fastened lid. One good arrangement is to have a box provided with screened 

 ventilating holes and with a triple-thick or plate glass side or roof sliding in 

 grooves. 



Feeding snakes. 



Natural food should he provided, unless the snake learns to take meat 

 dangled or shaken before it. Garter snakes take earthworms readily; the small 

 brown and green snakes will usually take smooth caterpillars and small grass- 

 hoppers; water snakes, hog'nosed snakes and large garter snakes take frogs 

 readily; most of the other common snakes prefer warm-blooded prey and will 

 eat mice. A meal a week will maintain a snake in good condition. At low 

 temperatures it can go for several months without food. If it refuses to eat 

 ior several weeks in warm v^'eather, it is usually best to release it, unless it is a 

 particularly valued specimen. Force-feeding is likely to result in injury. 



Injuries .and pests. 



Injuries often result from a snake's striking at the glass or wire front 

 of its cage, when teased or annoyed. This habit can be discouraged by cover- 

 ing the cage until the animal becomes used to its cage. If infection sets in, 

 any mild antiseptic, such as potassium permanganate solution, may be applied. 

 Ticks and other skin pests sometimes work under the scales and should be 

 removed and the spots touched with antiseptic. If the reptile is unable to 

 shed its skin completely, it may be aided gently with the fingers, or treated with 

 warm Vv'atcr to help loosen the skin. 



PROBLEMS FOR STUDY , 



Hibernation. 



Field studies would shed much light on when and where each species of 

 snake hibernates. Some are known to bury themselves under leaves and debris, 

 others seek deep rock crevices which may dip beyond the reach of frost, and 

 some have been reported to bury themselves in springs which do not freeze. 

 Where snakes are common, records of the last time they are seen in the fall 

 and of first appearance in spring would shed some light on the length of the 

 hibernating season. 



Reproduction. 



Mating habits, place of deposition and number of eggs, length of incuba* 

 tion period under normal conditions, brooding habits and any evidences of 

 parental interest in young are all topics needing further investigation. Some 

 of these, such as incubation of eggs, can be studied under experimental or cap- 

 tive conditions, although field observations are preferable. 



387 



