#redbelly snake

[vintagewildlife]

American red-bellied snake with babies By: Dr. Robert S. Simmons From: Life Nature Library: Reptiles 1963

[randomanimaloftheday]

Day 110#: Redbelly Snake

Today's animal of the day is the Redbelly Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata)!

Photo credit: Madden Haag

This small species of snake is a member of the Colubrid family, which also includes garter snakes and hognose snakes, and can be found in woodlands across the eastern half of the United States and Canada. They prefer warmer climates and will seek shelter under logs or in underground burrows when the weather starts to get cold. However, they aren't very well-adapted to creating their own tunnels due to the shape of their skulls, and so they usually will take over abandoned ant mounds. These small snakes only grow between 4 to 10 inches long, and have slender, backwards-facing teeth that are specially adapted to eating slugs and other slimy invertebrates.

Photo credit: Laura Gaudette

Redbelly snakes often will curl back their lips to reveal their teeth. It's currently unknown why they do this, but it may help them capture prey or be used as a way to intimidate predators. Redbellies are also known to play dead and mimic the appearance of a venomous species when threatened. Like garter snakes, redbelly snake eggs hatch inside their mother's body. As a result, the females give birth to live young, with litter sizes usually ranging between 7-9 babies.

[gecko-trio]

Cutest little friend in my yard. 🐍

[ladyakumawolf]

Female redbelly snake, pretty sure she’s this years baby. She pooped a little on me but didn’t musk or try to bite me. I love herping!

[flanchanof2002]

Since Red has been trying to hibernate we've been leaving him be except to moisten his tank and to make sure he gets a drink of water.

[vintagewildlife]

Northern red-bellied snake By: Bill Ivy From: Getting to Know Nature's Children: Snakes 1985

[flanchanof2002]

[gemini-mama]

Gerard Hamilton Way the Third. We're going to a bait shop nearby for some worms to see if he will eat.

Check out this absolutely palatial setup (using the 40 gallon tank Eldest Spawn's king snake was in before we graduated him to the 50 gallon):

Snake in the corner for size reference. This guy is maybe 9 inches in length.

I really wish I could get a clear picture of his head to show everyone how big his eyes are - he's too small for my camera, so have a Google image instead:

For real, their eyes are ridiculously large for the size of their heads! That's what makes them so cute.