1^1. 



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;^ A RATTLESNAKE DEN 

 i^^i^ IN EARLy SPR^INO 



^<^^\\v The teeth also help a snake to swallow its food. They are 



/.''\* curved backward and a snake works each side of its jaws back 



„,, ^^ and forth to "walk" the food right down its gullet. After the food 



'^/'4 passes the teeth, powerful body muscles take over and work the 



food into the stomach. Snakes have very strong digestive 



v^^t^ systems and can even digest some bones. After large meals, 



^^"^^ ysome snakes have gone as long as a year or more without 



"\ 'a\\K^,,^V eating. They commonly spend several days or a week between 



meals, 



Hibernation 



V 



■s-TS^ 



FOX SNAKE E665- 

 NBVSILY LAID 



THE SAME 56G5- 

 READY TO HATCH 



Snakes, like other reptiles, are cold-blooded animals, and 

 re very sensitive to variations in temperature. They depend 

 upon the heating and cooling effects of their surroundings for 

 the control of body temperature. A snake placed in the hot 

 sun soon dies. That is why many kinds of desert-dwelling snakes 

 are nocturnal, coming out of holes and other shelters to hunt 

 only at night. This cold-blooded feature of snakes is also the 

 reason why thousands of them are killed by automobiles. Roads 

 absorb heat during the day and retain this heat well into the 

 night. Snakes crawl out onto these roads to get warm and this 

 places them in danger of being run over by cars. 



Since snakes cannot stand extremes in temperature, they 

 must have protection from winter cold. They get this protec- 

 tion by hibernating below the frost line. Rocky crevices, holes 

 under stumps, and animal burrows are all utilized by hiber- 

 nating snakes. Many snakes hibernate alone, but some of 

 them, including bullsnakes, blacksnakes, rattlesnakes, and 

 copperheads, hibernate in large groups. During the first warm 

 days of spring, snakes often come out of hibernation to sun 

 themselves. If a late cold spell nnoves in, they just retreat 

 back into their den and wait until warm weather returns. 



Reproduction 



Most snakes mate within a nnonth after coming out of 

 hibernation, but mating in the fall does occur in several 

 species. Some snakes lay eggs while others give birth to their 

 young. Snake eggs are usually laid in warm, damp places. 

 They are tough and leathery, and may vary in number from 

 two for some snakes up to two dozen or more for others. 

 After laying the eggs, female snakes usually take no more 

 interest in them, but son-ie species guard their nests until the 

 eggs hatch. The time required for hatching varies from 

 a few days up to three months or more. Before they hatch, 

 baby snakes grow a sharp projection, called an "egg tooth", 

 which points forward from the top of the mouth. They use 

 this "egg tooth" to cut their way out of the tough shell. A 

 snake is independent from the time it enters the world. Snakes 

 never receive any parental care. They are able to catch their 

 own food, and young poisonous snakes have effective fangs 

 and venom at birth. 



FOX 

 SNAKES 



