Mississippi Green Water Snake
Eastern Milk Snake
Eastern Ribbon Snake
Eastern & Midwestern Worm Snake
Midland Brown Snake
Midland Water Snake
Eastern Ring Neck Snake
Mole & Prairie Kingsnake
Northern DiamondBack Water Snake
First up today for snakes is the Eastern and Red Milk Snake also known as the Scarlet Kingsnake. Their is a myth about this snake suckling milk from cows udders. That is how it got it's common name milk snake. This snake cannot "suckle" anything, for one it lacks lips and the abilitly to suck. They are often found in cool barns which lends to the myth. They are usually found in barns, forested regions and on open fields.
In the Milk Snake species there are 25 subspecies. Meaning that they are all milk snakes, they just look a bit different from each other in coloring and patterns. Milk Snakes are often kept as pets due to their viberant coloring.
They can grow up to 25-30 inches long, and they live on mice, lizards, birds and other small prey items. They live on land, meaning they rarely climb trees, but have been known to live under the bark of a dead standing tree. The main difference between a red Milk Snake and an Eastern Milk Snake is the patterns. An Eastern Milk Snake has more markings than a Red Milk Snake. The Red Milk Snake is also known as a "Candy Cane Snake" due to it's coloring. They are non venomous, but when scared will coil up and strike.
All species of Milk Snake lay eggs in clutches of ten. A special fact about Milk Snakes is that they eat other snakes, dangerous venomous snakes like Copperheads, Cotton Mouths and Rattlesnakes. They have some immunity to their venom. So if you find a Milk Snake be kind!
Milk Snakes are nocturnal, meaing that they hunt at night when they are more active. In Most cases people rarely see Milk Snakes unless they are activly seeking them.
Also Milk Snakes are famous for their Batesian mimicry which is a form of mimicry typified by a situation where a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species directed at a common predator. In appearance they look like Coral Snakes! A simple children's ryhm will help out in telling if it's a venomous snake or your friendly neighbor Milk Snake.
"Black and red, you're not dead; Red and yellow, one dead fellow."
They can be very colorful in appearence red and black, and some are soild black in appearence, and few have been soild white.
Eastern ribbon Snake- The Eastern Ribbon Snake gets its name from its very thin body. At maturity it can be anywhere from 18 to 86 cm in length.It is a slender black snake with a yellow midback stripe and one on each side. A brown stripe that is 1-2 rows of scales extends onto the sides of the belly. The rest of the belly is a greenish white color. They also have two rows of black spots between the back and side stripes. It also has a long tail that is about a third of the length of its body.The labial scales around the mouth of the snake are unmarked and uniformly bright yellow or white. A white or light yellow bar borders the front of their eyes. Juveniles are colored like adults.
Here are some aspects of the Eastern Ribbon Snake that make it different from a close relative, the Garter Snake. The Eastern Ribbon Snake has a much thinner body than a Garter Snake. It also has a tail that makes up about one third of its body length. This snake has stripes on the third and fourth scale rows. The Eastern Ribbon Snake has pure white lips and a mark of White color in front of its eyes. These characteristics make it easy to tell the difference between the snakes but it may help to have one of each on hand to look at. Eastern Ribbon Snake has a dot in front of its eye, whereas the Garter Snake does not.
You can usually find them in wetlands and near the edges of ponds and streams.They are comfortable both in and out of water, they are adapted to both environments. When they are frightened they take to the water or bushes.They do not dive like water snakes, they glide across the surface of the water.
The Ribbon Snake generally eat small fish, tadpoles, salamanders, small frogs and toads, and occasionally insects. In some cases the female has been observed eating her young. The typical time for snakes to hunt is in the morning or early evening. Once the snake has spotted its prey, it will quickly slither to catch its prey and swallow it whole.
Reproduction in Eastern Ribbon Snakes takes place after they emerge from hibernation in the spring time, in April or May. Mating occasionally takes place in the fall, but the female will delay fertilization and development until the next spring. The average gestation period is three months. They average number of young is around 12 but can range anywhere from 4-27. Females give birth in late summer or maybe even the early fall. After birth there is no parental care involved, the young are left to fend for themselves. Most young reach sexual maturity after two years, but most usually wait until the third year.
Ribbon Snakes rarely bite when handled but they do produce a foul musk from their anal glands when they feel threatened.
Eastern & MidWestern Worm Snake-Worm snakes are small (35 cm) snakes. They are usually a dark brown in color, with a lighter colored, pink or orange underside. They are easily mistaken for other similar species, such as the earth snakes, Virginia sp. and brown snakes, Storeria sp. They have a narrow head, and small eyes, and a sharp tail tip
They typically live underground where they can burrow.They can also be found in loose leaf litter. They eat soft bodied insects like mill worms and earthworms and they are a favorite prey item for Coral Snakes.
Mississippi Green Water Snake- Okay this one is on the ENDANGERED list. So it's extra special. It's a water snake so it lives in water, mostly slow moving water, and is rarely seen out of the water. It can grow to be 6 feet long and lives on frogs, fish and other small animals. It can be found in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky. It lays 2-5 eggs in the spring months. It's coloring can be black, olive green,green or brownish. It often has a "Salt & pepper" look becuase of it's pattern. It is non-venomous.
Midland & Northern Brown Snake- They are typically 9-13 inches long and these are two different species but they inter-breed and look and behave pretty much the same. They eat slugs, earthworms, and snails. They are calm snakes and rarely bite. When scared they will release a musk scent. They can be found under logs, rocks, and other debris where their food source is at. They typically birth 3-31 young, meaning their young does not hatch from eggs outside of the mother's body. They are non-venomous
Midland & Common WaterSnake- The Midland Snake is a heavy bodied aquatic snake which can be commonly confused with the venomous Cottonmouth/Water Moccasin. This snake has a highly variable color pattern. Most have a light brown to grey background color and have dark brown to black blotches/bands on their backs. Also on the side of the snake there are square blotches. The average length for this snake is 2-4ft long, and the record is just over 5ft long. The juveniles are usually lighter than the adults but will darken with age.
The Midland Water Snake can be found in any aquatic habitat in their range which includes swamps, on the edges on ponds which they are found basking on tree over hanging, lakes, marshes, on edges of rivers and streams, even on a few barrier islands. It eats mostly frogs, fish and salamanders.
The Midland Water Snake is one of the most common aquatic snakes found in the Southeast. They can be found at any aquatic habitat which has a good population of fish and amphibians. The Midland Water Snake is for the most part nocturnal (comes out during the night) but they can be found during the day sunning themselves in braches overhanging bodies of water and also on rocks. They can be easily confused with the Cottonmouth/Water Moccasin (Agkistrodon piscivorus) because of several reasons. First off they are both heavy body snakes that live in the same habitats. Also when disturbed the water snake will make its head as triangular as possible, open its mouth, and strike repeatedly. Most of the time though they will try to get in the closest body of water and disappear under rocks and mud. If in a tree branch the water snake will dive immediately into the water and swim away. Non Venomous
Northern Ring Necked Snake- Ringneck snakes are easily recognizable by their small size, uniform dark color on the back, bright yellow-orange belly and distinct yellow ring around the neck. The back can be dark brown, gray or blue-black. The belly is yellow, changing to orange near the tail. The belly also has small, black spots which are irregular in size and pattern. Length ranges from 10 to 14 inches (25-36 cm). Ringnecks live on rocky, wooded hillsides. Ringneck snakes are secretive and not only take shelter under rocks but also find prey there—worms, slugs, soft bodied insects and small salamanders.
Mole & Prairie Kingsnake- is generally a light brown or black in color, with dark grey, dark brown, or reddish-brown blotching down the length of its body. They are capable of growing to lengths of 30-40 inches (76.2-101.6 cm). They are easily mistaken for various species of rat snake of the genus Pantherophis, which share habitat, and can have similar markings. Some specimens have their markings faded, to appear almost a solid brown color. Juveniles usually have a brown stripe down the back of the body. They have two black spots behind the head and smaller black spots down the back on both sides of the stripe. Non Venomous
Prairie kingsnakes preferred habitat is open grassland with loose, dry soil, typically on the edge of a forested region, not far from a permanent source of water. Their diet consists primarily of rodents, but they will also consume lizards, frogs and occasionally other snakes. They are non-venomous, and typically docile. If harassed they will shake their tail, which if in dry leaf litter can sound remarkably like a rattlesnake. They are not typically prone to biting, and if handled will often excrete a foul smelling musk. When threatened, they flatten and appear to have white spots. Non Venomous
Northern Diamond Back Watersnake- I know you hear Diamond Back and think rattlesnake, but not this time. It's a watersnake. Meaning it lives in the water and eats fish, frogs, salmanders, and such.
Diamondback water snakes are predominantly brown, dark brown, or dark olive green in color, with a black net-like pattern along their back, with each spot being vaguely diamond shaped. Dark vertical bars and lighter coloring are often present down the sides of the snake. The underside is generally a yellow or lighter brown color often with black blotching. Their scales are heavily keeled, giving the snake a rough texture. They can grow to a length of 5 feet (1.5 m) and in southern states have reached 8 feet (2.5 m) or more in length. Neonates are often lighter in color, making their pattern more pronounced, and they darken with age.
The diamondback water snake is one of the most common species of snake within its range. It is found predominantly near slow moving bodies of water, streams, rivers, ponds, or swamps. Its primary diet is fish and amphibians, specifically slow fish, crayfish, amphiumas (eel-like salamanders), frogs and toads.[citation needed] When foraging for food they will hang on branches suspended over the water, dipping their head under, until they encounter a fish or other prey. They are frequently found basking on these branches over water, and when approached, they will quickly drop into the water and swim away. If cornered, they will often hiss, and flatten their head or body to appear larger. They only typically resort to biting if physically harassed or handled. Its bite is known to be quite painful due to its sharp teeth meant to keep hold of slippery fish. Unfortunately, this defensive behavior is frequently misinterpreted as aggression and often leads to them being mistaken for the venomous cottonmouth, with whom they do share habitat in some places. The brown/tan coloration and diamond shaped pattern also causes these snakes to be mistaken for rattlesnakes, especially when encountered on land by individuals unfamiliar with snakes. Non-Venomous
This video is interesting because it shows how a large breeder handles eggs. Check it out!
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