Slithering Snakes

Demo Preparations
Decide which live animals will be used for the demo and transport them to
Naturalist Center. Choices include one of the two corn snakes found in the BB&T
classroom.
Gather all materials needed including but not limited to sheds mounted animals
literature and an!thing else !ou ma! need.
"ead over information about each animal.
"emember to handle the animal with care and allow visitors to use the two finger
touch polic! to touch the back or underside of the snake. "emember the! aren#t
to touch an!where near the head or mouth area. "emind visitors to wash hands
after touching.
Program $utline
%ntroduce !ourself and start talking about snakes including what the! are.
$nce information about snakes and reptiles has been given and &uestions
answered then get the animals out and give some facts on each animal answering
&uestions as !ou go along.
Reptile and Snake Facts
'nakes are a legless carnivorous reptile cold(blooded and have no e!elids or
outer ear.
There are over )*++ species of snakes
The! use their tongue to pick up on odors from the ground and air
'nakes can go long periods of time without eating
'ome snakes have over ,++ ribs -that#s more than the total number of bones in
the human bod!
'ome snakes are venomous -.enomous snakes in NC include the timber
rattler eastern diamond back rattler p!gm! rattler copperhead cotton mouth
or water moccasin and the coral snake. The onl! native venomous snakes in
Catawba Count! are the timber rattler and the copperhead.
.enomous snakes have a diamond like shaped head cat like e!es/ while the
non(venomous snakes tend to have slender heads and round pupils.
0dult snakes shed their skin )(1 times a !ear
Our Corn Snakes (Maizey and Kernel)
Corn snakes range between 1+(,2 inches in length. The dorsal colors can range between
reddish orange brown or gra! with dark red or brown blotches outlined in black along
the center of the dorsum. 'ometimes there is a blotch on the head shaped like a spear.
The bell! of the snake is white with black s&uares. The! are named corn snakes because
their ventral pattern resembles the pattern of kernels on %ndian corn. The scales are
smooth of slightl! keeled.
These snakes range from New 3erse! to 4lorida and 5ouisiana and are found throughout
the state of NC but rarel! on the Northern Coastal Plain or 6ountains. The! like wooded
areas rock! hillsides stream sides and are commonl! found in barns. The! breed 6arch
through 6a! and la! 1()7 eggs from 6a! to 3ul!. These constrictors feed on rodents
birds eggs li8ards frogs and bats. The! spend most of their time in holes and rodent
burrows and are good climbers and the! often search for pre! in trees.