Fascinating Snake Facts and Types (Compulsory to Know!)
What if you are informed of some idea and then are asked to act upon it. Better, isn't it?
Therefore, you should first have a brief knowledge about snakes, initially.
What is a Snake?
It is a vertebrate with scales on its body.
Snakes possess movable jaws that permit them to swallow their prey easily. Likewise, some species of snakes possess skulls.
Some snakes are nonvenomous while some contain venom to harm their prey.
Furthermore, the skeleton of the snake contains vertebral column, rear limbs, ribs, hyoid, and some other parts as well.
Snakes are categorised as reptiles and they have a three-chambered heart for the circulation of blood in their body.
A snake do not have a diaphragm (a thin skeletal muscle that rests at the bottom of the chest) and thus, the heart in the snake can also move around.
This allows the engulfed prey to move down the body of the snake comfortably.
Now let’s move into some types of snakes:
Types of Snakes:
Rattlesnake: It is a venomous snake and the scientific name is Crotalus.
This type is present in America, Southern British, Columbia, and Argentina.
Rattlesnakes are predators that attack small creatures such as birds.
Moreover, rattlesnake does not combat unless it is threatened by someone. Likewise, if the bite is not treated, then it may prove fatal.
The rattlesnake can live below freezing point but the best temperature is 26 to 32 degrees Celsius.
The gastric fluids (fluid found in the stomach) in rattlesnakes are very powerful and thus, the prey can be digested comfortably.
Similar to the human eye, rattlesnakes have rod and cone cells to sense light and colours.
Similarly, their sense of smell is very powerful as well.
Here is something interesting. Every year 6000–7000 people face a attack from the rattlesnake. The probability of surviving is 99%.
The visible symptoms include anxiety, swollen abdomens, vomiting, and even heart failure.
Copperhead Snakes: These are massively found in North America. Although their venom is mild it can be dangerous for humans if it is not treated promptly.
Copperhead snake possess heat-sensory pits to find small changes in temperature. This also gives them a chance to sense their prey.
The average length is about 2 to 3 feet. The females are usually bigger than males but the tail of the male is bigger than that of the female.
Quite easy, isn’t it?
Moreover, the pattern on their body comprises of various colours. The younger have greenish-yellow tails while the elder possess brownish tails.
The clever strategy that these snakes use to find their prey is, “sit-and-wait-ambush”.
When the copperhead snake is touched or threatened, it releases a fluid that smells exactly like the cucumber.
Eastern Coral Snake: Its scientific name is Micrurus fulvius.
It is a reptile and it’s food mainly comprises of carnivores. Apart, the average life span of this snake is up to 7 years.
Talking about its venom, there mostly is no pain at the place of bite. The symptoms can be figured out easily within a day. But, if the venom remains untreated, then it cause to slurred speech, blurred vision and alter functions of the body.
They can be present in woody, sandy and marshy areas of Southeastern America.
They consume lizards, smaller snakes, and certain frogs.
Black Mamba: Black Mamba is always something to discuss.
It is the quickest and the most dangerous snake. Even two drops of its venom can kill a person.
Black Mamba is brownish in colour. A Black Mamba possesses a coffin-shaped head.
The average length is 8 feet however, they can grow up to 14 feet as well. Apart, their average life span is 11 years.
These are mostly present in lowland forests and rocky areas and they can lay from 6 up to 20 eggs.
Their diet consists of preys such as birds.
The venom of the Black Mamba focuses on the nervous system and the heart of a person.
Viper: It is also a venomous snake.
Some basic features of the viper snake are that it has a pair of long and hollow, venom injecting fangs. Unlike humans, they have mobile upper jaw.
These snakes differ in length from 25 cm to 3 m.
They can be present in deserts and rainforests. Vipers are not very quick or efficient in terms of their speed.
It is to know that the vipers also have heat-sensing pits which allow them to sense their prey.
The venom of the vipers can be fatal if untreated.
Now let’s talk about some interesting facts about the snakes:
Facts about Snakes:
➔ The cut head of a snake can inject venom even after some hours of its death. The amount of venom is great in this case.
➔ Snakes can be found in every part of the world such as China, Pakistan etc) except the North and the South Pole, New Zealand, Ireland and Iceland.
➔ The hotter the body of the snake, the quicker it can digest its prey. This is because the enzyme activity increases.
Usually, 2 to 3 days are enough for a snake to digest its prey. However, larger snakes may take a larger time.
➔ The snakes try to make themselves as dirty as possible. This is because they want there predators to move away from them.
➔ The skin, bones and the muscles transmit vibrations to the inner ear so that the snake can interpret the sounds.
This is because the snakes do not possess any external ear or the eardrum.
➔ The reason that snake can consume very big organisms is that it can extend its mouth up to 150 degrees. They may even burst after eating!
➔ The scales on the body of the snake contain a substance known as Keratin. It is the similar substance that is found in the nails and the hairs of the human beings.
➔ Snakes sleep with their eyes open. They do not possess eyelids.
Instead, they have a strange thing to protect their eyes. This is transparent.
➔ It is a bit funny but true that some snakes have mistakenly killed themselves with their own venom.
➔ What are snakes scared of? Well, snakes are scared of those animals that are immune to their venom.
➔ Snakes depend on their sense of smell. The sense receptors make them hate smells of powerful smell.
➔ It is investigated that there are 3600 species of snakes in the universe to the present date.
➔ Are you aware that snakes have memory? Snakes do not like others to be in contact with their body.
It is common that snakes feel uncomfortable while being touched!
➔ Snakes do not cry. Being reptiles, they can make tears but the tears do not flow their eyes, thus snakes don't cry.
➔ Snakes have certain glands and teeth to pass venom in their prey.
Interestingly, snakes have no clue that they are injecting venom. All they know is that when they bite, their prey stops making any movement and they can consume it.
➔ The nonvenomous snake apply the technique of constriction.
Some venomous snakes also use this method but it is mostly used by nonvenomous snakes. The prey is pressed hard until it suffocates to death.
➔ The rubbing of the scales by the viper is a part of its defence mechanism.
