Bull Snake
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Corn Snake

Milk Snake

King Snake

Royal Python
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Burmese Python
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Indigo Snake

Snakes

 

Carnivore
An animal whose main diet consists of meat.
Herbivore
An animals whose main diet consists of plant, vegetable & fruit matter
Omnivore
An animal whose diet consists of meat, plant, vegetable & fruit matter in similar quantities
Insectivore
An animal whose main diet consists of insects
Captivity
An animal that is cared for in an artificial environment
Habitat
The environment in which the animal survives & thrives
Diurnal
An animal which is active during day light hours
Nocturnal
An animal which is active during the night time
Crepuscular
An animal which is most active at dawn & dusk
Predator
An animal which hunts other animals for food
Prey
An animal which is hunted by a predator
Bird
An animal with warm blood, egg laying & with feathers covering their body. Most have the ability to fly
Reptile
A cold blooded animal with a protective skin, scales or shell covering the body. Most lay eggs
Mammal
Warm blooded animals with hair or fur. Almost all have live young
Invertebrate
An animal without a spinal column - backbone
Amphibian
An animal which lay eggs in water, live on land & water & have moist skin. Most adults have 4 legs
Insect
An animal with 6 legs and 3 separate body parts
Mollusc
An animal with a hard shell and muscular foot

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Snakes

Fossil evidence tells us that snakes evolved from lizards around 130 million years ago (MYA), although the fossil data is inconclusive, as estimates range from 100 MYA to 150 MYA. Currently there are around 3000 species of snake.

Difference between a Venomous and Non-Venomous

We refer to snakes as venomous or non-venomous - not poisonous. To be poisoned you need to ingest (swallow) the venom. We refer to being bitten by a venomous snake as being envenomated.

Only about 600 species are venomous, with only a few of these able to cause humans a serious problem.

Diet

All snakes are carnivores and use two methods to kill their prey, either venomation or constriction.

Even constrictors will strike to bite, this is to stop their prey from being able to escape and then will coil the rest of their body around and begin suffocating (constricting) the animal.

Snakes can swallow prey up to 5 times the size of their head by articulating their jaws around the food. Once swallowed, the snake will appear to yawn to reset their jaw bones.

Snakes will eat anything from invertebrates, small to large mammals, amphibians, lizards, eggs and even each other.

Habitat

Snakes inhabit every continent (except the Antarctic) and even oceans, although there are a few countries (islands) where snakes are not found, these include - Ireland, New Zealand, Iceland and Greenland.

In the UK we have several species, the only venomous being the adder which can be found predominantly in southern regions around heath land and sometimes in dense woodland with open areas ideal to bask in.

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