Re: anyone ever done/seen a study on ......

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Posted by Rod on December 02, 2000 at 09:37:03:

In Reply to: anyone ever done/seen a study on ...... posted by kris on August 13, 2000 at 22:44:11:

Kris,
I have the exact same problem you do. I have researched the literature trying to locate information on survival rates of reptiles that have been introduced to a new home range. So far, no luck. My guess is with bull snakes that it isn't as much an issue as it might be with more sedentary animals. Bull snakes are highly active foragers that cover a lot of territory. Most probably hibernate in animal burrows or other opportunistic shelters. Rattlesnakes, on the other hand, definitely return to known hibernaculums year after year. I have trapped a rattlesnake hibernaculum on our wildlife preserve for the past 4 years. I've discovered that the rattlesnakes (C. atrox, C. viridis, C. mollossus) return each season (not all of them). I have also caught coachwhips, green snakes, and Texas ratsnakes fromt he same hibernaculum. I have never caught a bull snake here, despite the fact that they are fairly abundant on the tract. It leads me to believe they hibernate whereever than can when the season arrives. NNevertheless, I think it is a bad idea, in general, to release animals into habitat they are not familiar with. However, the alternative in most cases is more unpleasant for the snake (as you've noted).

Rod

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: Kris, : I have the exact same problem you do. I have researched the literature trying to locate information on survival rates of reptiles that have been introduced to a new home range. So far, no luck. My guess is with bull snakes that it isn't as much an issue as it might be with more sedentary animals. Bull snakes are highly active foragers that cover a lot of territory. Most probably hibernate in animal burrows or other opportunistic shelters. Rattlesnakes, on the other hand, definitely return to known hibernaculums year after year. I have trapped a rattlesnake hibernaculum on our wildlife preserve for the past 4 years. I've discovered that the rattlesnakes (C. atrox, C. viridis, C. mollossus) return each season (not all of them). I have also caught coachwhips, green snakes, and Texas ratsnakes fromt he same hibernaculum. I have never caught a bull snake here, despite the fact that they are fairly abundant on the tract. It leads me to believe they hibernate whereever than can when the season arrives. NNevertheless, I think it is a bad idea, in general, to release animals into habitat they are not familiar with. However, the alternative in most cases is more unpleasant for the snake (as you've noted). : Rod

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