How Long Do Corn Snakes Hibernate?

Corn snakes hibernate from 2-8 months, as the length if time is determined by the climate. Colder climate leads to longer hibernation. Most Corn snakes will hibernate for 2 months.

It helps to understand why a corn snake would “hibernate” in the first place. Cold blooded snakes require heat from the environment around them. In the winter months, it can be difficult to find a good warm place to hang out, and extreme cold temperatures can be threatening to their health, and possibly even lead to death.

Reptiles can go into a state of slowed metabolism to lower their requirements for food and water, and they will not move around as much.

However, they do not actually go into a long term sleep. This is a misconception when we use words like hibernation.

To be more accurate though, we should say that corn snakes technically do not hibernate, they go through a brumation cycle.

What is the Difference Between Hibernation and Brumation?

Hibernation and brumation are very similar in general, but the main difference is that hibernation is something a mammal will do, and a cold blooded creature like a corn snake will “brumate”.

It is mostly semantics, but it is important to use the proper terminology as “hibernation” can lead one to believe that corn snakes go into a long term deep sleep, which they do not.

You may observe your snake to be eating and drinking less than usual, or acting a bit more lethargic. Understanding the brumation cycle will help you understand that there is actually nothing wrong with your snake.