Snakes Bite Dangerous In Africa

Despite urbanization and destruction of their habitat, venomous snakes remain plentiful in most parts of Africa. Throughout the continent, snakes are feared and misunderstood even though most are harmless. Venomous snakes bite humans only when they feel threatened, are trodden on or picked up inadvertently. Snakes are creatures that inspire awe, reverence and even worship in some areas, and they are exhibited as performing animals by traditional snake charmers. Despite this, they are usually loathed and killed on sight. Their survival depends on their remaining undetected. Snakes co-exist with humans in homes, gardens and outhouses but their presence usually goes unnoticed.


Fear of snakes is understandable since they are responsible for an untold number of bites and numerous deaths as well as cases of permanent physical handicap. No country is free from the risk of snakebite, and in some rural areas, such as the Benue Valley of northern Nigeria, snakebite is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among farmers, pastoralists, hunters and children. Snakes such as puff adders (Bitis arietans) also kill and injure many domestic dogs and grazing animals.

The exact burden of human suffering attributable to snakebite is difficult to determine because bites occur most commonly in rural areas where the first impulse of many bite victims is to seek the help of a trusted traditional healer rather than go to a Western-style hospital where their attendance may be recorded and reported to a national authority. The inadequacy of official snakebite statistics is well illustrated by Swaroop and Grab’s survey of global snakebite mortality (Swaroop and Grab, 1954). During a sixyear period 1947–52, an annual average of 27.7 snakebites with 1.5 deaths per 100 000 population was reported in the whole of the northern region of Nigeria. However, in the six-year period 1964–69, an annual average of 158.8 bites with 8.3 deaths per 100 000 population was reported from one district (Muri) with a population of some 250 000 people (Warrell and Arnett, 1976). Some epidemiological data on snakebite in African countries are presented in Chapter 3 but the figures are likely to underestimate the true magnitude of the problem.


A possible way to obtain reliable figures is by completing questionnaires in randomly selected households as part of a properly designed community-based study. Only a few such studies have been published from Africa. In Bandafassi, Senegal; Muri Division, Nigeria adult snakebite fatalities per 100 000 population per year, respectively, were reported. These studies revealed an unexpectedly high rate of snakebite mortality and confirmed the low rate of hospital attendance (8.5% in Malumfashi, 27% in Kilifi), the preference for traditional treatments (36% of Kilifi patients visited the traditional therapist) and high incidence of persisting symptoms among survivors (19% in Malumfashi, 36% in Kilifi) including some amputations and deformities. Snakebite is an important public health problem in these areas and deserves far more attention from health ministries and other authorities.

African populations are not equally affected by snakebite. Children account for 20%–40% of cases in most published studies. Farmers and other agricultural workers are the most common victims. The occupational aspect of snakebite must be better appreciated as the targeted workers, which include farmers, plantation workers, herdsmen and hunters, are prime food producers and therefore particularly valuable members of the community. Although snakes are almost universally feared and even hated, their essential role in the balance of nature must not be forgotten. They protect crops and food stores by preying on large numbers of rodents. Without this control, bourgeoning numbers of rodents might cause epidemics of plague, typhus, leptospirosis, Lassa fever and other potentially lethal diseases that are transmitted from rodents to humans.

Larger snakes such as pythons and Bitis species are frequently eaten as delicacies and valuable protein supplements, and also as part of various ju-ju rituals in West Africa. Humans can become infected with Armillifer armillatus (pentastomid), a parasite of the respiratory tract of snakes, by eating uncooked snakes. Calcified nymphs of this pentastomid were found in 1.4% of abdominal radiographs in Ibadan, Nigeria and in 22.5% of autopsies in Democratic Republic of Congo, 8% in Cameroon and 5% in West Africa (Palmer and Reeder, 2001). These observations show how commonly snakes are eaten in Africa.

Goats, sheep, domestic fowl and pets should be protected from pythons, but these snakes are valuable in controlling the numbers of feral cats and dogs. Elimination or eradication of snakes, even if it were possible, is therefore undesirable. Snake predators such as storks, hornbills, small carnivorous mammals and monitor lizards control their numbers. It is clear that, despite the very real risk of snakebite, humans must learn to co-exist peacefully with snakes, respecting their place in nature while minimizing the danger they pose by avoiding them as far as possible.

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Africa Species Snkaes Bite

In November 2000, the Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria requested the WHO Regional Office for Africa to develop guidelines for the management of snakebite due to increasing cases of snakebite in many parts of that country as well as the difficulties in obtaining sufficient quantities of effective antivenom. In response to this request, the WHO Regional Office for Africa developed the first guidelines in 2004 with the assistance of Professor Charles Nhachi (Zimbabwe): Guidelines for the management of snakebite in the WHO African Region (AFRO/EDP/04.1). Following their release, comments on the guidelines were received from various experts and this set the scene for their revision. The revision process started with a technical review meeting with various experts in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2005.

Snakebite is a neglected public health problem mainly affecting rural populations where medical resources are sparse. Health workers in both rural and urban settings are ill prepared to deal with snakebite cases and effective antivenom is often not available. Communities need to be educated about what to do and what not to do in case of snakebite, and prior to transferring a patient to professional medical care.

The exact extent and impact of the problem is still to be determined due to lack of reliable epidemiological data in most countries. Much research is still required into various aspects of snakes and snakebite management in Africa if case fatality rates are to be reduced. It is hoped that these guidelines will provide the target audiences, health-care providers and the general public with the necessary practical information for dealing with snakes and snakebite within and outside health-care facilities.

The World Health Organization wishes to build up a coalition of partners interested in putting
the problem of snakebite on the public health agenda, and in particular stimulating further
collaboration and research in the following areas:

* Manufacture of sufficient quantities of effective, safe and affordable antivenoms;

* Development of effective treatment protocols and training of medical personnel;

* Development and distribution of materials for effective community education;

* Improving knowledge of the epidemiology of snakebite;

* Assessing the true safety and efficacy of traditional methods of treatment.

Snakebite is a neglected public health problem. Rural populations are frequent victims as they go about their daily food production and animal rearing activities and as they reside in the comfort of their homes. Unfortunately, many of these snakebite cases go unreported and thus do not appear in official epidemiological statistics. Health workers often have little or no formal training in the management of snakebite, and appropriate antivenom is rarely available. The Guidelines for the prevention and clinical management of snakebite in Africa have been developed by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa with contributions from technical experts. They are meant to assist health workers to improve medical care for snakebite victims; they also serve as a source of information for the general public on issues related to snakes and snakebite.

The guidelines discuss snakes, snake venoms and snakebites and their consequences with emphasis on the medically important snakes i.e. those causing serious envenoming. The volume contains over a hundred snake photographs, clinical signs of envenoming and the consequences. The guidelines also feature various annexes and in particular the geographical distribution of African venomous snakes, as well as their classification, habitats and clinical toxinology. The document is divided into fifteen chapters. Chapters 1, 2 and 3 introduce the subject, outline the morphological characteristics of African venomous snakes, present the distribution of African venomous snakes and provide epidemiological data on snakebite. This Article is specifically devoted to prevention of snakebite.  Discuss snake venoms as well as clinical features and profiles of envenoming by some snakes of
medical importance.

The guidelines are designed to provide useful information and guide the work of various levels of health workers in dealing with snakes and snakebite. Some sections provide useful and easily understood information for the general public on topics such as snake characteristics and distribution, prevention of snakebite, first aid in case of snakebite, easily observable venom effects in a snakebite victim, and what not to do in case of snakebite.

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Colubridae Toxin and Venom

A general trend in the evolution of the modern (Caenophidian) snakes is the production of toxic oral secretions. Vidal, this volume). The family ‘‘Colubridae’’ is the largest family of modern snakes and contains roughly two-thirds of the extant described species. It is generally agreed that this family is polyphyletic, but characters which would differentiate ‘‘hidden’’ families are scant; Vidal, this volume). It is therefore not surprising that this wide variety of unrelated species worldwide have a homolog of the venom gland of front-fanged snakes (the Duvernoy’s gland; often have enlarged posterior maxillary teeth and produce venom. Estimates of the number of venomous colubrids approach 700 species. 

Venomous colubrids include such divergent genera as Tantilla (often < 20 cm in length as adults) and Boiga (up to 300 cm as adults). Most may not produce a venom capable of causing serious damage to humans, but at least five species (Dispholidus typus, Thelotornis capensis, Rhabdophis tigrinus, Philodryas olfersii and Tachymenis peruviana) have caused human fatalities. However, many species of colubrid snakes are moderate to large in size (1–2 meters), and lack of serious effects of bites may largely be due to rare encounters and the natural inclination of a bitten individual to disengage a biting snake rapidly (e.g., Kuch and Mebs, this volume). Many species specialize on noxious invertebrates (spiders, scorpions, centipedes), while others include the various classes of vertebrates as prey. 

Venom composition is related to prey type/form, and natural history data on snake feeding patterns are important to toxinologists because the types of toxins necessary to facilitate handling of vertebrate prey are likely to be much different than those necessary to subdue scorpions and centipedes. Novel snake venom toxins are likely to occur among these specialists, and such toxins may be specific blockers of analogs in invertebrates of vertebrate ion channels/ligand receptors. In addition, dietary specialists (such as bird-feeding species) may produce taxa-specific toxins.


The term ‘‘venom’’ has been somewhat misunderstood by both the lay public and by many scientists, and it seems useful here to define what is meant by a venom, as there is also disagreement as to its application to the Duvernoy’s secretion of colubrid snakes. I find the definition of Russell to be reasonably inclusive and most useful: ‘‘the toxic substance produced by a plant or animal in a highly developed secretory organ or group of cells. . .which is delivered during the act of biting or stinging’’. An important distinction of this definition is that it defines a route of administration (roughly, injection) and that it allows for a venom to be composed of one to many toxins. For much of the lay public, venom is synonymous with ‘‘toxin’’; this incorrect usage of terminology has served to cloud issues concerning venomous animals and on occasion has lead to incorrect application of snakebite management techniques. 

A toxin is defined here as a specific molecular entity derived from an organism which has a deleterious effect on another organism, and it is not a term interchangeable with venom or poison (both of which could contain one to many toxins). Therefore, in this paper, the Duvernoy’s secretion of colubrid snakes will be considered as a venom, consisting of enzymes, several toxins and other compounds, and it is homologous with the venoms of the front-fanged snakes (families Elapidae and Viperidae), both in many compositional features and in general biological role (as a trophic adaptation). Note, however, that the specific biological roles of colubrid venoms and their components, as for many front-fanged snake venom components, are at best poorly defined.

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Colubrid Snakes

The polyphyletic family Colubridae contains approximately two thirds of the described species of advanced snakes, and nearly half of these (~700 species) produce a venom in a specialized cephalic gland, the Duvernoy’s gland. Biochemical and pharmacological information is lacking for venoms of most species, and modest detailed information on venom composition is available for only a few species which represent a potential health threat to humans. However, colubrid venoms represent a vast source of novel compounds, and some toxins, such as the 20–26 kD CRISP-related venom proteins (helveprins), have only recently been identified in both colubrid and elapid/viperid venoms. Difficulties associated with extraction have been addressed, and it is now possible to obtain venom sufficient for many analyses from even small species. 

There appears to be a greater number of venom components shared among the colubrids and the front-fanged snakes than has been previously noted, and it is probable that as analytical methods improve, more similarities will emerge. It is clear that colubrid venoms are homologous with front-fanged snake venoms, but overall composition as well as biological role(s) of colubrid venoms may be quite different.


Metallo- and serine proteases have been identified in several colubrid venoms, and phospholipase A2 is a more frequent component than has been previously recognized. Venom phosphodiesterase, acetylcholinesterase and prothrombin activator activities occur in some venoms, and postsynaptic neurotoxins and myotoxins have been partially characterized for venoms from several species. Some venoms show high toxicity toward inbred mice, and others are toxic to birds and/or frogs only. 

Because many colubrids feed on non-mammalian prey, lethal toxicity toward mice is likely only relevant as a measure of potential risk posed to humans. Development of a non-mammalian vertebrate animal model would greatly facilitate systematic comparisons of the pharmacology of colubrid venoms and their components, and such a model would be more appropriate for evaluation of colubrid venom toxicity.


Proteomics has the potential to increase our understanding of these venoms rapidly, but classical approaches to toxinology can also contribute tremendously to this understudied field. As more colubrid venoms are analyzed, new compounds unique to colubrid venoms will be identified, and this work in turn will lead to a better understanding of the evolution and biological significance of snake venoms and venom components.

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Mozambique Spitting Cobra Very Dangerous

Mozambique Spitting Cobra (Naja mossambica)

The Mozambique spitting cobra is a fairly small and slender snake. Its skin is slate to olive grey,
olive or tawny brown on top, and pink to brownish-yellow below. It has black bars across the neck and on the hood, with speckles, blotches, and spots mixed in. The body is cylindrical with a long tail and its nose is blunt. Mozambique spitting cobra length is 3 feet–4 feet 8 inches, Weight: 10–15 pounds, Lifespan: 25 years. 

Combat: Considered to be one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa, the spitting cobra can spray its venom at a target that is 6–10 feet away. Its spray is remarkably accurate in targeting the eyes. When threatened, it will rear up the front ⅔ of its body, spread its long narrow hood, and hiss loudly. If this fails to deter an enemy, it will spray it with its venom. If this fails, the
snake is most likely to run (or more accurately, slither). It will typically bite only as a
last resort. It is even known to sham death to avoid further molestation from an attacker.

Reproduction: After 2 months’ gestation, the female lays 8–22 eggs that hatch after 65–90 days. The young are 8–10 inches at birth.
 
Diet: Mozambique spitting cobras eat other snakes, small mammals, toads, eggs, and birds, including poultry.

  
Mozambique Spitting Cobra Venom
A successful strike with this Attack causes the target to be Blinded and Stunned by the shock and pain. They will remain Stunned for 1 round, and will be Blinded until they take 1 minute (10 rounds) to rinse their eyes out with water.
 
Poison (Ex): The spitting cobra may inject venom as part of its Bite attack. Its venom has the following qualities:
Poison – Injury DC 12; Initial: 1d3 Dex, 1 Con; Secondary: 1d6 Dex, Paralysis.
Venom – Type: H & N; Initial; 1d3 Dex, 1 hp (fail), None (succeed); Interval: 1 hr; Secondary: 1d6 Dex, 1d4 hp (fail), 1d3 Dex, 2 hp (succeed). See The Bestiary: Predators pages 222 and 224 for details on how to handle an envenomation.

The venom Naja mossambica is more hemotoxic than that of most other cobra species, causing a great deal of tissue damage and bleeding. They are often found hunting rats in urban parks and gardens. It does not have to spread its hood to spit, and can spit with its head on the ground.

Skills & Abilities: This cobra receives a +8 species bonus on Balance, Climb, Swim and Survival checks and a +4 species bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot. It applies its Dexterity modifier to Climb checks.

Treasure: Adult Untrained: 1 gold piece, Leather: 1 gold piece, Venom: 6 doses worth 200 gold pieces each. They are also hunted for their skin, which is used for decorative leather. About 6 doses of venom can be harvested from the spitting cobra. If the snake has managed to make Bite attacks during the process of capturing or killing it, the number of doses should be reduced accordingly.
 
Food Value: Cobra meat is excellent in quality. The average carcass weighs 30 pounds and is worth 3 gold pieces.
 
Hunting Tips: Due to this snake’s spitting capability, it should only be hunted with a ranged weapon from over 10 feet away.

Mozambique Spitting Cobra Habitats: Scrub, Grassland, Mountain, Semi-desert, Urban.
Location: South Eastern Africa in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, north-eastern Namibia, southern Tanzania, Malawi, and Swaziland. They are found in mountainous regions to heights of 6,000 feet.

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Dangerous Snakes Tips Procedures

The most common species, captured regularly, are the puff adder, Mozambique spiting cobra, boomslang, snouted cobra (formerly known as Egyptian cobra) snouted night adder, shieldnose
snake, brown house snake, sand snake and grass snake. Other species that are found less frequently are the black mamba, twig snake, purple gloss snake, stiletto snake, spotted bush snake, African rock python, common egg eater and striped skaapsteker. Other reptiles encountered on a regular basis are the Nile monitor, rock monitor, leopard tortoise and the flap-necked chameleon.


Snakes are lured to houses by the prey that they feed on; the most common prey being rodents and frogs. Rodents are lured to the house by the rubbish we generate. At night the lights lure insects and this in turn lures the frogs. If we can reduce the number of prey around the house than we reduce the chance of snakes getting into the house. Snakes hunt their prey by following their scent, so if the scent of their prey is strong around the house, chances are high that they can end up using your house as their hunting ground. There is no product that can repel snakes from your house, but some plants have displayed the ability to naturally repel snakes, two of these include wild garlic and scented geraniums.

  

What people can do if they find a snake in or around the home:

The houses built on Spekboom and Motaganeng are surrounded by veld and bush, and the
chance of a snake occurring in the house is quite high.
 
• It is vital that you do not try to kill the snake; as the chance of being bitten is very high.
• Try to sweep the snake out of the house or yard with a broom and it will move off by itself.
• If the snake is in an area that cannot be accessed, then its best to keep an eye on its hiding place until the snake removal expert arrives, as snakes have the ability to disappear very quickly.

Emergency procedures in case of snake bite In the event of a snakebite it is of utmost importance to follow the next few steps.

• Firstly try to stay as calm as possible; with an increased heart rate the circulation is much faster and it will spread the venom much quicker.
 
• Never try to kill the snake. This will complicate the situation especially if it bites the victim a second time.
 
• Try to identify the snake so that a description can be given to the doctor and an identification can be made.
 
• Remove all restricting clothing, like the trouser leg or shirtsleeve, as well as jewelry like watches, rings and bracelets.
 
• If a first aid kit is available then bandage the bitten limb like a broken limb. Use a pressure bandage and bandage the whole limb from the tip of the finger to the armpit very lightly but not cutting off the blood supply. This will help to slow down the spreading of the venom. Use a splint to prevent any movement of the limb.
 
• Get to the nearest doctor or hospital as fast as possible.

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Mole Snake The Beautiful African Snakes

Mole Snake Mole Snake Scientific name: Pseudaspis cana

Adult Mole Snakes have an average length of 1m to 1,4m, but are known to exceed 2m, especially in the Western Cape. Adults are usually light grey to light brown, dark brown, brick red and yellowish. Sometimes they have darker infusions underneath. Juveniles are marked differently and are usually light reddish-brown to greyish-brown with dark, usually zigzag, markings, light spots and mottling. The under side is white to yellowish, sometimes with darker infusions.

Distribution
They are Mole Snake found throughout South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and the souther part of Mozambique.

HabitatThey have Mole Snakes a variety if habitats ranging from mountainous regions to deserts. They are particularly common in sandy, scrub-covered and grassveld. Habitat They have a variety if habitats ranging from mountainous regions to deserts. They are particularly common in sandy, scrub-covered and grassveld wounds, which often leave permanent scars. They are not venomous, but can be quite vicious when threatened and will hiss and lunge forward with its mouth agape. Unfortunately, this useful snake is often mistaken for a cobra or mamba and is often killed on sight.

FoodThey feed on rats, moles, gerbils, small land mammals, birds and nestlings. Like all snakes, they will take eggs which are eaten whole. Juveniles feed mainly on lizards.
 
ReproductionThey are viviparous, giving birth to 25 to 50 young. Larger snakes may give birth to as many as 95 young. Newborn Mole Snake measure 20cm to 31cm.

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Common Slug Eater Unixue Snakes

Common Slug Eater, Scientific name: Duberria lutrix

Adults Common Slug Eater average 30cm to 35cm in length, but can reach a length of 43cm. A broad, distinct reddish brow band runs along the centre of the back, flanked by a greyish band on either side of body. They may also be broken black dorsolateral lines. These markings are unclear in specimens that are about to shed their skins. The underside is usually cream to yellowish white, edged with black or dark grey dotted lines, so there is a light band down the centre of the belly.

DistributionThey Common Slug Eater occur throughout the wetter, eastern parts of South Africa where there is a plentiful supply of slugs.


HabitatsThey Common Slug Eater are mainly a grassland inhabitant but also occur moist savanna, lowland forest and fynbos. They are a common, harmless species that favours damp localities where they prey on snails and slugs. They are terrestrial and diurnal. They can be found beneath any form of cover, including rocks, logs, grass tufts and vegetation. They are a useful snake in that they keep down the slug and snail populations in gardens. They seldom attempt to bite, preferring instead to roll up tightly into a spiral with its head concealed. It has powerful scent glands which may be used in self-defence.

FoodThey only prey on slugs and snails, which they locate by following the slime trail. When consuming a snail, they will grasp the fore part of the prey and pull the body out of its shell.
 
ReproductionThey are viviparous (giving live birth), giving birth in late summer to 6 to 22 young, depending on the size of the female. The young measure 8cm to 11cm.

Common names: Common Slug Eater; Brown Slug Eater; Gewone Slakvreter (Afr); Tabakrolletjie (Afr)

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Cape Wolf Snake Beautiful Black Tailed

Cape Wolf Snake Scientific name: Lycophidion capense

They Cape Wolf Snake are harmless to humans. Cape Wolf Snake adults average 30cm to 40cm but may reach a maximum length of 64cm. Females are substantially larger than males. The upper surface is ligt brown to dark brown, purplish brown or black. The dorsal scales are sometimes white edged, giving a speckled effect. The underside is usually white, sometimes with darker mottling and occasionally with an irregular dark band down the middle.

DistributionThey Cape Wolf Snake occur south of the Zambezi River in Southern Mozambique, throughout Zimbabwe, The old Transvaal, the Free State and throughout KZN and in parts of the Eastern Cape.


HabitatThey Cape Wolf Snake occur in lowland forest and fynbos to moist savanna, grassland and karoo scrub. They are a terrestrial, slow-moving constrictor that seldom attempts to bite. They are active at night when they hunt lizards, especially skinks and geckos. They are fond of damp localities and are often found under stones, logs, piles of grass, rubbish heaps or in deserted termite mounds. They have long, recurved teeth on both upper and lower jaws, which accounts for their common name. The teeth enable them to hold onto slippery prey. They flatten their entire body when under threat.

Cape Wolf Snake Food they prey mainly on lizards, including skinks and geckos. Snakes are also eaten.
 
Cape Wolf Snake Reproduction they are oviparous, laying 3 to 9 eggs in early summer. They young measure 12cm to 19cm.

Common names: Cape Wolf Snake; Gewone Wolfslang (Afr); Kaapse Wolfslang (Afr)

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Brown House Snake Non Venom

Brown House Snake Scientific name: Lamprophis capensis (formerly fuliginosus)


This Brown House snake is harmless to humans. The average length of adults is 60cm to 90cm, but those from KZN can reach 1,5m. The upper parts are a uniform light to reddish brown often with reddish blotches on the anterior half of the body or dark olive to black, especially in old specimens. There are two light stripes on either side of the head one running from the tip of the snout across the upper half of the eye and sometimes running along the anterior third of the body, while the other runs from the lower half of the eye to the angle of the mouth. This characteristic distinguishes the Brown House Snake from all all other South African snakes.  The underside is yellowish to mother-ofpearl white. Juveniles may have distinct spots or mottling dorsally.

 
Distribution They Brown House Snake occur throughout South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe a,d Mozambique south of the Zambezi River.
 
Habitat They are found almost everywhere. They are common around human dwellings. They are a common nocturnal constrictor that forages for rodents. They are ofeten found around houses but, due to their nocturnal habits, they are seldom seen, except during clean-up operations when they may be found in rubbish heaps, compost heaps or in tool sheds or outbuildings. They prey on rodents, which are secured with te sharp teeth and are then constricted. They have the ability to devour an entire rodent family in one session. They can bite if threatened. They may sham death when threatened.

Food
Their main diet is rodents and other small vertebrates, including bats, birds, lizards and skinks. Frogs are also sometimes eaten.
 
Reproduction
They are oviparous, laying 8 to 18 eggs in summer. The young measure 19cm to 26cm. Captive females have produced several batches of eggs per season.

Common names: Brown House Snake; Bruinhuisslang (Afr); Umzingandlu (Zulu)

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Brown Water Snake and Common Brown Water Snake

Common Brown Water Snake Scientific Name: Lycodonomorphus Rufulus

They Common Brown Water Snake are harmless to humans, but Zulu people traditionally believe them to be very dangerous. Adults average about 45cm to 60cm in length, seldom exceeding 85cm. Females are usually longer than males. Their colour is a uniform dark blackish above, while in others it is olive or light brown. The under parts are beautiful mother-of-pearl, pink or yellowish.

Common Brown Water Snake

  
Common Brown Water Snake Distribution They occur in most of the former Transvaal Province, the eastern Free State, the whole of KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and down a coastal strip to the Western Cape.

Habitat Common Brown Water Snake They prefer the well-watered eastern parts of the country. They also prefer rivers, streams, vleis and damp areas in grasslands, moist savanna, lowland forest and fynbos. It is common throughout its range and can be found beneath rocks, logs and other debris. They are nocturnal and aquatic. They swim very well. They are usually confined to very damp localities near streams and rivers. They are mainly active at night, but they may hunt along shaded streams during the day.

Common Brown Water Snake

  
The Common Brown Water Snake Food they are a powerful constritor that feeds on frogs, tadpoles, small fish, and occasionally nestlings and rodents.

Common Brown Water Snake Reproduction they are oviparous, laying 6 to 23 eggs in mid-summer. The young measure 15cm to 22cm.

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Kenyan Sand Boa, Egyptian Sand Boa and East African Sand Boa

Kenyan Sand Boa, Egyptian Sand Boa East African Sand Boa Scientific Name: Eryx colubrinus
One species of boa, the Sand Boa, and two species of python have been recorded in The Gambia so far. The Sand Boa is a burrowing species that appears to be restricted to the north bank of the River Gambia in Bao Bolon Wetland Reserve, but may well turn out to be much more widespread. Pythons are medium to large snakes with small, smooth scales. They kill their prey by strangling or constricting it and do not carry venom. Females have the interesting habit of wrapping themselves around their eggs to keep them warm and protect them.

Both the Egyptian sand boa (Eryx colubrinus colubrinus) and the Kenyan sand boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei) are heavy body snakes with small heads, small eyes, and short tails. The belly and is white or cream colored in both subspecies. The Egyptian sand boa (Eryx colubrinus colubrinus) has a yellow coloration with dark brown splotches. The Kenyan sand boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei) has an orange coloration with dark brown splotches. Various color morphs are also now available including albino and axanthic.

Sand Boa Snakes Size: Females are generally larger than males reaching lengths of 26 to 32 inches and weighing up to two pounds. Some females have reached up to 40 inches in length. Males generally only reach 15 inches in length. Sand Boa Snakes Life span: These sand boas can quite easily live for more than 15 years. Sand Boa Snakes Native to: East Africa; Egypt south to Tanzania; southwest Somalia west to Kenya.

Housing Requirements
 
Enclosure: Adult female sand boas can be adequately kept in 20-gallon aquariums while males can be kept in 10-gallon aquariums. Plastic sweater boxes can also be used as well for these species if they are modified to provide adequate ventilation for the boa. Generally females do well with 1½ to 2½ square feet of floor space while males can be kept with only one square foot of floor space.
 
Temperature: Sand boas are extremely tolerant of large temperature extremes of 60° to 100° F. They are best kept however at temperatures of 80° to 85° F with a basking temperature of 90° to 95° F. Night temperatures can drop to as low as 75° to 77° F.

There has been no evidence to suggest that photoperiods affect the keeping of this species. If a regular photoperiod is provided it is recommended to use fluorescent bulbs in order to minimize the extra heat generated by incandescent bulbs.. Red basking bulbs or ceramic emitters can be used to generate basking spots. Under the tank heating pads can also be used to help raise the ambient temperature of the enclosure.

Substrate: Sand boas require three to five inches of substrate that allows them to burrow. Aspen or a sand/soil mix often works best to provide a suitable substrate for the boas to create their own burrows. If using a sand/soil mix a small amount of water added to the mix will help the formation of stable burrows.

Environment: This is a burrowing species and does not require any cage furniture to climb or hide boxes. Diet: Sand boas do well on a diet of rodents. Hatchlings can feed on pinky mice. Large adult females can feed on prey as large as small adult rats. Usually one appropriate sized prey item per week can be fed. During the winter months these sand boas will often stop feeding with no ill effects.

Maintenance: Fresh water should be offered daily. The enclosure should be spot cleaned as needed. Periodically, the enclosure should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. A 5% bleach solution makes an excellent disinfectant. Be sure to rinse the enclosure thoroughly after disinfecting. As always, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your sand boa or any cage accessories.

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Thread Snake world Small Snakes

Thread snakes are small, thin snakes that look fairly similar to earthworms. Two species have been recorded in The Gambia so far. They have tiny mouths quite incapable of biting a human and have very primitive eyes. They burrow underground and are active during the night and day. They follow the scent trails of their main prey (ants and termites), to their nests and they have also been found in bird’s nests where they eat fleas. When attacked by soldier ants and termites they coil up and produce pheromones, which prevent the soldiers from damaging them. Thread snakes are most commonly seen by farmers when they are preparing their fields for sowing crops, and are probably common and widespread throughout The Gambia.

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Spotted Blind Snake and Blind Snake

Spotted Blind Snake

This Spotted Blind Snake is also a very primitive snake that is adapted to burrowing underground, though it is slightly larger than the thread snakes. It has a cylindrical body and an indistinct head with polished, tightly fitting scales. The eyes are very reduced in size and simple, and the mouth is toothless. This species feeds mainly on termites but will also eat other small invertebrates. It is probably common and widespread in The Gambia. The Spotted Blind Snake is sometimes found under stones, exposed during ploughing or seen when it is forced to the surface during the rainy season by floods.

Blind Snake
The blind snake, Ramphotyphlops braminus, can easily be confused with a worm by an unknowing person. Blind snake, Ramphotyphlops braminus, shot with a penny to show size.Despite blind snakes’ abundance (more than 300 species) and diversity, they are real strangers to herpetoculture. Depending on your references, there are three families of blind snakes: the Typhlopidae, Leptotyphlopidae and Anomalepidae. Typhlopids and leptotyphlopids contain the bulk of the species. Often the typhlopids are called blind snakes, and the leptotyphlopids are called thread snakes. They differ in their dentition, the number and kind of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. Just try to see a blind snake’s scales let alone their teeth.

Anomalepids are found in the New World tropics. The family only contains 15 species, and it is sometimes not even considered included with the other two families because anomalepids completely lack pelvic girdles. Another characteristic used to separate blind snake species is the scalation on top of their heads. The smallest snake in the world is a blind snake. Larger species can grow to a length of 39 inches, which is huge by blind snake standards. These snakes have many interesting features. They may have teeth on only the lower or upper jaw, they shed their skin in rings, and in some cases their tails are wider than they are long.

Blind snakes secrete repellent chemicals and sometimes dissect their prey before eating it. They can climb trees and sometimes seem to guard their eggs, and they are found on all warm to temperate continents. Existing in many different colors, blind snakes also may not have eyes or a visible iris, may have cloacal spurs, and may have a solid or speckled pattern. Yet I recall one book that described them as “the least interesting reptile pet.” Most likely this was based on their generally small size and propensity to remain hidden if given a substrate in the tank.

Blind Snakes Introduction
Recently I was able to work with a 6-inch-long adult Brahminy blind snake (Ramphotyphlops braminus) and discovered it to be extremely interesting. Having never even seen a live blind snake before, this was a fantastic opportunity for me to learn about a large group of snakes (they account for about 10 percent of the total number of species worldwide) that some herpkeepers do not even know about.

Brahminy blind snakes are also called “flowerpot snakes,” which is a reference to their ability to disperse throughout the world hidden in the soil of flowerpots. It is thought that large pots used in commercial agriculture have transported this Asian native to Africa, India, Sri Lanka, many Pacific islands, Southeast Asia, Australia, Mexico and the United States. The snakes can be found in Florida, Texas and Hawaii, but Hawaii’s Chamber of Commerce says snakes aren’t in the state.

I found this blind snake at a reptile show. It was hidden away beneath deli cups containing better-known species. Peering into its clear cup, I observed slightly moist garden dirt. The gentlemen at the booth assured me that there was indeed something in the cup, and he gave permission to pop the lid and search for it. I eventually found a wriggling blackish creature measuring 6 inches long with the diameter of a coat hanger wire. Its belly was purplish, and there seemed to be lighter areas at the front what I thought was the front anyway and back of the serpent. The cup’s label identified it as a “round smooth snake,” and that it was.

Drawing on my meager past blind-snake education, I remembered these snakes generally eat termites, ant larvae and ant pupae. Being an outdoorsman (I just retired after 30 years as a park naturalist), I figured getting these feeders wouldn’t be too tough. I immediately made a deal for the “round smooth snake,” and it set me back much less than any other snake purchase I had ever made. Feeding the Flowerpot Snake At home, I put the deli cup in the herp room and began to research. I was able to confirm my original information on small blind snake feeding habits.

In addition to the previously mentioned insects, beetles, small earthworms and even caterpillar feces have been recorded as food for the flowerpot snake. Other blind snake species’ stomachs have been found to contain all these insects and also spiders, fly larvae, moth larvae, crickets, millipedes and centipedes.

For some strange reason my wife seemed adverse to termites, so I concentrated on ants. At least one source on the Internet mentioned some success feeding blind snakes rehydrated ant pupae commercially available as finch food. I hoped to avoid ordering these pupae because they cost a couple times the price of the snake, but after spending a day in search of ants during an Ohio winter, I decided an order might not be such a bad deal after all. Click images to enlarge.

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Rattlesnakes Dangerous Monster

Rattlesnakes are usually identified by their warning rattle a hiss or buzz made by the rattles at the tip of their tails. A rattlesnake is born with a button, or rattler, and acquires a new rattle section each time it molts. Rattle snakes also are distinguished by hav ing rather flattened, triangular heads. The heads of all Crotalus rattlesnakes are about twice as wide as their necks. Only pit vipers possess this head configuration; coral snakes do not.

Rattlesnakes belong to the pit viper family Crotalidae, so named because all possess visible loreal pits, or lateral heat sensory organs, between eye and nostril on each side of the head. These heat sensory pits are not present in true vipers, which do not occur in the Western Hemisphere. The facial pits enable rattlesnakes to seek out and strike, even in darkness, warm objects such as small animal prey, as well as larger animals that could be a threat. The vertically elliptical eye pupils, or “cat eyes,” are also a characteristic of rattlesnakes. Identifying a dead rattler whose rattles are missing can be done by looking at the snake’s scaleson the underside in the short region between the vent and the tip of the tail If the scales are divided down the center, the snake is harmless. The scales on rattlesnakes are not divided.

Rattlesnakes come in a great variety of colors, depending on the species and stage of molt. Most rattlers are various shades of brown, tan, yellow, gray, black, chalky white, dull red, and olive green. Many have diamond, chevron, or blotched markings on their backs and sides.

Range and Habitat
Rattlesnakes occur only in North and South America and range from sea level to perhaps 11,000 feet (over 3,000 m) in California and 14,000 feet (4,000m) in Mexico, although they are not abundant at the higher elevations. They are found throughout the Great Plains region and most of the United States, from deserts to dense forests and from sea level to fairly high mountains. They need good cover so they can retreat from the sun. Rattlers are common in rough terrain and wherever rodents are abundant.

Food 

Young or small species of rodents comprise the bulk of the food supply for most rattlesnakes. Larger rattlers may capture and consume squirrels, prairie dogs, wood rats, cottontails, and young jackrabbits. Occasionally, even small carnivores like weasels and skunks are taken. Ground-nesting birds and bird eggs can also make up an appreciable amount of the diet of some rattlers. Lizards are frequently taken by rattlers, especially in the Southwest. The smaller species of rattlesnakes and young rattlesnakes regularly feed on lizards and amphibians.

Rattlesnakes consume about 40% oftheir own body weight each year. Many prey are killed but not eaten by rattlesnakes because they are too largeor cannot be tracked after being struck. One male rattler captured in the field had consumed 123% of its weight, but young rattlers frequently die due to lack of food. Domestically raised rattlesnakes will survive when fed only once a year, but in the field, snakes usually feed more than once, depending on the size of prey consumed. A snake may kill several prey, one after another, and of different species. When rodents and rabbits are struck, the prey is immediately released. The snake then uses its tongue to track the prey to where it has died.

Digestion is quite slow and usually no bones remain in the feces, called “scats.” Hair, feathers, and sometimes teeth, however, can usually be identified in scats. Rattlesnakes use very little energy except when active, and they probably are active for less than 10% of their lives. They are not very active unless food is scarce. They store much fat in their bodies, which can last them for long periods.

Rattlesnakes are distinctly American serpents. They all have a jointed rattle at the tip of the tail, except for one rare species on an island off the Mexican coast. This chapter concerns the genus Crotalus, of the pit viper family Crotalidae, suborder Serpentes. Since snakes evolved from lizards, both groups make up the order Squamata. This article describes the characteristics of the common species of rattle snakes that belong to the genus Crotalus. These include the eastern diamondback, (Crotalus adamanteus); the western diamond (back) rattlesnake, (Crotalus atrox); the red diamond rattlesnake, (Crotalus ruber); the Mohave rattlesnake, (Crotalus scutulatus); the sidewinder, (Crotalus ceraster); timber rattlesnake, (Crotalus horridus); three subspecies of the western rattlesnake, (Crotalus viridis): the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus v. viridis); the Great Basin rattlesnake (Crotalus v. lutosus); and the Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus v. oreganus).

There are 15 species of rattlesnakes in the United States and 25 in Mexico. Other front-fanged poisonous snakes of the Crotalidae family, which are n included in this discussion, are the massasauga and pigmy rattlesnakes, both of the genus Sistrurus. Also not included are two snakes that do not have rattles, hence are not called Ratt snakes: the water moccasin or cotton mouth, and the copperhead, both of the genus Agkistrodon. Two other gen era of poisonous snakes in North America are coral snakes (Micrurus and Micruroides) of the family Elapidae.

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West Mexican Coral Snake-Micurus Distans and Westrn Coral Snake

Micurus Distans Snakes or West Mexican Coral Snake of the genus Micrurus  are secretive and largely fossorial, and are often found under cover objects such as leaves, stones, and logs (Roze 1996. Coral Snakes of the Americas: Biology, Identification, and Venoms. Krieger Publ., Malabar, Florida). To our knowledge, there are no records of arboreality for this species. On 24 September 2001, at 1230 h, while conducting
a survey on the herpetofauna of the Cuixmala-Chamela Biosphere Reserve on the coast of Jalisco, México, we observed a Micurus Distans (790 mm TL) climbing a mature tree at ca. 4.5 m above the ground.

The tree was part of a small patch of remnant dry forest immersed in a matrix of livestock grazing plots in different stages of regeneration. Air temperature was 29.1°C and humidity was 84.6%. Upon discovery the snake climbed down the tree and disappeared under the ground litter (specimen was photographed while climbing down). This observation suggests that this typically ground dwelling species of coral snake may occasionally climb trees, perhaps to hunt prey not readily available on the ground. Two previous publications report the presence of Micurus distans or West Mexican Coral Snake in the area we describe herein but make no reference to arboreal habits.

We thank Javier Alvarado Díaz, Alfredo Estrada Virgen, Miriam Quintero-Mora, and Karla Grissel Jaimez Novas for assistance in field work and the Coordinación de Investigación Científica, UMSNH project 5.5 for financial assistance. We thank E. N. Smith for his editorial help and Antonio Hernández for photographic
work.

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Red Racer Snakes Spectacular Animal

Red Racer-MASTICOPHIS FLAGELLUM PICEUS

Red Racer on 24 July 1974 between 0700 and 1030 h I observed three unusual instances of opportunistic carrion feeding by two or three Masticophis flagellum  piceus  at a field collectors’ campsite in Whitewater Canyon, Riverside County, California (33º57.422'N, 116º38.650'W, 536 m elev.). During the previous evening (23 July 1974) researchers at the camp prepared about a dozen museum study skins of local rodent specimens including field mice (Peromyscus) and pocket mice (Perognathus and Chaetodipus), all < 35g live mass. We skinned the animals, removed the heads, opened the abdominal cavities to evaluate reproductive condition, and discarded the carcasses randomly in sparse desert vegetation along a nearby road embankment. During the night the skinless carcasses desiccated rapidly in the high temperatures and extremely low humidity. They were also contaminated with desert gravel and the hardwood sawdust used during preparation.

The next morning (24 July 1974) at 0700 h, a Red Racer (ca.1200 mm TL) was outstretched in open view in full sunlight along the above embankment, rapidly engulfing one of the desiccated mouse carcasses. An attempt to catch the Red Racer snake failed and it escaped rapidly, still grasping the mouse carcass. Air temperature at 0700 h was 28°C, and ground temperature in direct sun was ca. 40°C. Three hours later we noticed a second Red Racer (1175mm TL) engulfing a very dry mouse carcass at the same spot on the embankment where the first snake had been. The ground temperature (determined later) at the site was 44°C, and the shaded bulb air temperature was 42°C.

About 20 minutes later we saw a third Red Racer (1180 mm TL) outstretched and engulfing a mouse carcass < 2 m from the spot where the first snakes were seen. I collected the second and third specimens with dust shot and deposited them in the UC Davis Museum of Zoology. The stomachs of both specimens were empty, but I cannot be certain that either collected snake was not the specimen seen at 0700 h. in foraging even in snakes thought to rely primarily on prey movement and other visual cues.

Summarized 35 literature reports of natural Red Racer snake scavenging (spanning at least 24 snake species and assorted carrion) to show that snakes utilize carrion more often than commonly believed. Not unexpectedly, these reports reveal that snakes generally use olfaction to locate carrion, and they suggest that some snake species forage specifically for carrion.

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Western Green Mamba Vs Black Mamba

Western Green Mamba-Dendroaspis Viridis

This medium-sized snake is bright green in colour, normally with some dark markings on the back. It has an orange tail. The head is coffinshaped and the inside of the mouth is white. This is an active snake that is usually seen in trees and bushes where it preys almost exclusively on small mammals and birds. It is extremely difficult to see amongst the foliage and unfortunately has a bad, but un-deserved reputation because of the aggressiveness of its relative, the Black Mamba (a species so far unrecorded in The Gambia). Western Green Mambas will only bite as a last resort and there have been very few records of bites on humans. The bite can however occasionally cause death. It is unknown how widespread or common Green Mambas are in The Gambia because they are often confused with bush snakes. However, they are fairly common in Abuko Nature Reserve.

The Western Green Mamba is the biggest arboreal mamba species. The average length is 140 –  210 cm but somew specimens will grow to 300 cm.  The Westrn Green Mamba body is long and slender the head is small and is clearly distinct from the neck. The eye is medium sized with a round pupil. The iris is yellow-brown in color The length of the tail is about 20-25% of the total length. Western Green Mambas can be variable in color most specimens are greenish-yellow, olive green, emerald green, while some specimens are sky blue or yellow. The scales over the body have black edging. The tail is yellow with black edging around the scales which gives it a sort of netting. The dorsal scales of this species are very big for a elapid. The skin between the scales is also black and visible. The ventrals are pale green, yellow or blueish grey. 

Geographic range:
The Western Green Mamba occurs in West Africa as his name already says. Some isolated records are known more east from Ghana , Togo , Nigeria .

Habitat:  
Western Green Mambas are diurnal and arboreal snakes that live in the rainforests of Western Africa . Places were the forest is gonew can they be found in the thickets of  bushes in city suburbs and parks.

Captive Behaviour:  
Western Green Mambas are alert snakes that need to be kept in a large enclosure. Most of the day are they resting on a branch or are climbing around in their enclosure they can be kept in groups without any problem. In handling are Western Green Mambas similar to the Jameson’s Mamba. They don’t like it to be touched and when tailed they can get very jumpy and wild. When cornered they flatten down their necks and opening their mouths a little while rapidly tongue flicking and loud hissing, striking is rare.
 

Feeding:  
In the wild do green mambas feed mainly on small rodents, birds and bats and squirrels are known to been eaten.  In captivity do they feed easily on rodents and chicks. I feed my westerns every week with dead mice, rats or chicks out of a long tweezer. They never strike at the food but take it slowly from the jaws of the tweezer.

Breeding:  
Also Western Green Mambas know the male/male combat which can last for hours. The mating happens on the ground as in the branches with the tails hanging down. Mating can take 10-16 hours. After a gestation period of 87-90 days after the eggs are laid. The clutch size is from 6-14 eggs. The eggs hatch after 90-104 days. The babies are at birth 40-45 cm long. I  once had a clutch of 9 eggs from a fresh caught female 7 of the eggs hatched in my dry incubator on a temperature of 280 C and a humidity level of 80% the babies
had their first shed after 9-11 days.

Enclosures:  
As for all mambas are the Westerns also active snakes that need a big enclosure filled with branches and artificial plants. My Western Green Mambas are kept in a enclosure that measures a size of 150 cm in length 70 cm high and 50 cm wide. As substrate I used a mixture of cocopeat, peat, potting soil and bark. When the animals start to shed I providfe them with sphagnum that keeps the humidity in the enclosure high. Heating is done by heating cable under the enclosure and a 60 watt spotlight on the right site of the cage. Extra light is given by a 120 cm long neon tube. There is a 5 litre water bowel in the cage that is often used for a bath and as drinking water. The snakes also have a hide box but rarely use this.  

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Green Mamba African Danggerous Snakes

Green Mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps)

The Green Mamba is not significant to fisherman in Zimbabwe as it widely distributed and therefore not likely to be encountered. This is in spite of the numerous fisherman who will swear blind that they saw a green mamba while fishing at farm dam or on the river. The fact is Green mambas are only found in the Honde Valley, particularly Katiyo Tea Estate,  the surrounding Communal Lands, parts of Aberfoyle Plantations and parts of Nyanga North and usually below 500m. In KwaZulu Natal they are restricted o the coast....my experience while living in the Durban area in the early 70’s, was that they were not found more than 2 kilometres from the beach, except along the rivers, where they extended a little further inland. In Mozambique and Malawi they are a bit more widespread, but restricted to the southern parts of Tanzania and the coastal regions Kenya. They have not been found in Zambia.

Green mambas are a bright emerald green colour. If you get close enough (yeah right) you will notice that the mid-body scales each have a yellow edge to them and the skin underneath is black, creating a striking contrast. They are fairly large, not robust like the cobras but also not slender like the vine snakes. They can reach a length of just over two metres. The head shape is very similar to the black mamba, with a moderately sized eye...a distinguishing feature to compare with the boomslang which has a large eye. The boomslang is the only other large green snake that may be confused with a Green mamba. Small Green mambas can, however, be confused with a number of other snakes, particularly of the genus Philothamnus....bush snakes, eastern and Angolan green snakes.

They are arboreal snakes and prefer thick bush....mango trees and bamboo thickets are favourites in the Honde Valley. They only come down to the ground to hunt for prey or to change trees. Prey consists mainly of birds and fledglings but they will take rodents and occasionally agamous and lizards. The eye has around pupil, which indicates that it is a diurnal hunter. They lay up ten eggs in the summer which hatch about two and half months later. Bites from these snakes are significant and will need treatment if serious.

The venom and symptoms are similar to the black mamba i.e. neurological, but not as potent. Bites are rare as they are seldom encountered on the ground and in any case, will move away very swiftly through the trees to avoid  confrontation. The Herpetological Association of Zimbabwe was formed for people with an interest in snakes and other reptiles, and their conservation. If you are interested in becoming a member, give us a ring on Harare 091 251 684 or drop us a line giving your name, address and contact telephone number and send it to: 6 Alice Lane, Avondale, Harare.

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Harmless Snake and Milk Snake Scares Homeowners

Vermont herpetologist Jim Andrews of Salisbury has gotten a raft of questions this year from people who have seen banded snakes sometimes coiled and rattling. Is there death waiting in my backyard? they want to know.
Those are milk snakes, every one of them, and they are as harmless as the family cat. The Eastern timber rattlesnake, Vermont's only poisonous reptile, is confined to a few areas of western Rutland County.
Milk snakes are common denizens of barnyards and gardens, where they eat mice and help keep down the rodent population. "They have this bluff behavior that scares people. If you push this guy far enough he'll coil and shake his tail, and time after time people are convinced it's a rattler," Andrews said. That was Lindsay Harris' first thought last month.

 Harris, a Hinesburg dairy farmer, was carrying a 50-pound salt block out to a field when she nearly stepped on a shape slithering through the grass. "I had to jump over it, I was so close," she recalled last week. "It coiled up and rattled its tail. I thought, 'What on Earth?' A small part of me wanted to throw the salt block on it." She thought better of the instinct. Instead Harris, who once worked as an ecologist, stood still and looked closely at the snake's markings. Then she went straight to her home computer to try to identify what she'd seen. She encountered Andrews' Web site, www.vtherpatlas.org. After examining the photos there, she still was unsure what she'd seen. So like dozens of other snake-spotters, she filled out an online form to report the snake and ask what it was.

Green Mountain
Those observation forms, filed by dozens of curious landowners and citizen-scientists, are helping Andrews to compile more and more detailed maps of the distribution of Vermont's 11 snake species. He can say with growing confidence, for example, where rattlesnakes won't be found, and that the North American racer
snake is confined to southeastern Vermont. Not many species have been reported from the cold Northeast Kingdom, but rat snakes, once thought to live only in Rutland County have been reported by sharp-eyed observers in northern Addison County.

Andrews said he is not sure why he's receiving more inquiries about milk snakes. Probably not because they are becoming more common, he said. A more likely explanation is Google. "People see a snake, they go online and stumble across our Web site," he said. 'A little scary' That's exactly what Walter and Evelyn Pruiksma of Rochester did last month. "I'm not a snake lover," Evelyn Pruiksma confessed, so when she spotted three red-banded snakes coiled in her garden wall, "it was a little scary." Her husband photographed the snakes and sent the pictures to Andrews, who reassured them they had milk snakes in the yard.
"Ordinarily people jump out of their skins when they see them, but we're getting kind of used to them," Walter Pruiksma said. "They do have a pattern that looks like a rattlesnake if you are not knowledgeable about snakes, which we are not."

Milk Snake

Down in North Bennington, Michael Keane was playing badminton on the lawn recently with his 5-year-old grandson when the child looked down and saw a tiny milk snake. Keane first thought it might be a baby copperhead. He captured the snake and sent photos to Andrews for identification, then he and the child returned the snake to the woods. (There are no copperheads in Vermont).

Unlike rattlesnakes, milk snakes have smooth scales. Their backs are patterned with reddish-brown blotches and their heads are marked with a distinctive white Y shape. They lack rattles, although they will shake their tails to mimic the sound. "As part of the show, they'll coil and strike from that position. But the snake is going to be six, eight, 10 feet from you when it does that, and its strike will reach about 15 inches. The snake knows it can't reach you -- it's bluffing," Andrews said.

Milk snakes are Vermont's second or third most common snake, he said, behind the garter snake and the reclusive red-bellied snake. Nevertheless, most people are unfamiliar with milk snakes. Rattlesnakes, on the other hand, are engrained in the public consciousness. Andrews remembers getting a call from a woman in the Waterbury-Bolton area who was convinced there was a rattlesnake in her outdoor trash can. He read off a list of rattlesnake markings and she confirmed that her snake had each of them.

Andrews got in his car a rattlesnake as far north as Bolton would be quite a find.
"It was a milk snake. It didn't have a rattle, but when I had asked her questions she gave answers that were consistent with a rattlesnake because her brain was convinced that's what she had," he said. Milk snakes may have gotten their name from an old wives' tale that they suck milk from cows. The myth likely arose because milk snakes will follow their prey, mice, into dairy barns. Harris' encounter with the milk snake is one that she won't soon forget. "I was pretty spooked," the Hinesburg farmer said. Once she learned more about milk snakes she had a different reaction. "I found they are constrictors and hang around barns and eat rodents -- so, great!"

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