Patterned snake - a description where it dwells, features

In today's article, we study the next representative of reptiles, which is ranked as a scaly squad. It will be a question of a patterned snake, which often becomes a favorite pet among snake lovers. In this article we will study everything that concerns the species under discussion, we give a description and other characteristics. Let's not delay, let's start right away.

Description

1. This variety of snakes is classified as non-venomous, comparable to snakes. Along the length of the individual grow up to 1.5 meters, but, as a rule, there are meter family members. The tail is given about 25 cm, the rest is taken up by the body. It is subtle and beautiful.
2. The head is rather wide, shortened, practically not separated from the neck. Pupils are round, pigmented by black. The scales on the head are not rounded, but elongated, which distinguishes this runner from itself. The scales on the forehead are very close to the eye sockets.
3. Individuals of female sex in their arsenal on the abdominal part are much more scales than the males. Thus, females have about 215 scales, while males have only 200. The differences are minimal, but they exist. In the lateral parts, the scales are smoothed and thin, on the back they are strong and hardly noticeable.
4. The peculiarity is that the coloring of the body of this representative is unpredictable. It may vary depending on the habitat and other aspects. The reptile body is usually pigmented brown-gray, but shades of brown are sometimes observed. On a trunk strips of brown color and dark specks settle down. Some stripes extend to the tail.
5. The head above is decorated with beautiful patterns that change with the life cycle of the individual. The temporal section is provided with a dark band, it is stretched up to the cervical region. The abdominal part is light or faded yellow, but dark spots can peek. When individuals molt, their color loses brightness.
6. An interesting fact is that in the sixties of the last century, the population of these individuals did not stand out among the others.But then she began to decline rapidly, as some people take this snake to be a poisonous representative of the species. In some regions, reptiles of the patterned type are listed in the Red Book.
7. These reptiles can live in different places, regardless of climate. They are found in the steppe stripes, forest zones, mountains. Some individuals live in vineyards. Others like tops, so they climb to a height of 2 km. from sea level. Many snakes in Asia Minor, Ukraine, Korea, China, Mongolia, Transcaucasia.

Nutrition and Lifestyle

1. Represented individual belongs to the daily reptiles. It is during daylight hours that the snake goes hunting. Most often, it feeds on other snakes, birds, fish, insects and amphibians. Moreover, such individuals often prefer to feast on chicks.
2. Such a snake without any problems can swallow the whole egg. Then she crushes the shell of the walls of her stomach. In addition, in the diet of such reptiles, any one type of food may prevail, this directly depends on the habitat.
3. Such animals go for wintering from the middle of autumn to the middle of spring. If such snakes live in the southern regions, they can already begin to show activity at the end of February. Birds of prey and mammals hunt for such snakes.

Breeding

1. The mating season and the breeding season are in the middle or end of spring. In colder regions, such a period may be delayed by the beginning of summer. For time in laying the female can form up to 20 eggs. Most often, they have a different form. In this case, in most cases, masonry is located in dry grass, forest litter or dust of old trees.
2. A feature of this species is that several females can form a common clutch. In this case, the number of eggs can reach 120 units. Interesting and sad is that more than half of the young do not survive. Young individuals begin to appear after about 1 month.
3. Often there are cases when the offspring hatch after just a fortnight. Cubs begin to be born en masse in late summer or early fall. The length of their body is from 20 to 25 cm. The maximum weight can be only 10 grams.

Patterned stripes are non-poisonous reptiles. However, if you notice such a snake, you need to exercise extreme caution. If an individual sees danger in you, it will surely throw at you. The bite is quite painful and you will feel unwell for 3 days.

Video: Patterned Snake (Elaphe dione)