#snake information

[collectedsnek]

Yellow Headed Calico Snake

Oxyrhopus Formosus

Habitat: Primary and Secondary Rainforests, and cultivated gardens in South America, Colombia, Venezuela, Northern Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

Length: 31 1/2 - 35 inches (2ft 7 inches-2ft 9 inches)

Diet: Lizards and potentially other vertebrates.

Venom Toxicity: They are a rear fanged species with a mild slow acting venom. Its not known to be harmful to humans.

Cool Facts

The Microteiid Lizard is the only thing that the Yellow Headed Calico snake has been documented preying on. Other calico snakes will prey on frogs, snakes, and rodents so it is assumed they dont primarily prey on lizards.

They are also known as the Beautiful Calico Snake. This species is not well known in the wild. They may be terrestrial or semi arboreal and they may be nocturnal or crepuscular.

They are Oviparous and can have up to 17 eggs.

[collectedsnek]

Cape Cobra

Naja Nivea

Habitat: Arid grasslands, deserts, semi deserts, rocky hills, river beds, and coastal fynbos. They range from Eastern, Southern, and Central South Africa, Lesotho, Southern Namibia and Botswana.

Length: Males can reach 5ft 7 inches while females can get 4ft 7 inches.

Diet: Small mammals, snakes, lizards, amphibians, and weaverbirds.

Venom Toxicity: Dangerously venomous with postsynaptic neurotoxins, cytotoxins and potentially cardiotoxins.

Cool Facts

The Cape Cobra is a highly variable species that can be bright yellow, orange, brown, or reddish in color that is often speckled in black or brown. Totally black specimens have been spotted.

They are also called the Yellow Cobra although not all of them are yellow. Although they are a terrestrial species they are extremely agile climbers that tend to steal weaver bird eggs and chicks.

This species has one of the most toxic venoms of all african cobras. In some parts of the cape they are responsible for the deaths of sheep and other domesticated animals.

Bites to humans are rare but are extremely dangerous and can end tragically if not given antivenom.

They are oviparous with clutches of 8-20 eggs. Every individual can have different speckles or can be bare of speckles.

[collectedsnek]

Ringneck Snake

Diadophis Punctatus

Habitat: woodland, fields, and scrub in north america.

Length: 10-32 in dependent on sub species.

Diet: mainly feeds on invertebrates but some of the larger species also eat salamanders, lizards, and other snakes.

Venom toxicity: considered mildly venomous the rear fangs however are very small and located to far back in their mouth to penetrate human skin.

Cool Facts

It is a very secretive snake that is usually found under pieces of bark, flat rocks, or cowpats.

If disturbed they release a strong musk and then coils the latter half of its body and tail into a tight spiral, exposing its brightly colored belly.

They do not do well in captivity.

[collectedsnek]

Eyelash Pit Viper

Bothriechis Schlegelii

Habitat: rainforest and secondary forests in central and north South America.

Length: 20-32 in

Diet: they will eat lizards, frogs, bats, mice, and, hummingbirds.

Venom toxicity: dangerously venomous. They are responsible for many to people, usually on their face, arms, and upper body. Deaths are rare but the bite can result in permanent damage.

Cool Facts

They get their name from the cluster of small spiny scales above their eyes.

They come in 3 colors, green and brown that looks like lichen, a plain brown, and a bright gold.

They are an arboreal species that is active at night usually found coiled amoung vegetation or trees by day.

[collectedsnek]

Grass Snake

Natrix Natrix

Habitat: marshes, edges of streams, ponds, lakes, and canals in most of Europe, parts of north america, middle east, and central asia.

Length: up to 3 ft 3 in

Diet: fish, amphibians, and tadpoles.

Venom toxicity: none

Cool Facts

They are semi aquatic and when it swims it usually keeps its head above the water and swims on the surface.

Females are always larger than the males.

Its defense mechanism is similar to that of the hog nose snake. They will lie on their back with their mouth open while their cloaca emits a foul smelling liquid.

They are an incredibly adaptive species.

[collectedsnek]

Collett's Snake

Pseudechis Colletti

Habitat: grasslands and lightly wooded areas in central Queensland Australia.

Length: upt to 4 ft

Diet: probably amphibians, lizards, snakes, and small mammals.

Venom toxicity: potentially dangerous although unlikely to have caused human fatalities.

Cool Facts

The scales are smooth but not shiny. Each scale is a single color making the pattern mosaic like with jagged edges.

They are thought to hide in burrows or beneath dead vegetation and other debris.

They are in the cobra and relatives family (Elapidae).

Little is known about their natural habits.

[reptilemother30]

Why should we protect snakes?

Above is a black-necked garter snake.

Snakes play a very important role in maintaining balance in the eco-system. They eat rodents that can carry disease and could damage crops. With out snakes the rodent population would grow to plaque level, and the snakes predators would die out. Some species of snakes that are harmless to humans prey on poisonous snake species. Gopher snakes, also known as bull snakes, eat rodents. Rubber boas feed on other snakes, birds, mice and lizards. Hognose snakes puff up, flatten out, and hiss to ward away threats. If that doesn't work they will play dead. They also eat rodents and small prey similar to other snakes such as garter snakes. Garter snakes feed on many things from, frogs and toads, to minnows, insects and rodents. Some species even specialize in daddy-long-legs! Most snake bites happen when people try to handle them in the wild or try to kill them. It is always best to keep a safe distance and always respect from a far; for your safety and the snakes!

[collectedsnek]

Elegant Racer

Platyceps Elegantissimus

Habitat: Rocky wadis and hillsides in many parts of the Middle East (Southern Israel, Palestinian, SW Jordan and Northern Saudi Arabia).

Length: 19 3/4" - 23 3/4" long. They rarely get up to 27 1/2".

Diet: Lizards and possibly small mammals.

Venom Toxicity: non venomous.

Cool Facts

They mostly prey on terrestrial geckos but they may also prey on small rodents but its never been recorded.

This species is alert and fast moving that is rarely encountered in the wild. Therefore not much is known about their habits.

They've only been spotted in sandy habitats and due to the high daytime temperatures of that habitat it was thought this species was nocturnal. Although recent research suggests they may be diurnal.