15 Animals That Hibernate

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Welcome to 15 Animals That Hibernate.

Hibernation is when an animal slows down its heart rate and metabolism to consume less energy. Animals usually hibernate during the winters when the food is sparse, and the temperature is low. They go into a state of hibernation to survive the cold weather. 

Some animals go into a deep sleep throughout the winter, while others go into a light sleep. Slowing your heart rate and metabolism for more than twenty-four hours is hibernation. Animals fill up their stomachs to the fullest to survive the cold weather.

All animals hibernate differently. Even all the mammals that hibernate differ from one another. Obligate and facultative are two types of hibernation. 

Obligate hibernation is when animals go into hibernation yearly, irrespective of the temperature. Whether the temperature drops or not, they hibernate as a ritual on a yearly basis. On the other hand, facultative hibernation is when an animal hibernates to survive the cold weather. 

Further is a list of 15 animals that hibernate during the winter to survive the low temperatures. 

#1 Chipmunks

Chipmunks are tiny creatures belonging to the squirrel family. They are around two to six inches in length with a three-inch tail. They are found chiefly in colors of yellow and brown with gray fur along with black and white stripes going down from their necks. 

Chipmunks look like squirrel babies, but they aren’t. They are very cheerful and playful animals. They love burrowing and eating nuts. During summer and spring, you’ll find them on the ground or on the tree eating nuts and enjoying themselves. 

During winters, this animal goes into hibernation and only wakes up to consume stored food. They burrow a hole in the ground up to three feet deep and ensure it is covered to avoid any predator attacks. 

The chipmunks go into a deep sleep during their hibernation period. During the spring and summer, they mostly nibble on their nuts, but during the late summers, they work hard to collect and store food for winter. 

#2 Bears

Bears look cute and fuzzy, but their looks can be decisive. They are very dangerous animals and prey on other animals, even humans. They tend to get very aggressive when they are hungry. 

There are a variety of species of bears, and all can be identified at a small age. They are found in black and brown colors. Some species are even gray. They are huge. 

Their flat feet make them climb trees with ease. They are seen roaming around during summers and hibernating during the winters. 

Bears hibernate in a den. The den can be under a tree, in a cave, under leaves and bushes, or in crevices of rocks. They eat double the amount of food during late summers and fall to fill up their stomachs to the fullest to survive winters. 

Bears go into a heavy deep sleep, and most don’t even wake up till the spring season. The pregnant female bears wake up during January or February to give birth to their offspring.

#3 Bats

Bats are tiny animals that look like rats with wings of rubber-like texture. They have very small eyes, making it hard to see during the daytime. They are better at flying at night time. 

Their size is minor, ranging from 1.1 to 1.3 inches. They weigh half a pound. They have large wings of 5.9 inches. They are black and are mostly seen flying during the night.

Not all bats hibernate during the winter. Some migrate to warmer areas to survive. Those comfortable in an area decide to stay and hibernate during the winters. 

Bats are usually found hibernating in hollow trees, barns, and buildings. They are not human-shy animals. They have no problem co-existing with them. Therefore, they are often found in the attic or basement, where it’s dark and quiet during the winter. 

#4 Box Turtles

The turtle’s unique shape makes them recognizable even to children. They have a hard shell-like exterior and a soft body residing inside that shell. They eat worms and insects. 

They come in various sizes. Many people keep turtles in their homes as a pet. They are wild, not as friendly as cats and dogs or dangerous as wild bears. They hide inside their shells when they feel threatened or under attack. 

Box turtles need their peaceful environment to hibernate during the winter. They don’t travel far to hibernate. They usually go inside their shells to sleep since they feel most protected there.

They tend to stop eating for weeks before going into hibernation mode. Turtles hibernate with a clean gastronomical track. They are seen hidden from September or October. Their hibernation periods last three to four months.

#5 Bumble Bees

Most people don’t know that bumble bees also hibernate during the winter. They are not commonly seen in outdoor places during cold weather. 

They are small in size. They are yellow with black stripes on them. The only difference between bumble bees and honey bees is that they are more extensive in size and fuzz, along with short wings. 

All the bees die during the winter. Only the queen is left to hibernate during the cold months. Once the hibernating period is over, she will create a new colony. That is why this Animal belongs to Animals that Hibernate.

The queen bumble bee sleeps during the winter and wakes up during spring. She fills her system up with enough pollen to survive the hibernation period. 

#6 Garter Snakes

There are many types of snakes. Snakes are venomous and dangerous. Garter snakes are not that dangerous, and few contain mild venom. Many people keep these snakes as pets in their homes. 

Garter snakes are almost thirty inches long and can grow up to five feet long. They are often found in various colors but may have yellowish-green colored lines on their front side.  

These snakes like to build their den in a greener area, such as a meadow, to prepare for hibernation during the winter. They can travel miles looking for a perfect den. They like to hibernate with other snakes; the more, the better. 

#7 Hedge Hog

A hedgehog has a prickly back and furry belly. They are often misunderstood as porcupines from a distance. They are minor in size, just like hamsters. Therefore, they are not a common species and are not found in homes as pets.

Their length ranges from five to twelve inches weighing fourteen to thirty-nine ounces. They make grunting sounds like a pig when in search of food. They eat insects, worms, snakes, and snails.

Hedgehog hibernates during the winter season. They fall into a deep sleep and are often seen out of hibernation to find food. They like to hibernate in small areas which are dry and covered. 

Their main objective is to stay warm during the winters, and if they find their hibernation habitat cold, they will not make an effort to make it warm but will move to a new place. 

Also, the body temperature drops according to the environment. Their heart slows down, and they may stop breathing for a while. 

They need to have enough fat stored in their body to survive the winters. For that, they need to weigh at least six hundred grams.

#8 Land Snail

Land Snails are tiny creatures that hibernate during the winter. Their body is of a slimy texture with a shell mounted on their back. They have unusual habits of hibernating.

The land snail is sized about three centimeters to twelve inches. They have hard shells around their bodies, just like a turtle. This shell grows with them. 

Like a turtle, they hide inside its shell when a snail feels endangered. They do not like the sun or light, and when encountered by it, they may hide inside their shells. 

Land snails don’t like frost; therefore, they find their habitat for winter accordingly. They are often seen hibernating under a rock, corners, and even leaves. They may join their snail friends to hibernate together.

When the frost starts, they prepare for hibernation and completely cover themselves. They hide inside their shell and cover the opening with their slime to stay warm during winter. Their hibernation period lasts from four to six months. 

#9 Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemurs

These dwarf lemurs are cute little creatures with big eyes and human-like hands. They are called fat-tailed because the fat from the food that they consume gets stored in their tails. 

They are active during the night and sleep through the day. They can grow around 0.6 ounces in weight. 

They feel the most comfortable in covered areas such as hollow trees and love to have the company of their friends. You may find them huddled with one another. 

They hibernate for about six months during the winter. During this time, they utilize the fat stored in their bodies from foods they ate in the warm season. They go into deep sleep bringing their heart rate to meager. 

#10 Wood Frogs

Wood frogs can live through being in a frozen state. They can appear dead but don’t be fooled by the state of the body. They will be out and about from their hibernation during the springtime.

They like to live in forests; you might notice frogs in swamps. They are yellowish-green colored with a dark eye mask. If you encounter a frog that does not have a dark mask around its eyes, it’s probably not a wood frog. 

Wood frogs can grow in the range of 2 to 2.8 inches. These creatures are not picky when finding a habitat for hibernation. They reside in their existing habitats by burying themselves under leaves. 

These frogs stay like this the entire duration of their hibernation. Once spring arrives and the ice from their bodies starts to melt. They bring their heart rate back to normal and start breathing. After their hibernation period, they are good as new—another significant part of Animals that Hibernate.

#11 Common Poorwills

This is the only bird that hibernates in winter instead of flying to warmer areas. Their face structure looks like owls. And just like owls, they are also nocturnal.

The size ranges from 7.5 to 8.3 inches and weighs 1.3 to 1.9 ounces. They are small-sized birds similar to an owl. 

Common poorwills are found in colors similar to an owl; they are colored black, brown, and gray, making it easy for them to camouflage in the background.

They feel comfortable in a hollow log or a pile of leaves as a habitat for hibernation. They will stay asleep for weeks and stretch to months. They survive on the fat of insects they ate before hibernation. 

During the hibernation periods, their body temperature drops, and they slow down their heart rate and breathing to consume less energy.

#12 Skunks 

Skunks are famous for the awful smell they produce when frightened or threatened by someone. They do not go into complete hibernation but become less active during the winter.

They are twenty to thirty inches long, including their tail. Their weight ranges from six to ten pounds. They primarily reside in empty logs or hollow trees and are usually found in a pile of leaves. 

During the winter, they tend to stay near humans for sufficient food and warmth. They are often found residing in porches of houses. Skunks often dig holes in the garden to eat grubs since they know they will hibernate there. 

People find them mainly during their hibernation periods since they live close to a place where heat, warmth, and food are available. They cuddle with one another to stay warm during the winter months.

#13 Deer Mice

Deer mice are little creatures with adorable features comprising black beady eyes, white feet beneath their belly, and a pointed nose. They don’t fully sleep during the winter; they often come out to look for food.

These mice have short tails and big round bellies. They are found with brown and red colors on their body. They are very furry with tails that are colored dark brown to light brown.   

They usually prefer living near humans in winter for ample food, warmth, and heat. They are human-shy animals and therefore are not seen often. While living in a human residence, they leave traces of their presence. 

Deer mice do not sleep entirely during the winters, but before hibernation, they stock up on food in their habitat to avoid going out in the cold for food. They tend to be slow during the winter. 

#14 Prairie Dogs

Prairie dogs are not dogs, actually, but rodent animals. Its size is similar to a rabbit. They go into complete hibernation but slow down during the cold months. 

Their body length ranges from twelve to fifteen inches with a three-inch long tail and weight measures from two to four pounds. They usually reside underground and have enough light at the ends to keep an eye on predators. 

These rodents have enough room in their habitat underground for a male and female rodent to reside.

During winter, they cuddle with their family members to keep themselves warm. They don’t hibernate completely, they often come out of their habitats in search of food, but their heart rate and metabolism slow down at night.  

#15 Ground Squirrel

Ground squirrels belong to a squirrel family but are often seen residing underground rather than trees. They are precisely like tree squirrels. 

They have furry tails with sharp claws, which aid in climbing trees and digging holes. They have a brown-colored body having off-white and gray tints on top.

Not every squirrel species hibernates, but those residing beneath the ground often hibernate. They don’t go into a deep sleep and often come out of their hibernation spot to look for food. 

When they fall asleep during winter, they decrease their heart rate and breathing to slow their metabolisms. To check out more information on animals slowing their metabolism, click here.

Wrapping It Up for Animals that Hibernate

The above-mentioned animals are a few of those that hibernate during cold months. Some go into a deep hibernation mode, while others often wake up searching for food. One common thing is that they eat twice the food before hibernation. 

They slow their metabolism by decreasing their heart rate and breathing to consume less energy. They find suitable habitats to stay warm and cozy during the cold weather. 

Thank you for reading Animals that Hibernate.

Do you like to read more about animals? Have a look at the most endangered once or the cutest animals.

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