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Toxic snakes are some of the most feared creatures in the animal kingdom, but depending on where you live, it’s unlikely you’ll ever encounter one. It is estimated that about 85% of all snake species in the world are non-venomous and for the most part completely harmless. Many of them play a useful role in keeping the pest populations in check. There are a few easy ways to tell the difference. Venomous snakes usually have black vertical pupils, triangular heads, and two pits near the snout (although some non-venomous snakes will mimic this appearance to deter predators).
It is important to note that, at least in biological terms, poison and poison mean different things. Venomous snakes tend to create their venoms, while venomous snakes collect poisons from other sources, such as their diet or environment. This article covers some key facts about the most fascinating non-toxic and non-toxic snakes in the world. Surprisingly, one name isn’t on this list: the garter snake, which does contain small amounts of poison, but not enough to do damage human.
#9: Green Snakes
The green snake is a genus of common non-venomous and non-venomous snakes that thrive in habitats as diverse as swamps, meadows, and forests across the country. United States and down Mexico. It is generally divided into two distinct species: the smooth green snake and the rough green snake (a few Asian species, also called green snakes, are closely related but belong to a separate genus). The main difference between them, as the name implies, is the arrangement of the shells along the back. The smooth green snake has smoother scales, while the rough green snake has rough keeled scales with a ridge that runs the length of the body.
This very thin, sinewy snake, which generally grows to between one and four feet in length, is completely harmless and unobtrusive to humans. The bright green skin helps it stay camouflaged from predators against the vegetation. When threatened, they would rather flee than fight, although it can release a foul-smelling chemical. Green snakes move through their environment, hunting insects and spiders, by sensing vibrations along the ground.
#8: Gopher Snakes
Also known as the pine snake or bull snake, this non-venomous snake is a genus of seven different species that also thrive in many different habitats around the world. North America, including forests, deserts, prairies, scrub, agricultural areas and rocky cliffs. Many types of gopher snakes can be anywhere from three to eight feet in size. They often have a yellow or pale body with dark brown or black patterns along the top and sides to aid identification.
When threatened, the gopher snake is best known for producing a hoarse hissing sound. He can also curl up his body and make his tail vibrate like a rattlesnake fool potential predators. But in general, these snakes are quite harmless. Gopher snakes like to feed rodents, birds, Eggs, lizards, and gophers by constricting the lungs of the prey.
#7: Racers
The racer is a very diverse group of snakes found in the tropical and temperate Americas. The most common of these species is the eastern racer, which prefers grasslands, swamps, and even suburbs in the United States. It can be identified by its long and thin body with a dark back and lighter colored abdomen (the subspecies of the blue racer, tan racer and black racer are all named after the colors of their bodies). Most adults are anywhere from two to four feet in length, but some particularly large females can grow to be five feet or more.
The term racer can refer to their very fast and agile movements when they see a potential predator. They are also surprisingly good tree climbers, so they can easily raid bird nests for eggs and young fry. Most prey animals are simply swallowed whole. The diet consists mainly of rodents, lizards, amphibians, and other snakes.
#6: Hognose Snakes
Native to sandy or semi-arid habitats throughout North America (although some closely related species are also found in South America), the hognose is mainly recognizable by its pointed and upright snout, which allows it to burrow in loose soil, possibly in search of food. Lizards and rodents are the main components of its diet, but the eastern hognose is specifically specialized for eating toads.
The body colors of the hognose can range from tan, black, tan, gray, olive green, and even orange and red. When threatened, the hognose may attempt to headbutt its opponent without actually biting. Another one of the amazing facts is that it can roll on its back and playing dead with his tongue hanging out; the effect is conveyed by the emission of a foul-smelling substance that mimics dead animals. Although the eastern hognose produces a toxic substance that can be harmful to toads, it is generally considered non-toxic to humans.
#5: Rat snakes
Rat snakes are a group of medium to large pinch snakes found all over the world. the oriental rat snakesTexan rat snakes and yellow rat snakes are probably the best-known species in North America. As the name suggests, they mainly feed on rodents. When threatened, they may twitch their tails in an attempt to mimic the much more dangerous rattlesnakes and fool potential predators. However, despite their rather large size, rat snakes are considered fairly harmless to humans. Some of these species are downright docile. The corn snake, which can grow up to two meters in length, is one of the most popular reptiles in the pet trade.
#4: Indigo Snakes
Clothed in a dark blue-black sheen, the indigo snake is native to the southeastern United States, Central America, and South America. The shell color makes identification very easy. About five species are recognized, but the eastern indigo snake is probably the best known. It is also, by all accounts, the largest snake species in all of North America, possibly reaching up to 9.2 feet in length. The eastern indigo can be found in scrub, hardwood or flatwood forests, prairies, coastal dunes, and freshwater swamps and ponds, but numbers have declined in some areas due to habitat loss, accidents and hunting. It eats all kinds of prey, including rodents, turtles, lizards and small birds and their eggs.
#3: Kingsnake
The kingsnake is a family of about 10 species, measuring anywhere from one to two meters in length. They are among the most common snakes in all of North America and live in river valleys, forests, fields, slopes, rocky outcrops and pine forests. They vary greatly in color scheme and patterns, which makes identification difficult, but they generally have some sort of dark rings or bands along the body. For this reason, it’s easy to mistake some of these species for poisonous coral snake. But in fact, kingsnakes kill and eat other venomous snakes, including rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths. Their amazing resilience to toxins allows them to safely survive these dangerous encounters. They also consume lizards, rodents, birds and eggs.
#2: Boa
The boa is a family of large tropical snakes that mainly occur in South America, Africa, and southern Asia. While the boa constrictor and green anaconda are the best-known species, all 49 members of this family kill their prey through constriction. By wrapping their coils around it, the prey will eventually succumb to suffocation. Their preferred hunting strategy is to sit and wait for the prey to pass so they can ambush it. rodents, bats, monkeys, pigs, and deer are all important components of their diet. One of the most amazing facts is that the jaws can open remarkably wide to consume an entire animal at once. Then they need a few days to digest the food. While not generally as large as pythons, some boas have been known to grow at least 18 feet.
#1: Pythons
The python is a family of non-venomous snakes native to Africa, Asia and Asia Australia. As ambush predators, they remain motionless and camouflaged among dense foliage, then pounce on passing prey. The sharp, swept back teeth, arranged in four rows on the upper jaw and two rows on the lower jaw, serve to hold the prey in place while slowly constricting the body.
This family takes the crown for the largest snakes in the world. The reticulated python can grow up to 30 feet tall. Many species have very elaborate coloring for camouflage and extra heat-sensitive pits in the face (like venomous snakes) to help them find warm-blooded prey. Smaller pythons tend to eat rodents, lizards and birds while larger species can eat pigs, antelope, and monkeys. Popular in the Exotic Pet trade, Burmese pythons escaped or were released into the Florida everglades in the 1990s, where it decimated several local species.
Next one: How many legs does a butterfly have?
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