One activity Chuck and I enjoy this time of year at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge is driving the road in the evening, searching for snakes that have slithered out to take advantage of pavement that holds warmth from the day’s high temperatures. Although we hadn’t seen a snake for some time, tonight we went trolling for wildlife.
Snakes
Snake Doctor
By the time a snake or other reptile appears ill, it is usually too late to treat it. Because their metabolism is slow, they don’t react quickly to medication. So when our gartersnake, Karma, developed a lump near her stomach area, we debated whether or not to take her to the veterinarian.
Snakes: Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em?
Author’s note: This article originally appeared at eNature.com and is republished here with their kind permission. The information within reflects many of our views.
Ophidiophobia is an irrational fear of snakes. Many people, perhaps a majority, claim to have a loathing or dislike of these limbless reptiles. Why do snakes get such a bad rap?
Snake Myths
Milk snakes suck milk from cows.
-All snakes are carnivorous (meat eaters). No cow would allow it, and snakes lack the ability to suck.
Serpent Surprise
“Snake!” Sue McDonald’s 7-year-old daughter, Sapphire, still sat in the car in their garage when she spotted the snake and cried out.
Does a Snake Make a Good Necklace?
“When my friend was at a reptile program, they hung a snake around his neck,” a second grader told us during one of our school programs recently. “When the snake started to curl around his neck, the owner said he’d take it off when my friend’s face started to turn purple.”
Snake Encounter
Even though we always look for snakes when we hike, surprising one on the trail today reminded us that we need to be even more vigilant as they now emerge from hibernation.