Information and Facts
about Snakes

Introduction to Snakes

All species of snakes are reptiles. They offer a body that is very flexible. They don’t have any limbs but that doesn’t stop them from being able to climb or to slither along on their bellies. Some of them are only a few inches long and others are more than 25 feet in length.

They are able to live in trees, on land, and underground. They prefer to be in climates that are humid and that offer a warm temperature. They are cold blooded so the cooler temperatures are very hard for them to handle.

They are able to move about with variety locomotion movements. This includes the striking pose and the side to side movements that most people are very familiar with in regards to the snake.

They may be out there looking for food and aggressively pursuing it. Others are going to ambush and wait for long periods of time until food comes along. To help ensure it will they may put some form of bait there to get it interested. Then they will use that opportunity to get to the prey. They may crush it with the body or they may inject venom.

The use of snakes to sell their skin or to keep as pets is very common. They are used as a source of food in some areas as well. This means that populations are dropping fast in some locations. It also means that snakes are being introduced to places that they never belonged in before.

In spite of the fact that humans are so afraid of snakes the majority of them aren’t any threat at all. They prefer to avoid contact and will retreat when they can. They will bite though if they are startled or trying to protect their eggs.

While a bite from a snake is going to be painful it usually won’t be life threatening. The venom in some of them can be very strong though and that can result in tissue damage. It is a good idea to seek medical attention in order to reduce the pain, take care of inflammation, and to avoid infection. Any infection that goes untreated can result in a person losing a limb or dying.

The future for many species of snakes is uncertain at this time. Their natural habitat continues to be taken away from them. As a result they are dying or they are moving into areas where humans don’t want them to be. There are few efforts in place to try to help the snakes to be seen as a valuable part of the animal world. However, it is hard to convince people to donate time or money to such a cause even though they are willing to pitch in for the protection of many other types of animals.