SPECIAL INTEREST SNAKES

Ball Python
There are more than 2,700 species of snakes in the world. They live almost everywhere, in deserts, forests, oceans, streams, and lakes. Here are examples:

ANACONDA

Anacondas make their home in the Amazon jungles of South America and are part of the Boa Constrictor family. Anacondas live near rivers, lakes and swamps and like to live alone. Water is their main escape method when confronted with danger. Rather than attacking they will choose to slide into the water unnoticed, if possible.
Anacondas eat amphibious animals, like frogs & toads, as well as fish, caiman, birds, ducks and turtles.

The average size of one of these snake-giants is 6.1 m (20 feet) long and 148.5 kg. (300 pounds)!

Anacondas give birth to live young, around 24-35 at a time.

Anacondas are very difficult for scientists to study or even find. They are really quiet and leave no trail. They spend a lot of their time in the dark waters of their habitat.

BOA CONSTRICTOR

Boa Constrictors are one of the largest snakes in the world, along with the Reticulated Python and Anaconda.  Boas are non-poisonous but just as deadly. They ambush their prey, which means that they will hide and wait for something yummy to go by and then do a surprise attack. They use their flicking tongue to pick up the scent.  Just as their name suggests, they will coil their bodies around the prey and with each breath of the prey they will constrict, or squeeze, their coils just a little tighter until the animal can no longer breath. Their prey consists of birds, lizards, frogs and small mammals. Larger Boas will even eat monkeys, pigs or deer.

Although they are not considered Pit Vipers, some Boas have heat-sensitive scales around their mouths that help them find prey in the dark.

These snakes live in hot, tropical places and can be found both on the ground and in trees.

Boas give birth to live young, which means that they develop completely inside their mother. Once they are born they are on their own and know pretty much all they have to know about finding food and hiding.

Boas are said to be the most beautifully colored of all snakes.

COBRA

Cobras are famous for the threatening hood at their neck. They spread the hood out when they feel threatened or angry. Their hood is made up of flaps of skin attached to long ribs. They are also able to lift their heads high up off the ground, which is not only kinda scary, but helps them to search for food.  And just to make them a little scarier, they hiss loudly to scare off potential predators.

There are 270 different types of Cobras and their relatives, including Taipans, Adders, Mambas, and many sea snakes including Kraits, and they all have short fangs and are all extremely poisonous. 

Cobras live in hot tropical areas in Africa, Australia, and Southern Asia and their relatives, the Coral Snake, can be found in the United States. They can be found underground, in trees, and under rocks. The King Cobra is not only an excellent climber but a super swimmer as well. They live in forests near streams.

These snakes are hunters and will quietly follow their prey until they are ready to attack. They can move very fast and can speed along with their heads raised. Cobras are cannibals, which means that they will eat other snakes as well as birds, bird eggs and small mammals. Kraits feed almost totally on other snakes.

Cobras lay eggs and will stick around to defend them until they hatch. Wild boars and mongooses will steal cobra eggs. A mongoose will often win fights with Cobras because of their speed and agility. They also have thick fur to protect them against the cobra’s fangs. 

The Spitting Cobra has a special talent. Can you guess what it is? That’s right, it can spit! The venom it spits out can spray more than 1.8 meters, or 6 feet. Unfortunately for the one being spit at, this snake has near perfect aim, and will fire straight into the eyes of it’s prey. Ouch!

GARTER SNAKES

One of the most commonly known snakes in Canada is the garter snake.  They can be found anywhere in Canada and central United States and come in quite a few different colors and markings. Garter snakes are usually about 60 to 80 cm (23-30 inches) long, but they have been known to grow up to 135 cm.

Because Garter snakes live in colder temperatures they need to hibernate in winter. They will find shelter in cracks in the ground where the frost doesn’t reach. If you go searching for them you won’t find just one…there could be hundreds! Some snakes will travel as far as 32 km or 20 miles to reach their winter den in Manitoba, Canada. It is one of the largest ‘Garter’ gatherings in the world!

The main foods of the Garter snake are earthworms, frogs, fish, leeches, tadpoles and sometimes mice. Because they are quite small, they do have a lot to fear. They are hunted and eaten by bears, raccoons, skunks and especially birds. Crows, magpie, hawks and owls can find them very easily from up in the sky.

Garter snake babies are born live, usually 20 to 40 at a time. The largest number of babies born at one time is 98! 

RATTLESNAKES

Rattlesnakes are best known for, and most easily recognized by, their rattle. The rattlesnake babies are born with what is called a pre-button. The baby snake loses this piece when it sheds its skin for the first time. With the shedding a new button appears. With every shedding after that another button, or rattle, will be added. These buttons are made up of a material called Keratin, which is what the scales and your fingernails are made of! The rattles are empty, so what makes the noise? The noise comes from each segment knocking together, so until a rattlesnake has two or more pieces it isn’t going to make a sound! But when it does…you WILL hear it…and you WILL RUN!

Rattlesnakes are found in the southern parts of the United States, from the deserts to the mountains and grow between 3 and 4 feet (.9 to 1.2 m) long. There are 16 different types of Rattlers such as the Eastern Diamondback, Western Diamondback, Sidewinder and the Speckled, just to name a few. All of them have rattles, are venomous and are pit vipers.

Rattlesnakes feed on rodents, squirrels, rabbits and other small critters. They hibernate through the winter and come out in the spring to eat and then mate. Rattlesnake eggs will stay inside their mother until they hatch. Most of the time there are 8-10 babies born at once and are about 10 inches long. Babies are born venomous but cannot rattle and are often more aggressive than the adults. 

SEA SNAKES AND WATER SNAKES

Sea snakes seem pretty cool. Although all snakes can swim, sea snakes live mostly in the water. They do need to come up for air but can stay under water for up to an hour! Wow, try holding your breath that long! Since they need air regularly they are usually found in shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, and warmer areas of the Pacific Ocean. They eat fish, fish eggs and eels that they find under rocks and in reefs.

There are about 30-50 different types of sea snakes and they belong to the Cobra family. The average Sea snake grows to about 2 meters long and has a smallish head for its body size. Their tails are flattened to make fast swimming possible and flaps over their nostrils close when they are underwater. 

Sea snakes are very poisonous. The most poisonous one is the Beaded Sea Snake. Just 3 drops of venom can kill about 8 people! Fortunately, these snakes have short fangs and they are unable to bite through diver’s suits very easily. They are not likely to bite unless threatened. Their other methods of defense include to spray a stinky, musky liquid or to poop. Eew!

Eels are sometimes mistaken for Sea Snakes. Eels are part of the fish family and have gills for breathing. Sea snakes do not have gills but lungs instead and need to go to the surface for air. 

Sea Kraits are one of the few sea snakes that go to land to lay their eggs while most others, like the Olive sea snake will give birth in the water.