THE SNAKE

THE SNAKE They are reptiles, legless (without legs) and

carnivorous (meat eaters). They don’t have eyelids and external ears (like

lizards) Covered by scales. 3.400 species Found on every continent (except Antartica)

Biology

Size: There are some 10 cm long and others of 9 meters (pythons and anacondas)

Smell: Snakes use smell to track their prey. They use their tongue (fork tongue).

Infrared sensitivity

Pit vipers, pythons, and some boas can “see” the heat. Snakes have cold blood but they can see warm animals (like a mouse).

SkinThe skin is covered in SCALES. And it is dry. They

change their skin many times like taking out a sock.

Skeleton

Diet

Some species like cobras and coral snakes, use venom to paralyze or kill their prey before eating it. The venom is modified saliva

Others kill by constriction They eat small animals including lizards, other

snakes, small mammals, birds, eggs, fish, snails or insects

Kill by constriction

Winter dormancy

In regions where winters are colder than snakes can tolerate, local species will brumate. Unlike hibernation, in which mammals are actually asleep, brumating reptiles are awake but inactive.

Individual snakes may brumate under rock piles, or inside fallen trees, or snakes may aggregate in large numbers.

Feeding All snakes are carnivorous but they cannot bite or

tear their food to pieces, they must swallow prey whole. The body size of a snake has a major influence on its eating habits. Smaller snakes eat smaller prey. Juvenile pythons might start out feeding on lizards or mice and graduate to small deer or antelope as an adult, for example.

Bite

Snakes do not normally prey on humans. Most snakes prefer to avoid contact and will not attack humans. With the exception of large constrictors, nonvenomous snakes are not a threat to humans. The bite of a nonvenomous snake is usually harmless; their teeth are not designed for tearing but rather grabbing and holding. The possibility of infection is present in the bite of a nonvenomous snake.

THANKS FOR WATCHINGBy: Juana Sturla.