46 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Cobra comes along and swallows the toad. Lastly, man follows 

 and captures or kills the Cobra. 



The habits of the same species of snakes chffer in accordance 

 with their environment. In some localities snakes are never 

 seen at night, because the air is invariably cold after sundown. 

 In other locahties it is just the reverse. At Port Ehzabeth Puff 

 Adders and Night Adders are frequently met with at night. 



Finding themselves under strange and abnormal conditions 

 when placed in cages, most snakes refuse to eat, although 

 they will regularly drink water and actively crawl around. 

 I have never succeeded in keeping snakes ahve for more than 

 a year in ordinary cages indoors, or in other situations where 

 there was a lack of sunshine or a heating apparatus for keeping 

 the temperature at about 80". 



It is only occasionally that Boomslangs under these con- 

 ditions will take food. The majority take no notice if chame- 

 leons, lizards, or nests containing fresh pigeons' and other birds' 

 eggs are placed in their cages. Puff Adders will eat a rat on 

 occasion. As likely as not it will be disgorged the following 

 day. Frequently they strike and kill the rats, but take no 

 further notice of them. Mole Snakes invariably refuse all food, 

 and prefer to perish by starvation. 



Snakes, if kept in an enclosure twelve or more feet square, 

 out in the open air, with suitable cosy corners, nooks, and crannies 

 provided, and plenty of fresh water, will live, thrive, and breed. 

 In such a large enclosure many species of snakes may be kept 

 together. It is true they sometimes swallow each other, but 

 that is not of much consequence if they are of common species, 

 for they can easily be replaced. The only really aggressive 

 snakes are the Cobras, especially those species which grow to a 

 large size, such, for instance, as the Cape Cobra {Naia Jfava). 

 These big fellows are bold, active, and aggressive, and often 

 deliberately attack other snakes. However, after being a few 

 months in captivity, they calm down, and will not interfere, as 

 a rule, with other species of snakes, except the smaller kinds, 

 which they attack, overcome, and swallow when hungry. 



The only drawback I have found in keeping a large number 

 of different species of snakes in one large enclosure is that if one 

 should seize and begin to swallow a toad, etc., anotlier will often 

 come along and start operations at the opposite end of the 



