Why does the mouse like snake skin?

[pepperj]

This is kind of a strange one for myself and a few others that have come across a mouse nest that has been lined with a shed snake skin. It seems that the mice will line the nest bottom and put pieces all around the parameter of the nest also, different that's for sure.

 

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[RGINN]

That is kinda strange. My only guess would have to be there was no odor left in the shed skin.

 

[pepperj]

That is kinda strange. My only guess would have to be there was no odor left in the shed skin.

I think it was from a Black Rat snake by the look of the colour. Some theories were that the mice were using it as a defensive tool, something on the lines of snake comes along smells a snake and thinks been there done that spot.

 

[RGINN]

I could see that theory, but it would seem like that would attract snakes. I'll try to check with my son who's done a lot of reptile research and see what he knows about it. I got a pair of snakeskin boots, and maybe the mice could be like me. Snakeskin just looks cool.

 

[RGINN]

Well pepperj I talked with my son about this. He told me that mice will use whatever's available to line their nests, and that is the only purpose for the material. Very few snakes eat mice, and some mice, particularly the grasshopper mouse (look that one up, interesting) actually hunt snakes. He said on the other hand, squirrels hate all snakes equally. I got my own thoughts on the subject, but I'll defer to him for now, as he's the one with the degrees and has his snake research published in some scientific journal we'll probably never read.

 

[tamrock]

Not sure why a mouse would use it, but I have seen Robins pick up pieces of shed snake skin and fly away with it. I took it the Robin was thinking it'll work just fine in the building of a nest. I believe it is lite to carry in flight and does have good tensile strength. Could just be a function of natures engineering. One year after my furnace was laid idle for the warm months I started it up and the blower started up for the first time it made a heck of a racket, as it was way out of balance. My suspicions where a mouse has built a nest in the fan. That was the case and the stuff that mouse used to build the nest was a good variety of stuff from dog hair, pieces of paper to a short piece of dental floss. All stuff a mouse could carry with ease.

 

[Carolina Tom]

The mouse uses the skin to "hide" her scent.

Squirrels Use "Snake Perfume" to Fool Predators

 

[pepperj]

The mouse uses the skin to "hide" her scent.

Squirrels Use "Snake Perfume" to Fool Predators

Now that's an interesting article, thanks for posting up the link Tom.

 

[pepperj]

Well pepperj I talked with my son about this. He told me that mice will use whatever's available to line their nests, and that is the only purpose for the material. Very few snakes eat mice, and some mice, particularly the grasshopper mouse (look that one up, interesting) actually hunt snakes. He said on the other hand, squirrels hate all snakes equally. I got my own thoughts on the subject, but I'll defer to him for now, as he's the one with the degrees and has his snake research published in some scientific journal we'll probably never read.

I'm starting to wonder about a snakes diet as most articles say it's part of the diet.

Feeding - Gartersnake.info
Black Rat Snake
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_snake

 

[RGINN]

Well squirrels are not mice so they have different behavior. As I said, I had my own thoughts about snake diets. We never killed most snakes as they kept the rodent population down. When you think of it though, bull snakes, garter snakes, rat snakes, are very few of the total snake population. However, if they got in the hen house we would kill them in a heartbeat as they also like to eat eggs. I will pay attention to what my son says though, as he's done what some would say groundbreaking research on snakes. The most interesting thing that boy talks about, to me anyway, is why rattlesnakes are evolving to not rattle as a warning, due to humans.