Archive for the 'Info' Category
There are many types of water snakes found in the world. The type of snake you encounter depends on the region in which you are traveling. You should know that a snake could strike you from a distance of half of their body length. Hence it is safe to stay at a distance more than half of their body length. This striking distance is only when you encounter the snake in land.
In water their striking distance is very limited. Better avoid the areas in which the snakes sun. Usually they will be sunning in the branches that protrude over the waterfront so that if they find any encounter they will drop themselves into water and escape. That is why when you are canoeing you have to be careful when you move into the low-lying areas where branches of trees protrude over the waterfront. Some of the common water snakes that you might come across are the northern water snakes, red belly water snakes, banded water snakes, cottonmouth snakes, and the brown water snakes. The northern water snake is usually 22 to 59 inches in length and is found in the lakes, streams, rivers, marshes, swamps, ditches, and ponds. It is thick bodied and has a dark band around its neck. You can find half moon spots in its belly. It is found in the central and eastern US. Usually they come out in the night.
The cottonmouth water moccasin is a poisonous snake, which is also aggressive in the sense that it will approach the intruder in the area. It is semi aquatic in nature. Usually they lie on the water logs with part of their body in water waiting for their prey to come within their reach. This kind of water snake could be having a dark body color and a light belly color. It might also have body cross-bands. When this snake bites you it would latch on to the area with its bite rather than the bite and release pattern found in the other snakes. It has a powerful jaw. Some of the subspecies of this water snake include the eastern, western, and the Florida cottonmouth.
The brown water snake is usually active during the day and rarely hunts during the night. Fishes and frogs constitute its main dish. It also climbs the branches to sleep on the overhanging branches over the water. It usually escapes when you frighten it and if you need a bite you can catch it! It is usually found in the southeastern U.S. The Diamondback water snakes have a chain like pattern in its body and have a yellow belly. It is found in the marshes, swamps, and the lakes of south central and southwestern U.S. they have long teeth and hence the bite from these snakes would be more painful.
February 13 2008 | Animals and Info and Random and Reptiles and Water Snakes | No Comments »
In the previous section I covered the history of snakes, how they got to be what they are now. But what are they? How do they live their lives, where do they live? This is what I’ll address in this section.
Snakes have a long, narrow body. Their internal organs are made to fit their long and narrow body type. Snakes have only one functioning lung, so it’s vital that their environment is clean and not polluted.
An interesting fact to know; to find out how many “vertabreas” the snake has, you can count the number of belly scales. Usually there will be a new scale for each vertebrea. It’s jaw is evolved so that the snake can swallow prey many times its size. The bottom part of the jaw is not locked together, as it is in most other animals, but it can be separated into two parts. This way its mouth can open up, swallow the prey, and then pull its jaw together again. When the snake does this, it looks like it’s yawning, opening the mouth up wide and shutting it again.
Their vision is just awesome, they don’t see like we do; rather they see heat and movements. They also don’t hear anything but very low frequencies, so talking to a snake will not work. You can shout you lungs out, the snake cannot hear you. It does however feel the vibration, so stomping your feet in the ground will definitely get its attention. If you ever seen a cobra hypnotized by someone playing a flute, you can be sure that the person is stomping his foot in the ground or similar, as the snake would not hear the flute.
The males have two reproductive organs, the hemipenes. During mating only one will actually carry sperm. With young snakes you can sex the snakes by “popping” them. That means that to check for a male you pop out the hemipenes by applying pressure to the bottom of the tail. If done wrong this can hurt the snake and make it infertile, so you should always have someone show you how to do it before attempting. This cannot be done with other then very young snakes. The males are usually a little wider around the vent area before the tail narrows down quickly (because of the hemipenes inside), while in the females the tail narrows down more evenly. But this can be very difficult to see with the naked eye, so the best way to sex a snake is by “probing”. Proping is where you stick a probe into the snake’s vent and see how far in it goes before you meet resistance. In males the hemipenes makes the probe go in further then in the female.
When it comes to birth, snakes are not good parents. The fathers are completely absent, he impregnates the female and leaves. The female then either lays her eggs, or has live babies. Pythons and corn snakes lay eggs, while boas have live babies. Some snakes lay ontop of the eggs till they hatch, actually regulating the temperature for them, while others such as the corn snake just lays them and leaves. A pregnant snake is said to be “gravid”. After the babies are born or hatched they are on their own. This might be natures way of regulating the snake population, because a snake can have very many babies! However, without any help from the parents most don’t make it. For these it really is survival of the fittest, but also alot of luck!
Skin and Shedding
Snake skin is scaly, but not slimy which is a very common misconception. Snakes are NOT worms!
Their skin is built up by scales, which help the snake’s movement by gripping the surface. As new cells grow under the snake’s skin, the new cells push the old cells up, creating a transparent skin. When the snake grows and the top layer of skin is being pushed even further, the snake goes through a process of shedding.
The shedding has several phases; first the skin becomes rough and the snake’s belly usually turns pinkish. Then its eyes reach the “opaque” stage, its eyes turns blue and the snake is basically blind for a few days. This is because the snake is shedding the layer over its eyes. Then the snake starts looking normal again, and it’s very hard to see that it’s shedding. Next thing is to rub its skin against the surface, rocks etc, to push off the skin from head to tail. It looks like a sock thats pulled off, ending up inside out. The snake’s skin is supposed to come off in one piece. Young snakes shed often; every month or two. When they get older their grow rate decreases, and they shed more rarely. Although they do most of their growing in the first couple of years, snakes never stop growing. Adult snakes shed a couple of times a year. Shedding is also very important in getting rid of parasites. Habitat
Snakes can now be found throughout the world, the only place there are no snakes is in the arctic region. They are such adaptable creatures, there just isn’t any comparison to their success. They live in deserts, cities, oceans, lakes, forests, mountains, savannas, rain forests etc. The list could go on and on. Snakes are everywhere.
Snakes in cooler areas usually go into a sort of hibernation during the wintertime, called brumation. Unlike hibernation where pretty much everything shuts down and wakes up again in spring, brumation is what you could call “do nothing”. All the body functions are intact and the snake even moves around a little bit. However, it mostly lays there and waits for spring. Usually the snake chooses a place underground, so that it can stay as warm as possible during winter. Almost every snake that lives in an area with cool temperatures during winter brumates, otherwise it would not survive.
There are many places where snakes that are not native to the area have been introduced, and now they are thriving. In many cases this proves a real challenge to the natural ecosystem, as the new snakes push other species out, or the simple fact that humans do not want them there. This is why people who have snakes, cannot just go to the park and drop them off! I cannot stress this enough, just watch what’s happened in the Everglades in Florida. Now there are anacondas and reticulated pythons breeding in an area where they do not belong, because careless owners who were faced with snakes they couldn’t handle or didn’t want let them loose. These kinds of actions can have fatal consequences.
Diet
All snakes are carnivorous, but the diet varies greatly depending on habitat and size. Most eat rodents; mice, rats, rabbits, gerbils etc. Others eat fish, eggs, lizards and even other snakes. The very big species can eat pretty much everything from hippos to crocs.
Snakes are amazing in terms of patience, they can lay in one spot for days, just waiting for a prey to pass by. If a prey comes by, the snake will use its attack method, whether it is constriction or venom, to kill it.
Snakes cannot taste anything, and does not chew. There is more about how snakes are able to swallow a prey many times its size in the anatomy section, but basically its bottom jaw gets separated in two while eating, and muscle movements help the snake swallow. The teeth are pointed towards the back of its mouth, so when a prey is bitten it’s almost impossible for it to escape. The more the prey tries to push itself out, the better grip the snake gets. It’s so clever, and so simple. Anyone who has ever been bitten by a snake, knows that trying to pull the finger out of it’s mouth rarely works. To get your finger loose, you actually have to push it further into the mouth to get loose from the grip, and then open the mouth and your free.
If the prey poses no threat, such as a pinkie mouse, the snake will usually not bother to waste energy killing it, but rather swallows it alive.
After the snake has eaten it’s time for it to digest its food. This is very important and the snake cannot be bothered during this process. This process usually takes around 48 hours, and if the snake feels threatened, the prey is too big, or the weather isn’t warm enough it will regurgitate (throw up). Regurgitation is a serious thing for all snakes, their systems basically gets turned upside down. The best thing to do after a regurge is to wait at least ten days before trying to feed again. How often a snake eats varies from specie to specie. Very often the males (sometimes females) fast around breeding season no matter if they actually breed or not. Snakes might also not eat if they are shedding.
January 29 2008 | Info and Random and Reptiles | No Comments »
By Joshua Biggar
Snakes. Just the mention of the word can send chills up the spine or send one fleeing in the opposite direction. To some they are just scary, slithery, sinister serpents. However, they are also sneaky. Yes, sneaky. The serpent has been known for its sneakiness since the beginning. Remember Eve? It was because of the sneaky sales pitch of the serpent that Eve “bought”, Adam “bit” , and they were both “booted out” of the Garden of Eden. Oh yes, snakes can be extremely sneaky, and can show their craftiness in a variety of ways.
The American Copperhead is a great example of a cunning culprit. This snake has a rust and copper colored body with dark crisscrossing bands. It has a bright copper colored head, hence the name, Copperhead. This snake is easily recognizable, that is if you see it. Because of the snake’s markings, they are easily hidden. Let this snake curl up on a pile of fallen leaves and you may never even know it was there. Pretty slick huh? But that’s not all. These snakes learn how to be masters of guile at a very early age, as a matter of fact from the moment they are born. The baby Copperhead is born with a yellow tipped tail which it uses to lure unsuspecting prey. The juvenile snake hides beneath the leaves and sticks its wiggling tail up. The tail, resembling a grubworm, attracts moles, mice, and other such rodents. When the small mixed-up mammals take the bait, the clever Copperhead enjoys his dinner.
Besides being deceitful for dinner, snakes also use their misleading mannerisms to protect themselves. The colorful yet, allusive Coral Snake, for instance, will curl up and hide its head underneath its body when it feels threatened. Then it bends and presents its tail in such a way that it looks just like the snake’s head. When a predator attempts to attack, the snake bites back injecting neurotoxic venom paralyzing its victim. The predator in this case sometimes becomes the prey.
Just as the Coral Snake has an ingenious way of protecting itself, so does the Coral Snake Copy Cat, the Scarlet Kingsnake. This snake uses its looks to confound and confuse. The nonvenomous Scarlet Kingsnake very much resembles the very venomous Coral Snake. The kingsnake has the same colors of red, black, and yellow. The difference, however, is in the pattern. The old rhyme “Red meets yellow, Kill a fellow, Red meets black, Friend of Jack”, helps us to aptly identify the snake, but thoroughly mixes up would be predators and sometimes helps prevent this “legless lizard” from becoming lunch.
Yes, snakes are still as sneaky as ever. They still bewilder, beguile, and sometimes even bewitch. They are masters of disguise as well as masters of deception and they probably always will be. So if you happen up on one of these “sneaky snakes”, just acknowledge, admire, and then allow him to do his thing.
November 12 2007 | Animals and Info and Random and Reptiles and Snake tips | No Comments »
By Joshua Biggar
It’s a nice warm day and you decide to go to the lake. You find a nice quiet area away from the crowd and settle down to bask in the sun. However, you soon discover you are not the only one enjoying the warmth of the rays. Laying stretched out on a limb hanging over the water is a large dark snake. You scream, he slithers and the quiet of the day is spoiled for the both of you. Upon hearing the scream, people come running and you explain how a huge water moccasin invaded YOUR territory. But are you sure it was a water moccasin? Maybe not.
All too often non-venomous water snakes are mistaken for the venomous water moccasin or otherwise known as the “Cottonmouth” so named because of its milky white lined mouth. The water moccasin and the water snake have many similarities that allow for these misidentifications. For instance, both species live around creeks, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams or swamps. Wherever there is a water source you are likely to find one of these guys. Another common characteristic of the water snake and water moccasin is their size. Either may grow up to five feet in length. They both have keeled scales, broad, triangular heads and stout bodies. Both species may become aggressive if they feel threatened or if it is mating season.
With all the similarities between the two species, how would one tell them apart? Glad you asked. There are a few differences. As mentioned earlier, the water moccasin has a white lined mouth which it displays wide opened when it feels threatened. Also the pupils of the water moccasin are vertical, meaning that it has what appears to be a slit in the middle, giving it a very sinister look. The water snake on the other hand has rounded pupils . So, if you happen to come upon one of these fascinating creatures and have the audacity to try to identify it, you can either ask him to open wide or simply look him in the eyes. I just suggest you leave well enough alone!
November 03 2007 | Animals and Identification and Info and Random and Reptiles and Snake tips and Water Snakes | No Comments »
By Joshua Biggar
Rattlesnakes are one of the United States’ most venomous and dangerous snakes. The rattlesnake belongs to the crotalus genus, which means rattle, referring to the rattle on the tip of its tail. There are many species of rattlesnakes and the range of rattlesnakes cover almost all of the United States. Their habitats consist of many different kinds of terrain, depending upon the species. Because of their habitat diversity, care should be taken when hiking, camping, fishing, or even walking your dog.
The rattlesnake is the master of disguise. Due to their unique colorations and patterns they aptly blend in with their surroundings. Unless specifically looking for the rattlesnake, one may walk right past it and never even know it was there. Unlike what most people think, rattlesnakes do not always rattle their tails warning of their presence. They sometimes rely on their camoflauging ability, hoping to go unnoticed.
If a rattlesnake is encountered, it is best to stay as far away as possible, giving the snake respect and allowing it a chance to retreat. Do not foolishly approach the snake because rattlesnakes can strike very quickly and can also strike about two-thirds their own body length. They do not have to be in what most would consider a striking position, or all coiled up and ready to lunge. As a matter of fact, a rattlesnake can strike in any position, even when it is all stretched out. So, being cautious is the best way to avoid getting bitten.
Many rattlesnake bites occur when a snake is mishandled, aggravated, or in an attempt to kill the snake. A rattlesnake will bite if it feels threatened or cornered with no way to escape. It is best to just leave them alone, letting them go their way. This will prevent both you and the snake undue harm.
Another way people are bitten by rattlesnakes is when someone picks up a dead rattlesnake not knowing that, though it is dead, it can sometimes still bite. As crazy as this sounds, it is true and many people have ended up with the venom of a dead snake in their body.
The best way to avoid rattlesnake bites is to just be smart and careful. If you are planning to be in what you know is a rattlesnakes’ territory, it is best to wear loose clothing, snake proof chaps, and snake proof boots. Pay attention to where you are stepping and avoid sitting on any logs or rocks where a rattlesnake may be hiding. Try to stay on main roads or well traveled trails, avoiding very thick brush and debris. Taking these simple precautions can help prevent a snakebite, however, if ever bitten by a rattlesnake, try to remain as calm as possible, try to identify what species of rattlesnake it was so that you will be able to tell medical professionals. Keep the bitten limb lower than your heart at all times so as to minimize the flow of blood and the spreading of the venom. Again, remain calm. Do not panic or do any thing that will cause your heartrate to speed up and the blood to flow faster. Seek medical attention immediately.
As mentioned before, the rattlesnake is one of the United States’ most venomous and dangerous snakes. It is an amazing creature that deserves respect. So, if you happen to see one, back up, back off and let it be. You’ll both be glad you did.
October 24 2007 | Animals and Info and Random and Rattlesnakes and Reptiles and Snake tips | No Comments »
First, don’t kill nonvenomous snakes. Any given area can only support a fixed number of snakes. If you kill the nonvenomous snakes that leaves a food supply that could support a population of venomous snakes.
Remember to stay a safe distance from the snake. Snakes usually strike about 1/2 their body length, but they can strike farther. You also don’t want to trip and fall on the snake.
80% of bites occur when someone tries to catch or kill a snake. The safest thing you can do if you see a snake is to leave it alone. (It’s probably protected by law anyway.)
85% of bites in the United States occur on the hand and forearm. 50% involve a victim under the age of 20. 70% of bites in the United States involve alcohol consumption.
If you have a snake in your yard, either call someone trained in their removal or stand at a safe distance and spray it with a garden hose. Snakes hate that and will leave quickly.
Step on logs rather than over them. Snakes coil beside logs in the “Reinert Posture” and might mistake your leg for a predator or prey.
Watch where you put your hands and feet. Do not reach under boards with your fingers.
Snakes can be handled safely with proper tools and training, but do NOT risk trying to handle venomous snakes if you have not been professionally trained. There are things that no website can teach you about how to handle venomous snakes safely.
You can minimize the appeal of your yard to a snake by 1. cutting the grass, 2. picking up debris, and 3. Controlling rodents. If there is no food or shelter the snake will soon leave for better hunting grounds.
The safest thing to do if you see a snake is to LEAVE IT ALONE. Most bites occur when someone is attempting to capture or kill a snake.
If you are bitten by a snake, seek immediate medical care from a licensed and experienced physician. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the first aid for snakebite consists of:
“Do remain calm – Remember that there is an excellent chance for survival, and in most cases there is plenty of time.
Do suck and squeeze – as much venom as possible directly from the wound. Venom is protein and can be taken orally with no ill effects.
Do remove jewelry – Swelling can progress rapidly, so rings, watches and bracelets can be a real problem.
Do mark the time – The progress of symptoms (swelling) is the most obvious indicator of the amount of envenomation.
Do keep the stricken limb below the heart.
Do get to a hospital as quickly as possible – Anti-venom serum is the only sure cure for envenomation, and because some people are allergic to horse serum it should only be given in a fully equipped medical facility.
In case of a Coral bite, do pull the snake off immediately – Corals’ fangs are relatively small, and they have to work at getting venom into the wound. Therefore, the faster the snake is removed the less venom is injected.
Do attempt to identify the offending snake – Positive identification in the form of a dead snake is helpful, if convenient, but no time or safety should be wasted since the symptoms will give medical personnel an accurate diagnosis.
Do get a tetanus shot.
Don’t cut the wound – This almost always causes more damage than it’s worth.
Don’t use a tourniquet – This isolates the venom in a small area and causes the digestive enzymes in the venom to concentrate the damage.
Don’t use alcohol orally – it speeds the heart and blood flow and reduces the body’s counter-acting ability.
Don’t use ice – Freezing the stricken limb has been found to be a major factor leading to amputation.”
Remember, snakes have their place in the ecosystem and were around long before we arrived. We are the visitors in their garden. Snakes are quite capable of defending themselves, but are reluctant to do so. If you follow a few common sense rules you can minimize an already very small risk of snakebite during your outdoor adventure.
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Chad Minter is the Author of Venomous Snakes of the Southeast. He spends most of his time finding and photographing snakes in the wild. He is actively involved in public education. More information and articles can be found at Chad’s site: http://www.envenomated.com – The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Page
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chad_Minter |
October 14 2007 | Animals and Info and Random and Rattlesnakes and Reptiles and Snake tips | No Comments »
Spending summer months in the great outdoors often means dealing with rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes roam across several states, from coastal to mountain ranges. Many western states are afflicted by this poisonous creature include California, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. In California alone, 800 residents are bitten each year and about two end up dying from their bites. The species that are most common to the Western US include the Northern Pacific Rattler, Western Diamond Back, Sidewinder, Speckled Rattlesnake, Red Diamond Rattler, Southern Pacific, Great Basin and Mohave Rattlesnake.
Rattlesnakes can be found anywhere, but commonly find shelter among high grass and rocks. In the evening, when the weather cools, they often venture out onto dirt roads and streets to absorb the warmth into their bodies.
Apart from the rattle, the most distinctive indentifying characteristics of the rattlesnake is a wide, flat triangular head, much broader in back than front, with a distinct “neck” region. The rattlesnakes has openings between the nostrils and eyes, which are hooded with elliptical pupils. There are also a series of dark and light bands near the tail above the rattles, that differ from the markings on the rest of the body.
If you come across the path of a rattlesnake, the simple thing to do is get out of that area. If you’re feeling particularly brave, you can kill it with a rock, shovel or snakeshot. To protect other people and animals, you should bury the head, as the poison remains deadly even once the snake has been killed.
If you are bitten by a rattlesnake, stay calm and get to a doctor as soon as possible. The California Poison Control Center advises:
1. Stay Calm
2. Wash bite area gently with soap and water
3. Remove watch, rings, etc. that may constrict swelling
4. Immobilize the affected area
5. Transport safely to nearest medical facility.
Remember that a rattlesnake bite is potentially fatal, so be cautious and always watch your step. Be aware of your surroundings and that of your family while enjoying your summer in the great outdoors.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Smith
October 09 2007 | Info and Random and Rattlesnakes and Snake tips | No Comments »
Many people ask me how dangerous are snakes?
The answer is that snakes have accumulated as many myths as sharks over the years. Like shark stories, most general beliefs about snakes have very little foundation in the truth.
However, they still remain animals that have developed unique ways of defending themselves and should be given the respect that they deserve.
Snakes are wild animals that just want to live out their lives the way they were designed to. With the exceptions of a few species that live mainly in Australia and Africa, the vast majority of venomous snakes have absolutely no interest in humans and do not attack.
In fact, people who live in warmer climates have quite probably been within inches of a venomous snake and never known about it. Snakes will often give fair warning before striking by hissing or using their rattles. They do this because they do not want to waste their venom on species that are not their prey.
Humans have a macabre relationship with snakes that is not really justified. The mere mention of the word initiates an anxious reaction that is deeply embedded in our unconscious mind as a primeval defense strategy against unnecessary injury.
So what do you do if you or somebody else are bitten by a snake?
The first thing to do is to lie the person down and keep them still. That includes yourself if it is you who was bitten. By doing this we are trying to keep the pulse low. However this has limited effect because the anxiety one feels after snake bite raises the pulse. In saying that, running about most definitely makes matters worse.
The second thing to do is to identify the type of snake that bit the person in question. If you can’t identify it make a mental note of exactly what it looked like.
Get some ice if possible and put it on the lesion. Keep the injured part of the body as still as possible. Apply a splint if you have suitable materials at hand.
Get medical help. Use your mobile phone to call an ambulance. If the ambulance station is far from where you are, ask for a helicopter or failing that start to drive in the direction of the ambulance. mark your car in some way that the ambulance will recognize you. e.g. use a shirt as a flag. Call the police they may be closer to your area. If you are in a park or wilderness call the ranger service. They may keep anti venom.
Meet the ambulance half way and transfer the patient to the ambulance.
NEVER attempt to suck the poison out or cut the wounded area. You may poison yourself and cause the venom to disperse more quickly. Only apply a tourniquet or any other type of blood flow restriction device if you are advised to do so by a medical professional.
Facts about Bites:
Normally a snake will strike very quickly and will inject about 1/2 – 1/4 of a drop of venom from each fang. Venom takes time to mix with the blood. You can demonstrate this by taking taking a glass of water and gently placing one drop of ink onto the surface of the water. You will notice how it takes a long time for the ink to mix throughout the water. Venom is the same. The venom is somewhere embedded in the tissue. It needs some time for it to spread evenly throughout the body.
If you are going into a wilderness, let the authorities know where you are going and when you are expected back. Take distress flares with you and find out if you will have reception for your mobile phone. Find out where help stations are situated, including emergency telephones.
Wear sensible boots, Do not turn over logs and rocks. Do not sit down without first checking the area and especially do not lean on fallen trees or rocks without checking them well first.
Do not be tempted to touch wildlife including snakes. Give them a wide girth, keep clear. Do not leave your boots outside of your tent at night, snakes like to crawl into places for protection from the cold.
Do not leave food scraps because they will attract the local rodents. Snakes follow their food source which is small animals, especially rodents. No rodents equals less chance of snakes.
If you don’t have a tent, sleep above ground in a hammock if you can. Follow these simple rules and your chances of being bitten are much less.
Remember! of you are going to work in your garden or pick something up in a place that has good camouflage for snakes like under bushes, among leaves, rocks or timber test the whole area gently with a long stick first.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Routledge
October 08 2007 | Info and Random and Snake tips | No Comments »
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