HOW TO FACTS AND INFO

Some More General Facts About Snakes

They are able to live in a wide range of habitats, including deserts, water or wetlands. They can live on the ground or under it, in trees and when available will move into houses. All of them are carnivores which means they eat other living things. They all feature a tongue that is forked which allows them to pick up scent all around them.

They all have vertebrae and ribs that they use for movement. This helps them to get around since they don’t have limbs. They also don’t have external ears or eyelids. They rely on vibration and tasting the air to help them find out what is around them. They also use what vision they have combined with smell to find out about dangers.

Most species are not aggressive. They will usually retreat from any forms of danger that they may detect. However, if they feel threatened they will strike in order to protect themselves.

Snakes are isolated creatures. They do den up when winter comes and leave when it warms up. They do come into contact with each other when hunting for food and during mating season. The males will fight each other sometimes for the right to mate.

All Non-Venomous snakes are considered constrictors. This means that the snake grabs it's food and pulls the animal into itself. It then begins to coil around it squeezing tighter and tighter. Each time the food item exhales the snake squeezes harder, thus not allowing the prey to breath. In essence, the prey item suffocates.

Believe it or not, some snakes can "poop" on demand. They do this to make themselves smelly so predators will not eat them. They also do this when humans pick them up or try and catch them.

Difference Between Venomous and Poisonous

Generally, venomous refers to animals or insects that inject or bite someone or something. Poisonous refers to something you might typically eat or absorb into your system.

Snakes and certain lizards are venomous. Toadstools, insecticide and other like items are poisonous.

Snakes As Pets

I have been a breeder of reptiles, including snakes since the early seventies. I, at one point had over 200 snakes of different species. Most were used for breeding purposes as I sold to zoo's, pet stores, private collectors and individuals.

The one thing I learned was that they all have their own personalities. Some are always aggressive while others are gentle and easy to handle. Some can live up to twenty-years in the wild while others only make it days or weeks.

So, what ones made it to my top ten list:

1. Red Rat Snake
2. Ball Pythons
3. Garter Snakes
4. Western Hognose
5. Gopher Snakes
6. Milk Snakes
7. Rosy Boa
8. Rat Snakes (Black, Grey, Green, Yellow)
9. California King Snake
10. Red-Tail Boa

The Red Rat Snake

Also called the "Corn Snake" are colorful and mild mannered. They come in numerous color patters and morphs. They can live for over twenty-years and grow to four to six feet long. These snakes make a good "First Pet Snake."

The Ball Python

Also called the "Corn Snake" are colorful and mild mannered. They come in numerous color patters and morphs. They can live for over twenty-years and get up to five to six feet long. These snakes make a good "First Pet Snake."

The Garter Snake

These are another good starter snake. They are small and easily handled. They come in numerous patterns and areas. They grow to about three feet and can live up to ten years. They are alert and very fast.

The Western Hognose

This snake is small and non-aggressive and if you're not food will generally not bite. It fakes it's own death by rolling over and playing dead to avoid predators and humans. The snake has an upturned nose and will flatten it's head when threatened. They grow to about two feet and live approximately fifteen years. One note: They are considered "rear fanged." They use them to eat their favorite food, frogs and like. Contact with their saliva sometimes causes itching and localized redness and or swelling.

The Gopher Snake

Are a large bodied snake that can grow up to six feet and live for thirty years. Needs a large cage for growth and exercise. Its favorite prey are birds and small mammals.

The Milk Snakes

Can grow up to six feet and should also be housed alone except for mating. They might eat another snake in the cage like king snakes. Is considered an active snake. Has numerous colors and morph patterns.

The Rosy Boa

Is a small snake growing up to four feet. They can live for up to twenty-five years and are very very good at getting out of their cages. They love the high heat and sand for burrowing.

The Other Rat Snakes

There are several other rat snakes that make excellent pets. The yellow, black, gray and green rat snakes make up this group. Like the red rat snake they live for up to twenty years and top out around four feet to six feet.

The California King Snake

When young and first caught they can be a bit aggressive. Spend time handling them and as they get older they calm down a lot. There are numerous morphs and color patterns. Also making a good pet would be the Florida King Snake and the Chain King. As all king snakes are these eat other snakes as well as rodents and small mammals.

The Red-Tail Boa

These are one of the most popular larger snakes to keep as a pet. Adults can get up to ten feet and as large as thirteen feet for some females. The average weight is from twenty to thirty pounds with some record setters at sixty pounds. These snakes will attack when threatened. If you're looking for one as a pet purchase it from a breeder or pet shop as that one will not be as aggressive as a wild caught one. They need a large secure cage as these also will escape if allowed.

Taking Snakes From The Wild

My answer would have to be NO.

Snakes serve many purposes in the wild. They help control rodents (mice and rats) and other animals that wreck havoc on farmers and other people trying to make a living. If people aren't catching snakes and taking them from the wild, they're killing them because they're afraid of them.

Some reasons you should purchase a snake or reptile and not take them from the wild:

• Wild caught reptiles tend to be more aggressive as compared to domestic raised
• Captive bred eat better then wild caught. Some wild caught never eat and die
• You're putting a strain on the ecosystem
• Wild caught tend to be more unpredictable

When is it ok to remove wild snakes from the environment?

• Breeding purposes for endangered, threatened or protected species
• Relocation due to things like construction
• If you find an injured animal. Take it to a rehab facility. If its a baby leave it alone and report it

Venomous Snakes As Pets

I kept and bred venomous snakes for years. I specialized in Asian and African Cobras. Loved them. Even though they have the potential to kill a human they were fascinating animals.

I also had Cape Puff Adders, Monocle Cobras, Coral Snakes, Eastern and Western Diamondbacks, Pygmy Rattle Snakes, Canebreak Rattle Snakes, Water Moccasins (aka Cottonmouth), Copperheads, Mojave Rattlesnake and more.

Some of my favorites, not listed above are the Eastern Green Mamba, Boomslang, False Water Cobra and Eastern Gaboon Viper.

So, what are the top ten most venomous snakes in the world?

1. Fierce Snake or Inland Taipan From Australia
2. Eastern Brown Snake From Australia
3. Coastal Taipan From Australia
4. Beaked Sea Snake From Persian Gulf To Northern Australia
5. Black Mamba From Africa
6. Tiger Snake From Australia
7. Philippine Spitting Cobra
8. Vipers From India, Asia And The Middle East
9. Common Krait Or Blue Krait From India
10. Death Adder From Australia And New Guinea

The above list and order changes sometimes daily or weekly, depending upon what list or reference books you look at. The bottom line, all the above snakes are dangerous and deadly. As you can see, Australia has some of the most venomous snakes in the world.

The Fierce Snake Or Inland Taipan

This snake is considered the most poisonous snake in the world. Its timid and shy, rarely seen in the wild unless you're looking for it. This snake, when hunting, can bite up to seven times to try and subdue its prey. Its a small snake, rarely getting longer then five to six feet. Its diet includes small birds, mammals and rodents.

Eastern Brown Snake

This snake is also known as the Common Brown Snake and is considered the second most venomous snake in the world. This snake can grown up to seven feet. This is a fast moving, aggressive and bad tempered snake. Its prey is other small reptiles, birds and small rodents.

Coastal Taipan

This snake is considered the third most venomous snake in the world. It has the largest fangs among the Australian snakes. It has a large body and can grow up to six plus feet, while the average is more like three to four feet.

Beaked Sea Snake

This snake is a highly venomous sea snake species. It can grow up to five feet but the average length is more like three feet. Its favorite food is catfish and other fish.

Black Mamba

This is a highly aggressive and very fast moving snake. It is only one of a few that will actually go after or chase a human. There have been stories of this snake chasing down a person who ran it over with a car. This snake is capable of lifting the first third of its body off the ground to either bite or climb into trees to seek out its favorite prey, small birds. It will also eat small mammals and rodents. This is the fastest in the world and the longest in Africa. IT can grow in excess of seven to eight feet.

Tiger Snake

This highly venomous snake from Australia is actually protected there. Its favorite prey are small birds, mammals, lizards and frogs. This is a large bodied snake who average length is three and a half feet up to five feet. The record length in one area, Chapel Island is from six feet up to nine feet.

Philippines Spitting Cobra

This snake also has a stocky body and not only can inject venom through a bite, but can spit its venom with a high accuracy up to nine feet. It can grow up to three feet and when threatened will flatten its neck and hiss. It will generally avoid and flee from humans unless cornered or harassed.

Indian and Asian Vipers

There are a large number of different species which make up this group. They include Indian Green Viper, Bamboo Viper, Asian Palm Vipers, Lanceheads and the White Lipped Viper. These are only a few of the more than forty or so listed.

Common Krait or Blue Krait

Also called the Indian Krait or Blue Krait is a highly neuro-toxic snake found in the rural areas and jungle. It is a slender snake that is slow and sluggish during the day and fast and active during the night. It grows up to about five feet.

Death Adder

This is also one of the most poisonous snakes in the world found in Australia and New Guinea, and some of the local islands. It buries itself in the sand or leaves and uses its tail as bait by wiggling it to attract small mammals, rodents and lizards. It has the faster strike of all snakes throughout the world. It is highly toxic. It grows up to about four feet.

The Four Big Indian Venomous Snakes:

1. The Indian Cobra (Naja Naja) also called The Monocle Cobra
2. The Russell's Viper (Daboi Russelli)
3. The Saw Scaled Viper (Echis Carinatus)
4. The King Cobra (Opiophagus Hannah)

These four snakes and some of the most dangerous in India. THe "King" is a shy snake and will often avoid human contact. Its one of a few snakes that will guard its young. The Russell's Viper is responsible for most of the bites (fatal) in India. This snake will not run and will attack if threatened. The Monocle Cobra, when its raises and flattens it's head has what looks like a double monocle on its back. The Saw Scaled Viper is another highly venomous snake that sounds much like a rattlesnake when threatened. This comes from rubbing its scales together to make the noise.