, G.D. Zenitsky, and R.J. Cooper observed home ranges of ratsnakes up to 13.4 hectares (33 acres) though the average was much lower. The snakes in Vermont seem to move a bit farther and conduct something of an annual loop but no radio telemetry studies have been done here. Ratsnakes have pretty high natality rates (returning to the same den year after year to hibernate) so I would not be surprised if displaced animals will wander for extended periods of time looking for familiar ground. I don't even know if Tennessee ratsnakes even den though -- it might be warm enough down there for them to avoid it.



Not ratsnake but many people believe that Wood Turtles can actually "home" in on their habitat and if they are displaced even miles can make their way back. I doubt they can home like a pigeon but they definitely wander very long distances in the search for familiar land. Wood Turtles have very good spacial memory so as soon as they find land that they recognize they then go directly where they want to from there. I don't know how long a very far displaced individual will roam before giving up and settling in on the new habitat and there are certainly many species that are perfectly content wherever they are dropped off as long as there is suitable habitat. Ratsnakes in TN might go either way depending on how critical natal den sites are but I would never move one out of its home range in VT for fear it would wander great distances, become stressed, and then die in the winter.



It sounds like you are in a fairly developed area so it seems amazing to me that the snake hasn't been killed already. I try to make a habit out of letting things go exactly where I find them since they got there safely enough the first time and know how to get back to the rest of their home range but the wood lot might be its best shot. I guess it's your call, I just wanted to give you some food for thought.

[ Show Entire Thread ]