Corn Snake Care Sheet

Corn snakes, Elaphe guttata guttata are one of the hardiest species of snake to keep in captivity. Corn snakes come in a huge variety of colors and patterns and as Joe Pierce of Snakes Alive! says "They are the guppies of the snake world". Corns snakes are bred by the tens of thousands each year by private breeders and hobbiests and I STRONGLY recommend that you buy a captive born animal. This not only helps the survival of the species in the wild, it also greatly increases your chances of getting a healthy, feeding animal.

Basic Setup

I'm going to give you two pieces of information. The first is what is essential to keep your snake healthy. The second is what would be ideal for your snake. The first thing you need is a cage with a SECURE lid. Corn snakes are good climbers and escape artists. For baby corn snakes I use plastic shoeboxes that I buy at Target. With a soldering iron I burn small holes every centimeter on all four sides of the box for ventilation. These cages are not very aesthetically pleasing, but they suit the purpose and are useful when you have multiple animals to take care of. Be sure to tape the lid down with duct tape so that there are no escapes. A five gallon aquarium with a locking lid also works well for young snakes and looks better in your living room. Medium sized snakes can be kept in sweater boxes.For adult snakes I have 1'x2'x1' cages, but if you only have a few animals my suggestion is to get a 20 gallon aquarium with a locking lid. This will provide all of the room your snake will need. As a substrate for the cages I use newspaper because it is clean, it is cheap, and it is easy to change. Newspaper is not aesthetically pleasing either so alternatives include pine shavings (NOT CEDAR) and outdoor carpeting. The pine shavings are easy to clean just by scooping out any that is soiled by waste. The carpeting will need to be washed, but if you keep an extra piece on hand this should not be a problem. Each cage should also contain a water dish that is large enough for the snake to sumerge itself. This will be very important during shedding. The water should be changed at least once a week or sooner if it gets soiled. Probably the most important thing in the cage, at least for hatchling snakes, is a hide box. This can be as simple as a piece of bark or an empty macaroni and cheese box, or you can go to the store and spend on some fancy ceramic hide box. If you don't have much money, remember, the snake doesn't care what its cage looks like as long as you meet its basic needs. The final thing in the cage, and I admit I don't have one in all my cages is a branck for climbing. Corn snakes love to climg and if a branch is provided they will often be seen climbing on it. Also realize that the snake will use the branch as an opportunity to get closer to the lid and as something to brace itself against as it tries to open the lid.

Heating

Heating is a situation where much confusion seems to arise. Cornsnakes live in Florida, granted, but they also live in temperate zones like Kentucky. I have been keeping and breeding corns snakes for seven years now under a variety of conditions. Every book swears that corn snakes need a temperature gradient to thrive. This is not true. Corn snakes prefer a temperature gradient, as do we all (everyone likes to choose how hot or cold their environment is), but it is not essential. If it is within your means to provide a temperature gradient then by all means do so, but don't have a heart attack if you can't. There are two common way of providing a temperature gradient. One is to put an under tank heater or heat tape under part of the cage so that one part of the floor of the cage is warmer than the other. I do not recommend heating pads because they were not designed to be left on all the time and may be a fire hazard. I also do not recommend a hot rock because they have a tendancy to bake animals. You should not make the mistake of putting the hide box on the warm side of the cage so that a shy snake will stay on the warm side whether it wants to or not. The same is true for the cold side. Either put the hide box in the middle, or better yet, provide two hide boxes. A second method of heating is to shine a lamp or a spotlight or a heat emitter into one side of the cage. If you choose to provide a temperature gradient, or ANY supplemental heat for the snake, ALWAYS have a thermometer in the cage to warn you if the cage is becoming too hot. They have very nice digital remote thermometers at Radio Shack for about ; I highly recommend them. So what temperature is right for your corn? Adult corn snakes will do very well at temperatures between 75-85 F (25-30 C). They will tolerate temperatures as low as 70 F (21 F), but at this temperature they probably will not eat very well. Baby corn snakes prefer a temperature slightly warmer in the 80-90 F (26-32 C) but again will tolerate cooler temperatures. I believe it is best to keep smaller corns as warm as possible to insure good feeding and digestion habits. A common cause of regurgitation in young corn snakes is a cage that is too cool for the snake to properly digest its meal. When I lived in an apartment I kept all of my corn snakes (juvenile and adults) at a temperature of 73-75 F. This was the temperature for the whole apartment and I did not have supplemental heating for the snakes. I did not lose a single snake, but it took up to three years for the snakes to reach proper breeding size. I currently keep my corn snakes at approximately 80-85 F during the day and 75-80 F during the night. I do not provide my corn snakes with a temperature gradient. Despite what some people would lead you to believe, corn snakes do not require UV light to thrive. Incandescent light and a healthy diet are all they require.

Feeding

The proper diet for a corn snake is dependent upon the age and size of the snake. Corn snakes will eat mice, rats, lizards, and small birds, but it is not necessary to feed them all of these types of food. I will begin with what I consider to be a good diet for hatchlings. Hatchling corn snakes should be fed one to two pinkie (newborn) mice per week. Hatchlings will probably accept up to four or five pinkie mice per week, but this is probably too much food and can lead to some problems later. As the corn snake increases in size, the one to two mice per week should be increased in size proportionately. The mouse fed to your snake should not be so large that it makes a huge bulge in the belly of the snake. If a food item is too large, the snake will have problems digesting it and it may be regurgitated. It is much better to feed two small mice than one big mouse because it will be easier for the snake to digest the smaller mice. When possible, feed your snake pre-killed food items in order to avoid injury to your snake. A frightened mouse can do considerable damage to a snake that is not hungry. Obviously, snakes in the wild are not eating thawed frozen mice, but rarely in the wild do you find corn snakes that do not have a few battle scars. There are a ew exceptions to the above feeding rule. The first exception is for males during the spring breeding season. Male corn snakes will often lose interest in food during the breeding season, especially when a receptive female is present. The second exception is for gravid females. Gravid females should be fed up to three or four small mice each week prior to egg laying. Females may quit eating prior to egg laying. It is also essential to boost the food supply of females who have just layed their eggs. Remember, in order for corn snakes to properly digest their food they need some heat. The higher the temperature in the cage (see above) the better your corn snake will digest its food and the more willing it will be to eat again. A common cause of regurgitation in corn snakes is that the cage was kept too cool.

Breeding

Corn snakes are a very easy species to breed. Every breeder has his or her own recipe for success. I'm going to give you mine. On Nov. 1 I stop feeding the corns I intend to breed the following season. On Nov. 15, the corns are places in a small sweater box (no matter their size) with a newspaper substrate, a large water bowl and a hide box. The corns are placed in a corner of my basement where it stays between 55 and 65 degrees F. There is some natural sunlight, but for the most part the room is dim. The corns are left in this room until February 14. I like to bring my snakes out of brumation on the most romantic day of the year so they will know what to do. It is very important to make sure the water does not spill or dry up or get contaminated with feces during the brumation. It is also good to keep the temp above 50 degrees F. If you don't have a room cold enough, try to keep the snakes as cool as possible, but slip them a few meals if they are in a room that is 70 degrees or above. (Remember that corns reproduce in the Florida Keys where there is very little seasonal change in temp. There, corns may rely on other cues such as seasonal changes in day length.) After the corns are warmed up I immediately start feeding them as much as they will eat without regurgitating. Sometimes the males will refuse food, but the females usually never do. As soon as the females go through their first shed I put the male in their cage. Some people put the female in the male's cage, but I haven't seen a difference between these two methods in my collection. Both snakes may start twitching and you may be able to witness copulation, but I have had snakes that I have never witnessed breeding produce offspring year after year, so don't panic. After 3-5 days I remove the male. Just to be safe I add the male back to the female's cage after a week and I leave him there for the next three days. Once breeding has taken place the female will start eating like crazy for a period of two to three weeks and then just stop completely. Don't try to feed a female you suspect is gravid. Sometimes you can feel the eggs as the female glides over your hand, other times you will notice that her cross sectional shape has become triagular where the eggs push up on the spine. The time between breeding and egg laying is 3-4 weeks. For laying, I use a plastic shoebox with one inch of moist vermiculite and one inch of sphagnum moss. The females usually lay 8-14 days after their post mating shed. I keep the eggs half buried in moist vermiculite in a closed tupperware container at a constant temp of 83 degrees F in a hovabator incubator. I also fill the bottom of the hovabator with water to raise the relative humidity. The eggs generally hatch in 45-50 days and the babies are kept together in a sweater bow with a large bowl of water until their first shed, which happens in 7-10 days.

Commonly encountered problems

The most commonly encountered problem that I hear about is regugitation. THere are a number of causes for this. The most common cause is that the cage is not warm enough. The prey item can literally rot in the stomach of the snake, and this causes the snake to regugitate. The second most common cause is that the prey was too big. Corns have appetites that are sometimes bigger than their stomachs. The obvious solutions to these problems are to turn up the heat and feed smaller prey items. The second most commonly encountered problem is that the corn refuses to eat. Both of the above causes can be the cause of your snake not eating, and again, the solutions are stated above. Another reason for a corn not eating is that it is either in a mating cycle or a brumation cycle. Male corns especially will stop eating after coming out of brumation if they think there will be some hanky-panky going on. Females will stop eating if they are full of eggs. Both males and females may stop feeding if there has been a steady drop in the average temperature in their cage, or if there has been a progressive decline in day length. This is especially true for wild caught corn snakes and emoryi rat snakes. I would not worry about a healthy corn snake that has not eaten for a month, and I would probably not start worrying until about two months. The last reason for a corn to not eat, aisde from medical reasons that I won't even try to describe, is that it does not feel secure in its surroundings. Baby corns will often refuse to eat when they have been removed from one cage and placed in a new one or a larger one. The solution is to provide the corn with a hide box, or more thatn one hide box. Try feeding dead prey, then live prey. Try feeding during the day, then at night. Try putting a towel over the cage for feeding. My last resort, which works 75% of the time for hatchling corns that won't eat, is to cut open the brain of a pinkie, squeeze out some blood, then try feeding this to the corn.

Good Luck, and remember, there is no substitute for research. Do not rely solely on this page. Find other care sheets, buy some books and ask some questions.

Common name(s): Ball Python. Royal Python (as named in the U.K.). Latin name: Python regius. Native to: West Africa. Virtually all Ball Python are exported from the countries of Togo and Ghana. Adult size: Ball Pythons are a small to medium size python with adults ranging from 3 to 5 feet, females are generally larger and heavier bodied than males. A monster female may approach six feet and is a very impressive animal. Life Span: Captive Life Span of 20 - 30 years (record - 48 years). Eggs: Clutch 2-10 eggs. Average 6 eggs/clutch. Average incubation time: 56 days Average incubation temp: 88F-90F degrees Average hatchling size: 14"-17" Appearance: They are brightly-coloured, stocky snakes and there are now albino and many different color and pattern morph's available. Males have longer spurs but smaller heads than the females. What does it eat?: Feed them pre-killed small rats or mice on a weekly basis. Babies begin feeding on hopper mice. Wild caught ball pythons can be imprinted on native prey species and can be very difficult to acclimate. Consequently, newly imported animals do not recognize the mice we offer them as being something edible and initially, will often refuse to feed for lengthy periods. Ease of care: Beginners upwards. Temperament: They are docile and can be shy and very reluctant to bite. They achieved the name ball python because of their habit of curling into a ball if threatened. They are crepuscular. Cage set up: Ball Pythons are seditary animals and don't need a lot of cage space. I house my hatchlings in a "shoe box" rack system with a water bowl and an inch or so of aspen bedding into which they can borrow and hide. As they grow I transfer them to a "Sweater Box" size container. Adults are housed in large 65 quart rubbermaids which they reproduce in and can quite comfortably live in indefinitely. Rubbermaid containers make the ideal ball python cage, they are relatively inexpensive, seem to offer the perfect humidity level and the semi transparent plastic offers a level of security that they feel comfortable with, so much so that hide boxes are often not necessary. Substrate: Aspen bedding, shredded cypress or fir bark, dry cypress mulch and newspaper. Driftwood or a decorative rock should be added to aid the snake during its shed. Provide a climbing branch or two, some fake greenery, a hide box and a large water bowl for soaking. Daytime temperature of 80-90F at the warm end dropping to 73-75F at night. Under-tank heatpad are preferred over an overhead basking light. Personal Comments: Ball Pythons are hands down without a doubt my favorite snake. They are a pleasure to work with, they come in a mind boggling variety of colors and patterns and with just a minimal amount of care seem to thrive in captivity. Their only drawback being any unusual color and pattern morphs are incredibly expensive. On the other hand, normal ball pythons are undervalued because of the tens of thousands of wild caught imports brought into North America every year, relegating them to almost disposable pet status. This virtually unregulated exploration will one day come to an end, and prices will then undoubtedly rise to reflect the true value of captive bred ball pythons. Much has been written on wild caught versus captive bred and in no other species, that I can think of, are the differences as dramatically apparent as in ball pythons. Wild caught imports do very poorly in captivity, I am sure many thousands of these animals have suffered slow deaths cover the years at the hands of inexperienced keepers. Captive bred baby balls on the other hand make almost the ideal pet snake, they feed like crazy are calm and friendly , seem very resistant to disease or illness and will thrive for you. Ball Pythons have a very bright future in the world of Herpetoculture, few other species have as much to offer, ideal size, gentle friendly nature, spectacular color and pattern morphs and small clutch size insure it will remain in high demand for many years to come.

Rattlesnakes Genus Crotalus

Throughout the world there are many snakes whose venomous bite can be fatal to humans. However, in the United States there are only four -- the Coral Snake, the Copperhead, the Cottonmouth Water Moccasin and the Rattlesnake. The rattlesnake (genus Crotalus) is the only venomous snake native to California, but other venomous snakes make their home in the deserts of the American Southwest. Description Rattlesnakes come in 16 distinct varieties. There are numerous subspecies and color variations, but they are all positively identified by the jointed rattles on the tail. While most of the rattlers are concentrated in the southwestern United States, they extend north, east and south in diminishing numbers and varieties, so that every contiguous state has one or more varieties. Range The Pacific Rattlesnake is found throughout a variety of places in the California, from sea level on the Pacific Ocean, the inland prairies and desert areas, to the mountains at elevations of more than 10,000 feet. Along the coast north of southern California, the Pacific Rattlesnake has the territory all to itself. In Southern California the Pacific rattler overlaps the range of several other species and subspecies, except that of the large Western Diamondback rattler along the Colorado River and the southeastern California deserts. From Lake Tahoe north, on the east side of the Sierra, you might see the Great Basin rattler; from Tahoe south through Death Valley, the Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes) and Panamint rattlers; along the Colorado River, the Western Diamondback (Crotalus atrox); in the southwestern area, the Red Diamondback (Crotalus ruber) and Speckled (Crotalus mitchelli) rattlers; and in the Mojave Desert, both the Mojave Rattlesnake and the Sidewinder. Habits In ideal habitats where there is a constant, abundant supply of small rodents, the Pacific rattler sometimes attains a length of 5 feet, but the average adult size is between 3 and 4 feet. It is more slender than the heavy-bodied diamondbacks of the south and eastern United States. The color of the Pacific and pattern of its markings are varied, ranging from brown to grayish or greenish tones with large blotches of lighter hues along its back. In the northern areas of their range and at higher elevations, snakes congregate in the fall at crevices in rocky ledges to hibernate for the winter, returning to these places annually. These spots are known as snake dens. When temperatures begin to warm in May and early June, snakes come out of hibernation. They remain near the den entrance for a few days, sunning themselves, then make their way to where they will spend the summer. They rarely go more than a mile from their dens. Most snakes are secretive in their summer activities, hunting at night and remaining inactive and out of sight for days at a time during the digestive period after eating a squirrel or small rabbit. Consequently, more snakes are seen in the spring and fall migrations to and from their winter homes. Life Cycle Some kinds of snakes lay eggs. In others, including rattlesnakes, eggs are retained in the mother's body until hatched, and the young are born alive. Sometimes the female rattler is killed with the young still in her body, a phenomenon giving rise to the folk tale that she swallows her babies to protect them from danger. The female Pacific rattler may contain from 4 to 25 eggs, from which an average of 9 or 10 hearty young are born live. Except in the extreme northern part of California, mating occurs in the spring. The young are born between August and October. The newborn Pacific Rattlesnake is about 10 inches long and has a small horny button on the tip of its tail. Rattler babies have venom and short fangs and are dangerous from birth. In fact, they are more pugnacious than the adults. Although unable to make a rattling sound, the youngsters throw themselves into a defensive pose and strike repeatedly when disturbed. Young rattlers are completely independent of the mother. They remain in the area of their birth for the first 7 to 10 days, until they shed their first baby skin and add their first rattle. The litter then begins to disperse and begin the search for food. Many newborn do not survive the first year, either dying of hunger or being eaten by birds and animals. Even if they survive the first summer, they may perish during the first winter, if they can't find a suitable warm crevice in which to hibernate. If all goes well, youngsters grow rapidly. Each time they come out of hibernation, they shed their skin, and with each skin shedding (molting) a new rattle appears. During the rapid growth of the first few years, they may molt three times annually. Thus, the number of rattles is not a true indicator of age. Rattles also wear out or break off, so it is unusual to find an adult snake with more than 8 or 10 rattles. Rattlesnakes eat lizards and small rodents such as ground squirrels, small rabbits, rats and mice, striking rather than attempting to hold their prey. When the hollow fangs of the rattler penetrate the victim's flesh, venom is injected as though through twin hypodermic needles. Most small prey is immediately stunned. If a larger animal runs some distance before it dies, it is followed by the snake and swallowed whole. Many people spend a lifetime hunting, fishing or otherwise enjoying the outdoors and never see a rattlesnake. Very few people are actually bitten by rattlesnakes, yet because the bite is extremely painful and can be fatal, you should always keep alert and watch where you step or put your hands when you are in the field. Be careful after dark as well, for on warm nights rattlesnakes are out and about searching for food. Most rattlesnakes, when disturbed, normally try to withdraw But if they think they are cornered, the explosive sizzling buzz of their rattles is an unmistakable warning to retreat and is a sound that will long be remembered

Water Snake

Identification

The Northern Water Snake is a medium-sized, stout snake averaging about 30 to 40 inches in length. The coloration of this species is very variable. A typical pattern is a tan or brown background with a series of very broad black or dark brown bands on the back and sides. The dark bands are wider than the light spaces between them. The bands are often complete on the forward third of the body, but become smaller and alternating towards the tail. In some individuals and populations, the bands tend to blend together so the snake appears uniformly dark in color, especially when the skin is dry. The background color of the belly is often cream-colored, but is variable, and may even be orange. Superimposed on this background color are half-moons, or crescents, of darker color. The young have the same markings as the adults, but they are usually more vivid. Another subspecies of the Northern Water Snake, the Midland Water Snake, N. s. pleuralis, is found in the southern half of Indiana. It looks very similar in appearance to the other subspecies except that the dark bands on its back are narrower than the lighter spaces between them. Similar species include: Diamondback Water Snake, Copperbelly Water Snake, Cottonmouth.

Distribution and Status

The Northern Water Snake is found statewide, while the Midland Water Snake is generally restricted to the southern two thirds of the state. Both species are considered common in Indiana.

Ecology

The diet of these aquatic snakes consists mainly of various small-sized fish, frogs, toads and salamanders. Both species are almost always found in or adjacent to water. They prefer slow flowing water, but can easily swim and maneuver in strong currents. When disturbed or threatened they can be very aggressive and will strike out. These snakes will sometimes release a musky-smelling substance when they are handled. The Northern Water Snake, found statewide, is sometimes killed because it is mistaken for the venomous cottonmouth, which is only found in the extreme southern portion of the state. While both species prey upon fish, they have little impact on sport fishing. They eat mostly small, slow-moving or injured fish.

COMMON GARTER SNAKE

Identification

The common garter snake is extremely variable in appearance, both in size and color. Adults range 18 to 54 inches in length. It has three light stripes (located on the midline and each side) on a black, brown or olive background. The lateral (side) stripes are only on the 2nd and 3rd scale rows. The stripes and belly may be yellow, yellow-green, bluish, brown, or white in color. Two subspecies are found in Indiana, the Eastern Garter Snake, T. s. sirtalis, and the Chicago Garter Snake, T. s. semifasciatus. The Chicago Garter Snake is distinguished by having its light side stripes interrupted by dark vertical markings towards the head. Similar species include: Butler’s Garter Snake, Plains Garter Snake, Eastern Ribbon Snake, Western Ribbon Snake

Distribution and Status

The Eastern Garter Snake is found throughout the state, while the Chicago Garter Snake occurs primarily in the northwest corner of Indiana (Porter County). Both species are abundant within their respect ranges.

Ecology: While the common garter snake occurs in a variety of habitats, they prefer moist, grassy areas near water. Earthworms are its primary prey, but they also eat other invertebrates and small amphibians.

SMOOTH GREEN SNAKE

Identification

The Smooth Green Snake’s color is light green, lighter than that of the Rough Green Snake. The belly is ivory and the throat is pale white. On average, it measures about 15 to 20 inches in length. The young are slightly darker than the adults. Similar species include: Rough Green Snake

Distribution and Status

The Smooth Green Snake can be found in northwest Indiana. The species is listed as state Endangered.

Threats and Management Issues

The loss and degradation of natural prairie habitat, as well as the direct and indirect effects of insecticides from its diet, are resulting in Smooth Green Snake population declines.

Ecology

The Smooth Green Snake dwells in wet prairies and is now restricted to the prairie remnants in the northwest counties of Indiana. Similar to the Rough Green Snake, its diet consists almost entirely of insects and spiders.

Florida Kingsnake

lampropeltis

General Information Kingsnakes in general live across the southern continental United States across the deserts of Arizona to Mexico. Their size ranges from 80-170 centimeters. They might be striped, speckled or banded. They are black and yellow and they eat the most in the fall. The kingsnake will become dormant in winter, but it will still shed its skin. He or she must stay near water. Some give birth to live young, but most don't. The kingsnakes have brills instead of eyelids, this keeps the dust, dirt, and sand out of their eyes. This also gives them glossy eyes or a dazed look.

Zoo Observations At the zoo, the kingsnake started to wrap his body around the zookeeper's arm when he got scared. He was yellow and black. Sometimes he would straighten himself out. He had glossy eyes.

Niche/Habitat The Florida king snake lives in cypress ponds, in savannah pine lands, and prairies. The Florida king snake is an enemy of the rattlesnake and called rattlesnake pilot.

Other Varieties California Kingsnake Californiae lampropeltis Mexican Black Kingsnake Nigrita lampropeltis Desert Kingsnake Splendida lampropeltis Black Kingsnake Nigra lampropeltis Outer Banks kingsnake Sticticeps lampropeltis Speckled Kingsnake Holbrook lampropeltis Eastern Kingsnake Getula lampropeltis

Food   Frogs, toads, eggs, snakes, rabbits, birds, and mice.

Environmental Concerns Being in captivity helps the kingsnake because in the wild people kill them thinking that they are coral snakes. But that also keeps other snakes away for the same reason. So their camouflage can be good or bad depending on the reason

Copperhead

The Copperhead is the most common venomous snake found in the eastern US. It is also known by the name "Highland Moccasin." As a species, it belongs to the genus "Agkistrodon" which also includes the Cottonmouth, also known as the "Water Moccasin".

Copperheads are usually colorful and strikingly patterned snakes. They derive their name from the copper-like coloring of the head. The background color of the back and sides is tan to pinkish. There are darker, chestnut colored bands across the back and sides. Each band is of varing width, often described as hour-glass shaped. Newborn Copperheads are colored and patterned like adults, excepting the last inch of so of the tail which will be a bright, sulfur yellow color.

Adults are usually in the range of 24 to 36 inches in length, although specimens of greater than 42 inches are not rare. They give live birth to young. Copperheads eat small rodents, birds, lizards, snakes, amphibians, and insects.

Copperheads are venomous, pit vipers. Copperheads account for more cases of venomous snake bite than any of our other species. Fortunately, their venom is the least toxic of our species. Bites from Copperheads are very seldom fatal; however, a bite may still produce serious consequences.

There are 2 subspecies of Copperheads occuring in South Carolina. Both subspecies appear very similar, although the Southern is usually lighter colored. The most widespread is the Southern Copperhead which ranges from the coast to the upper Piedmont. The Northern Copperhead is found in the Mountains and upper Piedmont. It is probable that most of the specimens from the Piedmont are intergrades although my experience has been that most appear more like Southerns.

Copperheads can be found in most all habitats, although they often prefer to be near streams and other waterways. They may be found on hilltops or lowlands. It is not unusual for Copperheads to be found in forested or undeveloped areas within and near suburban developments. The Copperhead is one of the most successful of our larger snake species. It is usually not difficult to find a Copperhead crossing a road on a warm summer night. Because of their habit of freezing at the approach of danger, many are killed by vehicle traffic.

Copperheads prefer habitats with lots of vines, vegetation and/or debris. Their coloration and patterning is very effective for camouflage in dead leaves on the forest floor. Copperheads rely upon camouflage and cover for safety. When danger is perceived, Copperheads will usually freeze in place and remain motionless for the threat to pass. This strategy works well in their natural habitat. Unless a person steps on them, grasps them, or otherwise comes very, very close to them, Copperheads will not usually bite. However, the bite will be readily used as a last defence. An agitated Copperhead will vibrate its tail rapidly. The relative abundance of Copperheads and their occurrences near human habitations is the reason bites from Copperheads are at the top of venomous snake bite statistics in the eastern US.

Hognose Snake

Common Name:

Western Hognose Snake (3 subspecies - Plains, Dusty, Mexican)

Scientific Name:

Heterodon nasicus (Subspecies: H.n. nasicus, H.n. gloydi, H.n. kennerlyi)

Size:

Length: 16-25 inches (record 35 inches)

Range:

Southern Alberta and northwest Manitoba, south to southeast Arizona, Texas, and into northern Mexico. Also Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas.

Habitat:

Relatively dry, sandy prairie areas, scrubland and river floodplains.

Description of temperament:

A wild caught specimen may flatten its head and neck, hiss, and even strike but rarely, if ever, bites. If agitated to an extreme, the animal may even "play 'possum" by rolling over and playing dead. Captive hatched babies will also display some of these behaviors but both wild caught and captive bred usually lose their willingness to display these behaviors. Since these animals are protected by state laws in some of their range, it is best to try to obtain a captive bred individual.

Captive Care

Caging:

Except in the case of an exceptionally large hognose, a 10 gallon aquarium is big enough for this species. Substrates commonly used include Astroturf, cypress mulch, aspen bedding, coarse sand, and newspaper (at least two weeks old to allow the ink to dry). Never, never, never use ground corncob as substrate for reptiles. Cob is easily ingested by the animals when they eat and can kill the animal by causing intestinal blockage (cob swells when it absorbs water). Since hognose are burrowers, either cypress mulch, aspen bedding, or coarse sand would probably be the best choice of substrate. (Be careful when using sand - again it can cause serious problems by being ingested when the snake eats.)

A hide box should be provided to give the animal the privacy that snakes require. The cage can be decorated with driftwood or climbing limbs as well as flat rocks and bark to provide hiding places. All of these will help the snake during its shed.

Temperature:

Daytime temperatures should be 75-85°F with nighttime temperatures 8-10° cooler. Hot rocks are not suggested as basking sites because they can develop hot spots that can cause thermal burns. A better choice of heat sources is an under-tank heater, some of which are adhesive and can also cause thermal burns. To prevent this problem, cover the heated area with slate (which diffuses the heat) and cover the slate with substrate. A basking site can be provided by placing an incandescent bulb (outside of the tank) over a rock at one end of the tank. Make sure that the animal can escape the heat to a cooler spot at the opposite end of the aquarium.

Food:

In the wild this animal will eat toads, lizards, snakes, and reptile eggs. It will also take ground nesting birds and small rodents. Captive hatched will readily feed on pre-killed mice appropriately sized for the snake being fed. According to Dr. Roger Conant in the Peterson Field Guide, young may also feed on crickets and other insects. Wild caught can, with patience, be conditioned to eat pre-killed prey.

Water requirements:

A bowl filled with fresh, clean water should be provided at all times.

Social Structure:

Solitary except during breeding season (March through April in the wild).

Activity period:

Active during morning and late afternoon hours (crepuscular).

Miscellaneous Information:

Hognoses seem to mimic rattlesnake species found in their range. Western hognose look very much like prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus virdis virdis); Eastern hognose resemble a dark-phase timber rattlesnake, etc. An excellent article on this subject was published in the December, 1990 Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine. Hognose snakes are also commonly known as puff or spreading adder or blow viper because of their defensive behavior (spreading its hood, hissing, etc.). The animal is harmless. Eastern hognose are not recommended as pets because they are frog and toad eaters and can be difficult, if not impossible, to feed during the winter.

References and Suggested Reading:

Conant, Roger and Collins, Joseph T. (1991) A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America, 3rd ed., New York, Houghton Mifflin Co.

Hammerson, Geoffrey (1986) Amphibians and Reptiles in Colorado. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Denver, CO.

Hunziger, Ray (1990) The Best Defense: An Introduction to Hognose Snakes. Tropical Fish Hobbyist.

Mehrtens, John M. (1987) Living Snakes of the World. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York.

Trautnau, Ludwig. Nonvenomous Snakes.

Bull Snake

The Bull Snake, Pituophis melanoleucus, is a hissing constrictor from North America. This snake is also called the gopher snake (in western North America) and the pine snake (in eastern North America). It is a constrictor, a snake that kills by squeezing prey until the victim can no longer breathe. The Bull Snake makes a hissing noise - because of this noise, people sometimes mistake it for a rattlesnake.

Anatomy: Bull Snakes are up to about 5 feet (1.5 m) long. They range from yellow-brown to brown to cream-colored, with black and brown markings; the belly is light brown. This snake has a small head and a large nose shield, which it uses to dig. Like all snakes, Bull Snakes are cold-blooded; they are the same temperature as the environment. The Bull Snake smells using its tongue. This snake has teeth and can bite (but it is not venomous).

Hunting and Diet: Bull Snakes are carnivores (meat-eaters). Like all snakes, they swallow the prey whole, head first. The snake's top and bottom jaws are attached to each other with stretchy ligaments, which let the snake swallow animals that are wider than itself. Snakes don't chew their food, they digest it with very strong acids in the snake's stomach. Bull Snakes eat burrowing mammals (like mice, rabbits, gophers, and ground squirrels), ground-nesting birds, and bird eggs. After eating a large animal, the Bull Snake needs no food for a long time, and it rests for weeks.

Predators: Enemies of the Bull Snake include hawks and eagles.

Habitat: The Bull Snake lives in North America, in sandy areas, prairies, open forests (pine and oak), agricultural fields, and brush.

Reproduction: Bull Snakes mate in the spring. Females dig a shallow, sandy burrow and lay 3 to 20 cream-colored eggs in a clutch. The incubation period is about 64 to 80 days. Newborns are from 1 to 1 1/2 foot (30-46 cm) long. There is no parental care of the young.

Classifcation: Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Reptilia (reptiles), Order Squamata (lizards and snakes), Suborder Serpentes (snakes), Family Colubridae, Genus Pituophis, Species P. melanoleucus.

Black Rat Snake

ElapBlack Rat Snakehe obsBlacBlack Rat snakesoleta obsoleta

Mark Moran

Copyright, Steve Barten

The Black Rat Snake is the largest snake in Virginia, growing up to eight feet long. It is mostly black, with some white showing between its scales. The belly is also white. Black Rat Snakes are found in forests, fields, marshes, and farmland. In the Spring and Fall, these snakes are very active during the day; in the Summer they are more active at night. Rat Snakes are skillfull climbers. They will climb high in trees to find prey. They will also hide in old woodpecker holes. Black Rat Snakes are known to climb rafters in barns and similar buildings. Female snakes will lay a clutch (batch) of 5 to 30 eggs, each approximately two inches long, in a rotten log, under a rock, or in a pile of dead leaves. The baby snakes are about 12 inches long when they hatch and have a gray and black pattern.

Young Black Rat Snake:

Mark Moran

Copyright, Mike Redmer

IDNR, Division of Fish and Wildlife

Black Rat Snakes are most vulnerable to predators when they are young. Raccoons, foxes, bobcats, owls, or hawks are common killers of young snakes. A full-grown Black Rat Snake has few predators other than humans. These snakes are often killed on roads. Black Rat Snakes are powerful constrictors, which means once they catch their prey, they wrap their body around it and squeeze until the animal suffocates. Rat snakes eat birds, eggs, lizards, frogs, other snakes, chipmunks, squirrels, small rabbits, mice, rats, voles, shrews, and other small mammals. In the winter, Black Rat Snakes hibernate in a den, often with other species of snakes, such as the Copperhead.

Mark Moran (Huntley Meadows Park)

Mark Moran

Like all snake, Black Rat Snakes use their tongues to "taste" the air. This sense organ helps snakes to detect predators or prey.

Additional Media

Description Type Credit Black Rat Snake Flicking Tongue Video Mark Moran Black Rat Snake Climbing Tree Video Ahad Khilji Black Rat Snake Coiling Video Phil Heine Download Quicktime if you are unable to play video

Relationships in Nature:

PREY	PREDATORS	SHELTER	OTHER
Meadow Vole	Raccoon	American Sycamore	Pileated Woodpecker SP
Pileated Woodpecker	Red Fox	Eastern White Pine	Copperhead
Eastern Gray Squirrel	Red-tailed Hawk	Yellow Poplar	Muskrat SP
Eastern Cottontail	Barred Owl	Sweetgum	Great Crested Flycatcher SP
Eastern Chipmunk	American Robin	White Oak	Woodchuck SP
Five-lined Skink	Common Crow	Red Maple	Northern Water Snake
Great Crested Flycatcher	Northern Ringneck Snake	Virginia Pine
Northern Ringneck Snake	Eastern Hognose Snake	Black Willow
Common Crow		Mockernut Hickory
Least Shrew		Poison Ivy
Wood Duck		Virginia Creeper
Bullfrog		Bracken Fern
Earthworm		Silver Maple
Red-winged Blackbird		Loblolly Pine
Wood Frog		Common Reed
Wild Turkey		Cinnamon Fern
American Toad		Willow Oak
Northern Cardinal		Black Locust
Big Brown Bat		Bigtooth Aspen

Relationship to Humans:

Black Rat Snakes are extremely beneficial as they eat large amounts of rats, mice, and other pest animals. Farmers always appreciate having snakes around for this reason.

Black Rat Snakes are not poisonous, and are not interested in humans, but they will bite if threatened. People often kill Black Rat Snakes because they fear their large size.

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

KINGDOM Animal PHYLUM Chordate CLASS Reptile ORDER Squamata FAMILY Colubridae GENUS Elaphe SPECIES Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta

BLACK SPITTING COBRA (Naja naja sputatrix)

Sharp spitter: This cobra is among the few snakes which can spit venom. This behaviour is purely defensive and is not used to kill prey. Spitting cobras kill their prey by injecting venom with a bite just as other venomous snakes do. Spitting is a better defence than biting because they can injure the predator without coming too close to it. The spitting cobra feeds mainly on amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and birds, hunting them at night. Unlike other vipers, they usually hang onto prey after biting them, chewing to inject large amounts of venom.   VITAL STATISTICS Size: 1.5m. Lifespan: 20 years in captivity. Babies: 6-20 eggs. Incubation: 45-88 days. Hatchlings about 20cm long. Distribution: Ranges from southern Thailand, the peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. It is common in Singapore. Habitat: It prefers the outdoors (grassy, wooded areas and mangroves) but rodents may attract it to human settlements. Classification: Family Elapidae. Only three Elapidae groups can spit: two groups are African cobras, the third group are cobras in Southeast Asia. No other snakes can do this.

The spitting cobra doesn't spit like we do. It doesn't pucker up its lips. The fangs of spitting cobras resemble those of other cobras, but the opening through which the venom flows out of the fangs are much smaller, closer to the base of the fang, rounded rather than elongated in shape, and the venom canal inside the fang reaches the outlet at a right angle to the tooth. When the venom gland is compressed, the narrower outlet creates greater pressure to build up so the venom sprays out in tiny droplets. The snake then blows air out through the mouth by collapsing its lungs. The venom droplets are directed outwards in a pair of fine sprays. Most spitting cobras can effectively spray venom up to 2.5m. Spitting cobras are very accurate are short distances and usually aim for the eyes. They usually flee after spitting. The venom doesn't cause any harm on unbroken skin. But it can cause temporary blindness if it gets into the eyes. Unless it is rinsed out immediately, extensive damage to the cornea will cause permanent blindness. Mating and babies: A male and female may remain together during the breeding season. The female lays between 6 to 20 eggs in an abandoned burrow, a termite mound or other safe place. Sometimes the female stays to brood her eggs, sometimes even the male as well. The hatchlings are about 20cm long, with the same colours as the adults, and just as venomous. Role in the habitat: Like other predators, spitting cobras help keep the population of their prey in check. They are also eaten by other predators, including other snakes like the King Cobra. Status and threats: In addition to spitting, these cobras can bite just as other snakes do. Their bite is highly venomous to humans. However, they are not aggressive and will usually avoid humans if left alone. Although sometimes they do stray into homes particularly if there are a lot of rodents there.