All About Snakes... General Snake Facts  Snakes are classified as vertebrates since their flexible bodies have far more vertebrates (up to 400) than humans (just 32). This allows snakes to have far greater elasticity, which they use to devour large animals many times their width. Snake’s eyes are protected by clear scales, which are needed since their eyes always remain open. Additional features of a snake are it’s forked tongue, and lack of external ears. More» Snake Reproduction Snakes mate in the spring as the weather warms; however, snakes in warmer climates can reproduce year-round. Depending on the species, female snakes will either have live young, keeping the eggs inside of her body until they hatch, or she will deposit the eggs in a nest she has constructed and sit on top of them, protecting them until they hatch. More» Snake Habitat There are about 250 species of snakes in the United States and Canada. Only two groups are venomous - the coral snake and the pit vipers. The pit vipers include the cottonmouth/water moccasin, copperhead, and rattlesnake. There are three ways to distinguish between a pit viper and a nonpoisonous snake in the United States:  - Pit Vipers have a deep pit on each side of the head, midway between the eye and nostril. This does not exist on nonpoisonous snakes.
- Poisonous snakes have a scale pattern on the under side that goes all the way across the width of the tail in a row. Nonpoisonous snakes have a more broken pattern.
- The pupil of the viper is egg shaped. A nonpoisonous snake has an eye shape that is round.
More» Snake Diet  Most snakes will eat a variety of foods including insects, rodents, birds, slugs, and other reptiles such as frogs and lizards. More» Other - Predators of Snakes Its reptilian enemies include larger snakes and crocodiles. Although birds are part of snakes' diet, larger birds put snakes on their own menu. Other meat-eating animals will also prey on snakes. [back to top]
Snake Control Options Snake Repellents Snakes use their tongue to help them smell. Gaseous particles from the snake repellent are picked up by the snake's tongue and inserted into the two- holed organ, called the Jacobson's Organ, at the roof of the snake's mouth. Located in the roof of the mouth, this organ is very important to a snake's ability to sense their surroundings and snake repellents work by confusing this keen sense of smell. Dr. T’s Nature Products® Snake-A-Way® Snake Repelling Granules is the only EPA registered snake repellent produc>t on the market. In order for a product to be EPA registered, third party testing must be submitted to support every claim made on the label. Snake-A-Way® is a very effective odor repellent to snakes. More» Prevention Outside the Home:  - Keep woodpiles away from your home and other buildings on your property. Raise wood piles are a foot or more off the ground
- Keep grass and weeds trimmed around all buildings
- Keep shrubbery trimmed and limit the thickness of the mulch
- Eliminate leaf piles
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Ask Dr. T...About Snakes and Snake Control Q: Is a snake's skin slimy and slippery? A: Actually, a snake’s skin is smooth and not at all slimy.  Q: How often does a snake shed its skin? A: The frequency with which a snake sheds its skin varies by the species and can be anywhere from about every three weeks to once a year. Q: What is the largest snake that ever lived? A: Well, you would have to go back to prehistoric times to find that snake! It had a body length of over 40 feet and weighed over a ton. It is thought that these giant snakes feasted on crocodiles! More» [back to top]
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