shedding of Skin 



Snakes shed their skin for the first time within a few days 

 after being born or hatched. A snake's skin does not grow like 

 that of a warm-blooded animal, so it must be shed as the snake- 

 gets larger. Older snakes frequently shed their skin even when 

 growth is slow. 



A snake takes on a dull coloration before shedding. At this 

 time, the scale over the eye loosens and the eyes appear 

 cloudy. A snake's eyesight is impaired during shedding and the 

 animal may become almost blind for a short time. The skin- 

 loosening period may take ten days to two weeks before 

 shedding can be completed. When the skin beconnes loose 

 enough, the snake begins to rub its head against some solid 

 object such as a rock or stick. Once the skin on the head is 

 worked loose, the snake starts crawling out of it, leaving the 

 skin "wrong side out." 



Enemies 



Man's wholesale habitat destruction and special nnethods of 

 killing are the worst enemies of snakes. Because of fear, 

 many people kill every snake they can, never realizing that the 

 animal may have definite value. Very few snakes are actually 

 in conflict with man's interests, and some kinds are beneficial. 

 Man's agricultural practices have often proven very harmful 

 to snakes. The burning of woods, fields, and brushpiles, along 

 with nnowing of meadows and field borders, has been respon- 

 sible for killing many of these creatures. 



Several kinds of livestock are destructive to snakes. 

 Chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese will eat young snakes, 

 and pigs are well known for their snake killing ability. Auto- 

 mobiles may account for the death of more snakes than any- 

 thing else that man has created. Scientists have estimated 

 that in one southern California county alone, 10,000 snakes are 

 killed each year by cars. 



King snakes are the best known of the snake eaters, but 

 indigo snakes, nnilk snakes, and many others also include snakes 

 in their diets. Wild birds also eat snakes in considerable 

 nunnbers. Hawks, owls, cranes, herons, and roadrunners are 

 all included in this group. Annong the furred animals, oppos- 

 sums, skunks, bears, badgers, and raccoons frequently kill 

 and eat snakes. A ^\\->{ '^^^^^V\'?I^C"^v^\>i\ ifAX 



BULL 

 SNAKE 

 SHEDDINQ 

 ITS SKIN 



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