If you’ve ever encountered a snake in your yard or home, you may have wondered if it will come back to that same spot. As a homeowner, the idea of snakes repeatedly returning to your property can be unsettling.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: While some snake species do exhibit site fidelity and will reuse the same basking spots, shelters, or hunting grounds, most snakes continuously explore new areas and do not deliberately return to a previous location.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about snake behavior and habitat use to understand if and when snakes are likely to revisit an area.
What Influences Snake Movement and Site Selection
Climate and Weather Conditions
Snakes are ectothermic, meaning they rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature. As such, climate and seasonal weather patterns greatly impact their movements and habitat selections.
In spring, snakes become more active as temperatures warm, emerging from brumation sites to bask in the sun and search for food and mates. Extreme heat in summer may drive snakes to seek cooler shelter underground or in shaded areas.
Fall’s cooling temperatures trigger some species to begin migrating to their brumation dens, while others remain active into winter if the climate is mild enough.
Availability of Prey and Shelter
Snakes are constantly on the hunt for their next meal and will travel far and wide in search of food. Rodent or amphibian prey populations often determine where snakes will be found. Shelter from predators and the elements also drives snake movement.
They seek refuge in burrows, rock crevices, fallen logs, and other natural hideouts. Areas with ample prey and cover see more snake activity as they provide key resources for survival.
Brumation Sites
In cold climates, snakes rely on specific brumation sites to survive the winter months. These are usually underground locations like rock crevices, burrows, or caves that stay above freezing and allow snakes to enter a dormant state.
Come spring, snakes faithfully return to the same brumation spots year after year. Some research indicates snakes may remember and be drawn back to these sites due to familiar scents and pheromone trails left behind.
Breeding Migration
Migratory snakes like rattlesnakes, garter snakes, and water snakes cover large distances each spring to converge on communal breeding grounds. These mating sites, often in wetlands or near dens, see thousands of snakes gather to find mates.
After breeding, the snakes disperse and migrate back to their summer feeding sites. But the following year, many will complete the long journey once more to breed at the traditional gathering spot.
Species Most Likely To Return
Rattlesnakes
Rattlesnakes are well known for being territorial reptiles. Once they find an area they like, they will come back to it year after year. The features they look for tend to be areas with plenty of rocks or brush for hiding, access to prey like rodents, and open areas for basking in the sun.
According to wildlife experts, if a rattlesnake is removed from a territory, a new rattlesnake will eventually move in to take over that prime real estate.In fact, rattlesnakes demonstrate the highest site fidelity out of all snake species, with some returning to within 98 feet of where they were found the previous year.
Black Rat Snakes
The black rat snake is another species that demonstrates high site fidelity. These nonvenomous snakes tend to inhabit rural buildings, barns, and abandoned structures. Once they establish a good location, they will come back to the same sites for shelter and hunting over multiple seasons.
According to tracking research, black rat snakes may return within 30 feet of their previous locations. Their excellent climbing and swimming abilities allow them to navigate exactly back to these sites.
Corn Snakes
Beautiful corn snakes tend to be the most loyal in terms of returning close to their previous homes, especially if they have success breeding there. Females will navigate back to the same den site year after year to give birth.
Males will also return to familiar breeding grounds to find mates during the spring and summer. Outside of breeding season, corn snakes don’t tend to be quite as territorial and may wander farther from previous shelters and hunting grounds.
Still, their homing abilities are impressive enough to usually lead them back close to home.
Kingsnakes
Kingsnakes inhabit a wide variety of habitats and demonstrate varying degrees of site fidelity. The California kingsnake is one subspecies that shows high loyalty to previous shelters and hunting territories, while the speckled kingsnake tends to have lower site fidelity.
In general, if a kingsnake finds an area with plentiful prey and shelter sites that allow them to survive winters, they will be motivated to return to those locations year after year. According to wildlife tracking, female kingsnakes are also likely to display homing behavior to reach previous birthing sites.
Garter Snakes
Steps To Deter Snakes From An Area
Remove Snake Attractors
To deter snakes from entering an area, one of the first lines of defense is removing elements from the environment that attract them. Snakes are drawn to places that provide food, water, and shelter. According to wildlife removal experts, key items that serve as snake magnets include:
- Pet food dishes left outdoors
- Bird feeders that scatter seeds on the ground
- Compost piles rich in rodents and insects
- Wood piles and debris that provide hiding spots
- Areas of standing water such as birdbaths and koi ponds
Eliminating these snake attractors reduces temptation for the reptiles to visit and linger. For example, switching to hanging bird feeders prevents accumulation of fallen seed that draws rodents that snakes prey upon.
Experts also advise keeping the yard clear of heavy vegetation and brush near the home’s foundation.
Block Access Points
Another deterrent step is physically blocking areas where snakes typically enter yards and homes. According to pest control research, the prime access points include:
- Cracks in foundations and walls
- Openings around outdoor faucets or water spigots
- Gaps in door thresholds
- Roof vents and openings
- Undersides of concrete steps and porch slabs
Sealing these entryways denies snakes routes indoors. Products to close gaps include metal mesh, concrete mortar, copper mesh, silicone caulk, spray foam and steel wool. Maintaining tight-fitting doors and keeping screens in good repair also fortifies the structure’s exterior.
Use Repellents
Deploying chemical repellents adds another line of snake protection for yards and homes. According to pest control experts, popular choices proven to drive away snakes include:
- Cinnamon oil extract
- Clover oil
- Peppermint oil
- Sulfur
- Moth balls
These substances produce odors unpleasant to snakes that motivate them to avoid treated areas. For example, research shows cinnamon and clover oil extracts mimic predator scent that make snakes instinctively steer clear.
Lightly dusting labeled repellents around likely access points or mixing solutions to spray border areas creates an unpleasant sensory perimeter.
Beyond DIY application, technologically advanced snake deterrents utilize vibration and electromagnetic waves undetectable to humans. For instance, the REPTIGUARD system claims over 90% snake repelling effectiveness for properties.
Users install and stake transmission spikes around the perimeter that continually pulse out targeted wavelengths. Requiring no chemicals or refills, the signals annoy snakes sensitive detection while proving harmless to outdoor pets.
Getting creative, some homeowners report clever tricks like lining boundaries with prickly rose bush trimmings or their shed snake skins collected after removal. Whatever methods applied, repeating deterrent measures often proves necessary given snakes annually return in seasonal cycles.
While preventing snake encounters takes planning and effort, the peace of mind gained makes it a worthwhile endeavor.
Conclusion
While not all snake species exhibit strong site fidelity, some snakes may be attracted back to areas that provide ideal resources like food, shelter, warmth, and mates. By understanding what draws snakes to certain habitat and taking targeted steps to reduce appeal and accessibility, you can reduce the chances of repeat snake visitors.
