When Do Snakes Come Out?

It’s easy to imagine a snake slithering under the cover of night, stealthily stalking its prey. However, with over 3,000 snake species on every continent except Antarctica, not all snakes have the same habits. The time of the day they hunt and the seasons they are active depend on the species and the region. ‘For example, snakes in Florida may remain active during the winter months due to the warmer climate, while snakes in Massachusetts are typically inactive during winter. If you’re wondering why, keep reading to learn more about snakes and when they typically come out.

When Snakes Come Out to Hunt

When it comes to snakes’ preferred times to hunt, they can be nocturnal, diurnal, or crepuscular — which means they favor twilight hours. Some snakes are also flexible, preferring different times of the day during different seasons or climatic conditions. For example, black rat snakes are diurnal in the spring and fall when temperatures are cooler, and nocturnal during the summer when temperatures are warmer.

Crepuscular Snakes

Many snakes, including a number of rattlesnake species, eastern coral snakes, California kingsnakes, and ball pythons, are crepuscular, giving them several advantages. Like all reptiles, snakes are ectotherms. That means that they require an external heat source, like the sun or heated rocks, to help them regulate their body temperatures. Snakes have naturally low metabolisms, so they need the heat to move, hunt, and even digest efficiently. However, snakes can also get too hot. Therefore, they burrow underground during the hottest parts of the day to avoid overheating. Being crepuscular gives snakes enough warmth to hunt, but allows them to avoid the midday heat. This also allows them to avoid diurnal predators such as birds of prey and nocturnal predators like owls.

Diurnal Snakes

Garter snakes, eastern corn snakes, black racers, coachwhips, and bullsnakes are primarily diurnal. One reason, of course, is that they require the warmth of the sun to be able to hunt. However, some snakes are diurnal because their prey is also active during the day. For example, bullsnakes prey on birds, rodents, and other small animals that are active during daylight hours. Coachwhips prefer very hot temperatures of midday, as they require more energy to catch fast-moving prey such as birds, lizards, and other snakes. Snakes may also be diurnal to avoid nocturnal predators.

Nocturnal Snakes

Northern copperheads, black king snakes, and several species of night snakes and milk snakes are primarily nocturnal. Some snakes, such as the Texas night snake, even have adaptations for nocturnal hunting, including vertical pupils that provide better night vision. Snakes in warmer climates may be nocturnal to keep from overheating. They are unable to survive extreme temperatures for more than 10-20 minutes, and even at night, they can obtain warmth from objects in their environment that retain heat. Nocturnal snakes may also be avoiding diurnal predators and aligning their activities with those of their preferred prey.

Snake Season

Snake season generally runs from the spring through late fall. Snakes begin to emerge in March or April to search for food and mates. They will continue to remain active well into October, or even later if conditions are right for hunting. For example, in the southern U.S., snakes emerge earlier and remain active longer than snakes in northern states due to the warmer climate.

Snakes do not hibernate, but they enter a state called brumation when it becomes too cold to sustain their metabolisms and prey becomes scarce. As ectotherms, snakes can only survive within a temperature range of about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Snakes need to brumate when the ground freezes and temperatures remain regularly below freezing.

However, they do not sleep continuously like hibernating animals do. During brumation, snakes wake up periodically. Although they do not need to eat during this period, they do need to drink, so they often brumate near a permanent water source. If the weather warms up, snakes may emerge to bask before retreating to their dens when it becomes cold again.