In the process, the heart temporarily stops beating and the frogs enter a state of suspended animation. Then they'll remain dormant for up to eight months. Indiana Jones will want to keep his distance.Įvery autumn, wood frogs bury themselves under a thin blanket of leaf litter on the forest floor. One Canadian den reportedly contained no fewer than 8,000 snakes. Garter snakes are famous for hibernating in huge groups that may consist of hundreds - or even thousands - of individuals. Likewise, snakes often share their dens with other snakes. Members of both species will sometimes go dormant together inside the same burrow. Consider the Eastern diamondback rattler, who doesn't seem to mind cohabitating with gopher tortoises. Reptiles are perceived as loners, a reputation that isn't entirely deserved. When a midwinter warm spell comes along, they'll use it as an opportunity to crawl up to the surface, bask in the sunlight for a little while and maybe grab a quick drink. Reptiles tend to be more active during hibernation/brumation. Now a hibernating black bear can sleep for more than 100 days straight without consuming any food or water. Some species - such as the gopher tortoise - dig their own burrows, but it's not uncommon to find the shelled reptiles occupying pre-dug, unoccupied rodent holes. Hiding out underground is the survival strategy of choice for lots of tortoises and turtles as well. Ideally, a winter hangout spot will descend below the local frost line, the maximum depth beneath the ground at which soil freezes. In seasonally cold areas like Canada and the northern U.S., snakes must choose their dens with care. Various snakes have also been known to turn household basements or garages into winter lodges. These shelters may take the form of an abandoned rodent burrow, an exposed crevice on a rock face, or some naturally occurring hole underneath a tree. Dormant snakes generally hole themselves up in winter dens.
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