Quote:
Originally Posted by adamanteus
Gertie, the reason Garters use communal hibernation dens is because of the small numbers of suitable sites, this is not a social act and is quite well documented. These dens are often used by different species.
For example, Black Rat Snakes are sometimes referred to as Pilot Snakes or Rattlesnake Pilots because of the erroneous belief that they guide Rattlesnakes to winter dens. Dens in which Rattlers and Rat Snakes over-winter together. Mass hibernation is simply a matter of need... there are very few dens for very many snakes. Of course snakes have no means of 'passing the word' to hundreds of other snakes scattered across a wide area.
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If this is so then why did the rattle snakes documented by Austin stevens return every year to the same place? this doesnt sound like a "lack of good places to hibernate" It sounds like strict social behaviour, "coming home" if you will excuse the term. The cave he crawled inside to see the rattle snakes was simply crawling with them. he was aware that if he made one wrong move he was toast. the snakes were crawling over him there was no floor to be seen, i think he guessed at the number being in the hundreds, and he did say that even young snakes came to this cave even though they had never had their first winter. Maybe that isnt a communication thing but its definately a "something"