The two poisonous snakes are very rare anywhere near urban areas. Several non-poisonous snakes, including garter snakes, adapt especially well to the suburbs. These snakes are beneficial to humans because they feed on a wide variety of pest insects and rodents. Non-poisonous snakes have a round eye pupil and have no pit between the eye and the nostril. There are only two species of poisonous snakes in Minnesota.
Snakes hibernate in groups, usually in holes in the ground or in the foundations of buildings.
During the first warm days of spring, snakes leave their dens to sun themselves. Later, they return to their dens for the night. Once soil temperatures rise above 50 degrees snakes leave their hibernation holes for the summer. After that, only a few snakes will remain in the immediate area. Snakes sometimes get into homes.