The common snake is a snake with a balanced character, a completely non-aggressive reptile animal from the “scaly” order.

Anyone who considers the bite of this reptile dangerous to humans is wrong; it is completely safe and will not harm anyone, but will only modestly hide from the eyes of the annoying and curious layman.

This type of snake suffers greatly at the hands of humans, because outwardly, as some people think, it looks like a snake, but in fact, this is not true.

There are clear signs by which you can accurately understand what kind of this moment there is a snake, but we will talk about this a little later.

Looking ahead a little, we note the fact that she is a very smart actress, and her body, in cases of a potential threat to life, is always ready to repel the enemy with a caustic, odorous whitish liquid secreted by a special gland located at the tips of the tail.

If this does not save the depressing and hopeless situation, then the last crowning number is used; transformation from a living snake to a dead one. Do not be surprised, dear readers, by this behavior; in the world of wild animals there are a huge number of animals that use this method of protection.

Appearance

The female is always larger than the male, her body length can reach from 50 to 150 cm, and the male from 60 to 80 cm. But in history there have been specimens that could be much larger, for example: maximum size snakes of this species, was recorded by zoologists, was more than two meters.

Distinctive feature, by which a snake can be identified - yellow ears with markings located on the head, however they can be orange and white.

The eyes are black with round pupils. The scaly, brownish-gray or olive-green skin has distinct black spots.

Difference

First of all, you need to remember that the viper is already twice the length, in addition, there are black spots on its body, which neither and.

Habitat

Its range is mainly concentrated on the European continent from the Iberian Peninsula to the northeastern coast of Africa. He also lives in Mongolia, in Central Asia and England.

Habitat

This type of reptile prefers to live in areas where there is any body of water, be it a river, lake, bay, pond or just a stream. It can often be found in meadows, bushes and forest clearings.

Lifestyle

As we wrote earlier, a snake from the snake family does not pose any threat to humans. They can accumulate en masse in damp and damp places.

During the day they lead an active lifestyle, bask in the sun, thereby increasing their body temperature, and in the evening they climb the bushes to bask in the last rays of the setting sun. Closer to dusk, they look for a dry, secluded place to spend the night.

In cold countries, it can be in a state of torpor for a long time, approximately 5 to 8 months a year. Curious; that such a rhythm of life does not at all affect the decrease in population in these areas. We wanted to say that even in 4 months they can mate and produce offspring.

Frequent places for wintering they can choose such places as:

• Hollow trees;
• All kinds of pits near platinum;
• Burrows of small rodents;

As a rule, several dozen of these wonderful natural creatures spend the winter in such places protected from frost.

Enemies

Separately, I would like to say about the enemies of this harmless creature, and he has quite a few of them, here are just a few of them:

• Storks;
• Herons;

This list is far from complete; in fact, there are two or even three times more of them. This is taking into account the indisputable fact that it is absolutely not poisonous. Its only advantage will be its color and unpleasant-smelling liquid, which it secretes when caught unawares by its offender.

Nutrition

Our hero's diet is very varied, he can eat, and small fish. To be specific, here it is short list its menu:

• and their eggs;
• Chicks;
• Tadpoles;
• Fish (crucian carp, roach, fry, sabrefish, chebak, bream, rudd);
• Salamanders;
• Lizards;
• Small;

Perhaps that's enough, but the list goes on. Note! That the entire listed range is not a daily diet. If luck turns to the snake in front, then it will taste such a nutritious delicacy, and if not, then it will be content with what God sent :-).

Hunting

It can hunt both on land and on land; in water it moves using the wave-like movements it creates with its body. Able to dive under water and stay there for more than 30 minutes in search of food, it is helped in this by its tongue, which easily recognizes the odor impulse of the intended victim.

The snake instantly attacks its prey; if it is small, it swallows it whole, but in order to eat a larger catch it needs to crawl ashore. Ingestion can take from 20 minutes to several hours, after which it tries to retire to a modest and quiet place where no one will disturb it.

It begins to swallow its victims from the head; if the victim is a frog, then the swallowing process will take a minimum of time, and if it is a small rodent, then it requires an additional portion of saliva to process the victim’s body; in this state, it easily slides into the snake’s mouth and pharynx.

Reproduction

The mating season for snakes begins immediately after hibernation, around the end of April. Males at this moment behave completely differently, nod their heads, and rub their lower jaw against the female’s back.

In June, the female lays all more than 30 eggs at once in a place specially prepared for this. The older the individual, the greater the number of eggs laid. Places for laying can be completely different, it all depends on the climate in which this reptile arrives.

In cold climates these places may be:

• piles of manure;
• hay;
• compost and leaves.

In places with temperate climate females can bury their clutches in the ground. Another place for laying eggs can be a hollow tree; a caring mother carefully prepares and expands the space for her additional needs.

We note the fact that this species is characterized by group clutches, this is due to the fact that in harsh habitats the eggs can simply freeze, therefore females combine it into a common clutch so that the temperature is within normal limits.

Incubation period in normal climatic conditions can reach up to 42 days, in cold weather up to 72 days. The hatched animals can immediately lead an independent lifestyle. Puberty begins at the age of five.

Lifespan

IN wildlife an ordinary one can live more than nine years.

The animal world is diverse and ready to constantly surprise us. Few people wonder whether there are viviparous snakes, because we are all accustomed to thinking that snakes lay eggs. But, as it turns out, nature springs a surprise here too - some species give birth to live babies. According to National Geographic, only 70% of species lay eggs. The remaining 30% are viviparous or ovoviviparous. In this article we will talk about the types of snakes that give birth to live babies.

Main types

Those who know a little about snakes doubt whether there are viviparous species. After all, it is generally accepted that these reptiles lay eggs. In fact, live birth is a consequence of the retention of eggs in the mother's oviducts.

In other words, eggs do not develop outside, in the ground or in moss, but in the body of a reptile. Moreover, a dense network of blood vessels is formed in the female’s oviducts, which helps oxygen enter the egg, which allows the fetus to breathe. Both poisonous species and completely harmless ones can be viviparous.

And here are some snakes that do not lay eggs:

• copperhead It is considered conditionally poisonous, since the poison affects only small, no more than 70 cm, vertebrates. Lives in almost all regions. A rather shy animal that avoids humans. The main food of the copperhead is lizards, small reptiles, and insects. It does not pose a threat to humans;
  
• Gaboon viper(Bitis gabonica). A poisonous species that lives in the African plains. It is considered the largest and thickest species of viper. The average body length is 2 m, body girth is 0.5 m. Like other vipers, the Gabon viper has a triangle-shaped head, and small horns are visible between the nostrils. The character is quite calm, it rarely attacks people. Reproduces every 2–3 years. One litter produces 24–60 baby snakes;
  
• garter snakes, or garden snakes. These are small animals measuring 50–80 cm. They lead a mainly diurnal lifestyle. The head is practically no different from the body. Garter snakes are found in North and Central America. They feed on frogs, larvae of tailless amphibians, toads, newts, salamanders, small rodents, lizards, snails, spiders, worms and insects. May be kept in captivity;
  
• common viper (as well as steppe, black). This poisonous predator can be found everywhere: in the garden, in the meadow, on the banks of reservoirs.

  Important! The viper is often confused with an ordinary snake.

  The body length of the viper reaches 60–80 cm, and skin tones vary from brown-brown to green, pink and yellow. A distinctive feature is a zigzag stripe on the back. The head is flat, rounded, decorated with an X-shaped pattern.
  

The above names viviparous snakes- an incomplete list, but only the most popular representatives of viviparous species. These also include marine species, which simply have no place to lay eggs and take care of them in the future.

Viviparous reproduction of snakes

Snakes are loners, but they mating season fascinates with its grace, so the process of mating, bearing and giving birth to babies deserves special attention.

Mating process

Sexual maturity of most snakes occurs at two years and depends on the length of the reptile. As soon as the season approaches (and for snakes it begins almost after waking up from hibernation), males begin to actively look for a partner.

Did you know? Courtship is not an unnecessary procedure. It allows you to recognize a partner of your own species. Some snakes' movements may resemble dancing, while others simply caress the female's back with their chin.

At the same time, they use a specific analyzer, “probing” the air with their tongue and thus obtaining microparticles of the substance left by the female. These components will tell whether the male has a chance of copulation.


At the end of courtship, the partners intertwine their tails, and the males insert the hemipenis into the female's cloaca. The copulatory organ in males is double and consists of hemipenises that protrude from the cloaca.

Since several males can hover around the female during copulation, the reptiles form balls. But only one male can fertilize a female, who, in addition to sperm, secretes a special substance that prevents fertilization by other males.

The female is capable of storing live sperm. This feature allows broods to be produced several times after a single copulation.

Bearing offspring

The embryos of viviparous snakes feed in the mother's body. Moreover, their main food is the yolk, which is formed in the oviducts. The fetus receives additional nutrition and oxygen thanks to the metabolic processes of the female’s body.
The embryo develops depending on temperature conditions. At an air temperature of +26...+32 °C and humidity up to 90%, females bear babies for 35–39 days.

Important! If the weather is cold, then pregnancy can drag on for 3 or more months.

By the way, viviparity is a positive thing, but for marine species it is a necessity. Indeed, in this case, the babies are always near the mother, and she can not become attached to one place and hunt anywhere and at any time.

Birth

The babies appear already fully viable, in a transparent leathery shell. After release, the shell immediately ruptures. Females are indifferent to the babies born and do not take part in their lives. However, baby snakes do not need maternal care; they can hunt from birth.


Breeding frequency

The frequency of intercourse depends on the species and habitat of the reptile. Some can breed once every few years, while some can breed 1–2 times a year. Basically, snakes reproduce annually.

Did you know? Snakes do not drink milk - their bodies simply cannot digest lactose.

As you can see, the world of snakes is amazing and exciting. And the very process of the birth of little snakes deserves special attention. Having learned more about them, many become fascinated with these reptiles for life.

Most snakes reproduce sexually. The exception is hermaphrodite snakes, which can clone themselves and do not need the participation of a partner. In that small review Let's talk about how they reproduce different kinds snake.

Physiology of male and female

It is almost impossible to distinguish a male from a female by external signs. The only one external sign- this is that the females of most species are smaller than the males and are not so brightly colored. But for example, the female anaconda is larger than the male, so size is not an accurate sign for determining sex.

The sexual characteristics of snakes are hidden inside the body. The male's paired fertilization organs, the hemipenises, are hidden in special pockets in the abdominal cavity, closer to the tail. In the presence of a female who is ready to mate, the hemipenes enlarge and become ready for mating.

It is noteworthy that only one of them is used during mating. But if there is another lady nearby, then there will definitely be an opportunity to use the second one.

Important!During the breeding season, snakes are most aggressive, and the female’s attraction of many males from throughout the surrounding area makes a chance encounter with reptiles even more dangerous.

The female's paired genital organs - the hemiclitors - are not visually visible and are located inside the body. The readiness of a female to mate is indicated by the pheromones she secretes. The male is able to sense them from a distance of several kilometers.

Conception

Mating of reptiles occurs in the spring, after the reptiles have crawled out of their winter shelter, warmed up in the sun and had a great lunch. The ladies emerge from the shelter later than the gentlemen, signaling their arrival with a specific smell.

Males attracted by pheromones try to drive other suitors away from the female and fertilize her. Male fighting looks like twisting opponents around each other, pushing the opponent out and trying to raise their head higher than the opponent is.

Video: mating common vipers Scientists cannot say exactly how the winner is determined, but as a result of the fight, one of the rivals crawls away, and the second begins a mating dance around the partner. The male crawls next to the female, pressing his body against her. His task is to force the lady to raise her tail with the cloaca in order to make contact.

During the mating process, he lowers one of the hemipenises into her cloaca and turns out its contents (semen) there. This completes the mating process. A special plug remains in the female’s body, which clogs the cloaca and makes it inaccessible for another mating this season. If the female finds the conditions for bearing offspring unsuitable, she can save the seed and fertilize the embryos later.

Parthenogenesis - unique phenomenon among reptiles. If only because it is quite difficult to prove its fact. Thus, it was previously believed that snakes in captivity could clone themselves. But then the fact was established that a female can retain sperm for several years (according to unconfirmed data - up to 10 years). Therefore, it is impossible to say exactly which species can reproduce in this way.
The appearance of offspring by parthenogenesis in the female is documented. tiger python at the Amsterdam Zoo. The female was born in a zoo and has never had contact with a male. The offspring she produces are genetically identical to the mother herself. Parthenogenesis is also characteristic of Warty and Blind snakes.

Did you know?The female's cloaca has a special compartment for storing sperm. This is what allows her to regulate the process of egg fertilization and dump sperm that, from her point of view, is of lower quality.

After mating, the male’s functions end, and the female begins bearing offspring or forming a clutch. In the process of evolution, snakes have developed three methods of reproduction:

• live birth;
• eggs;
• cloning.

Viviparous method

Viviparous are boas, . After fertilization, the female carries the embryos for several months (1–2 months, very rarely - 3). At this time, the cubs receive nutrition through metabolic processes with the mother’s body, as well as substances from the yolk sac. Such babies are immediately born ready to get their own food and defend themselves from enemies.

Ovoviviparity

Ovoviviparous snakes give birth to live young, but they are formed in eggs inside the mother's body. The cub feeds on the yolk of the egg. Among terrestrial reptiles they reproduce in this way tiger snakes, copperheads, boa constrictors. Marine species of snakes reproduce in the same way. The baby is born and hatches from the egg at the same time. This same unique method is shared with snakes by some species of marine fish.

Did you know?Snake sex is the longest lasting. It can last up to 10 days without a break.

70% of snakes are oviparous. These are taipans, cobras, mambas, grass snakes and other species. An important stage in raising offspring is the formation of a clutch. IN warm countries in tropical or subtropical climates, the female buries her eggs in a hole in the sand. Heating the sand by the sun guarantees the warming of the masonry. This is what the taipans do, for example. This is where the mother’s participation in raising her offspring ends. The clutches of tropical snakes can take a very long time to heat up and mature - up to 9 months.
In countries with insufficient soil heat, the female lays the eggs in a hole in the grass and warms them with her body. The snake's muscles contract regularly, producing the heat needed by the clutch. Heat is also generated due to the rotting of organic matter (leaves and grass).

Important!Oviparous species, including vipers, choose compost heaps for laying, that is, places that already have rotting grass, to provide the cubs with the necessary level of warmth. You need to be very careful when interacting with such piles and any accumulations of grass in areas where snakes live.

Snakes of temperate latitudes are always close to their clutches, even at the time of hunting. Therefore, we can say that care for offspring appears only in those species that help warm the clutch. Reptiles are very sensitive to temperature changes. When the heat in the clutch decreases, the mother additionally warms it by contracting her muscles.
The female regularly carefully examines the clutch and is ready to help the cub emerge from the egg. Although in most cases the baby snake chooses itself, using a special egg tooth, with which it breaks the shell. The hatched baby can remain in the egg for some time, quieting down at the slightest suspicious noise. But as soon as it emerges from the egg, it is considered independent, and the mother’s care for it ceases.

Did you know?Despite the fact that most species lay quite a lot of eggs or give birth to more than 50 young, only a fraction of them reach maturity (about 10%). Most of the young animals die for a variety of reasons.

Females of viviparous species consider their mission accomplished as soon as the baby is born. Representatives poisonous species are equipped with a fully functional venom and can kill prey right after birth. As the baby grows, the size of its prey will increase.

Sexual maturity of snakes occurs at 2–3 years. For pythons, this period increases and they will become adults by 4–5 years. Reproduction of most species living in areas with changing seasons occurs once a year, in the spring, after hibernation.
In a tropical region, where the air temperature is constant throughout the year, mating can occur year-round. The basis for starting it is the availability of a sufficient food supply.

The methods of reproduction of snakes, as well as the timing, are more diverse than the methods of reproduction of mammals. All of them appeared in the process of evolution and have been preserved in all their natural diversity to this day.

Its length is up to 1.5 meters, with females longer than males. The skin is gray, dark gray and even black. The pattern in the form of spots is not pronounced, it is slightly darker than the main color. The belly is yellow-white. The main difference from other snakes is the presence of a pair of yellow or orange spots in the ear area. The common grass snake lives in North Africa, Asia and Europe. It can be found in the forest, near bodies of water (rivers, lakes, ponds), and is a frequent visitor to vegetable gardens.

This is a fast and agile snake with a movement speed of 5 km/h. In cool weather, he basks in the sun and especially likes to lie on pebbles. In hot weather or rain, it hides under snags, stones, in the roots of trees, or simply buries itself in the foliage. It hunts in the morning and in the evening, swallowing the caught prey whole. Its main food is frogs, rodents, and loves to eat fish. Once full, he can go without food for a long time (2 weeks). He is not afraid of water, swims well and can swim across a river or lake if necessary.

And it easily spends up to 30 minutes under water, catching tadpoles and fish. When meeting an enemy, and there are quite a few of them, he prefers to crawl away. If the pursuer does not lag behind, then he has to defend himself: he hisses threateningly and lunges. Sometimes defense helps, and sometimes it doesn’t, especially if the threat is from the sky. Predatory animals (kites) often attack snakes. Many mammals (,) also hunt it.

Our hero is also a cunning pretender, he has learned to “pretend” to be dead: a limp body, his tongue sticking out of his open mouth and blood dripping from it, no reaction. Many, seeing such a sight, retreat, and after a while, making sure that the danger has passed, he quickly crawls away. They go into hibernation in October - November, crawling into deeper holes or into stones.

With the arrival of spring, they come to the surface of the earth. This usually happens in the month of April. And just a few days after waking up, the mating season begins. For one female there are up to 20 contenders, from which a large snake ball is formed for several hours of struggle for the bride. 3 months will pass and the female will begin to look for a warm and humid place to lay eggs (20 - 40 pieces). It could be a pile of leaves, a rotten stump, or moss.

It happens that another female crawls to the laid eggs based on the smell and also lays her eggs in the nest. The eggs are covered with a leathery white shell and are oval in shape. After a month, small cubs appear, body length 14 - 20 cm, ready to lead an independent life.

In the wild ordinary lives up to 20 years.

• Class - Reptiles
• Squad - Scaly
• Suborder - Snakes
• Family - Colubridae
• Rod - Snakes
• Species - Common grass snake

Related species: Angler snake, Water snake, Tiger snake, Japanese snake.

All four seasons have their pros and cons. Summer brings hot rays of the sun, a rich harvest of berries, fruits, vegetables and herbs, and the opportunity to breathe in oxygen during sea and forest walks. But it is summer voyages into nature that are fraught with danger - you can be bitten by a poisonous insect or even a snake. After all, snakes live almost everywhere on Earth, so it is important for summer residents and owners of country houses to know how to distinguish a snake from a viper.

These types of snakes are the most common in Russia (with the exception of some northern regions), CIS countries and Europe (except for Great Britain and Ireland). And if it is practically safe for human life and health, then a viper bite will not bring anything good. As representatives of the same class - reptiles - these two reptiles have many similarities, but there are also differences - in appearance, habits, and feeding habits. So how can you distinguish a snake from a viper for sure, so as not to suffer from a poisonous bite yourself and not to endanger your loved ones?

Habitat

The habitat is the same for both snakes, it is:

• deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests,
• thickets of bushes,
• swamps,
• surroundings of ponds and wet meadows,
• mountains and wooded hills.

That is, areas where it is easy to hide and hide in order to breed and hunt. They are also similar in that they are found not only far from populated areas, but also close to human habitation. For example, in country gardens. In search of warmth, they can climb into a village house or outbuilding. Both snakes can move equally well both in water and on land, and climb trees very well.

The difference between a grass snake and a viper in terms of the degree of danger to humans

They are not dangerous to humans, whereas vipers are poisonous. A person can suffer quite severely from a viper bite. But viper venom is used in pharmaceuticals - in ointments, drops and balms; in certain doses it is medicinal.

Viper and snake - similarities and differences in appearance and physical capabilities

What a grass snake and a viper look like, and how they are similar, and what obvious differences immediately catch the eye - is presented in the photographs. Knowing about them, even an amateur can easily distinguish snakes from each other and will not allow contact with a poisonous reptile.

The snake is a nimble snake with rapid movements and swims well. Body length adult– 1-2 m, more than a fifth of the length – this is the snake’s tail, which with its amplitude allows the snake to move faster. The body of this reptile is thin and graceful, the head is oval in shape. There are yellow or bright orange spots on both sides of the head in the area of ​​the auditory ossicles attached to the jaw. The snake's eyes - round shape, which is typical specifically for non-venomous reptiles. In addition, the color of the iris is the same as the main color of the snake.

The snake's belly is light gray, sometimes with dark stripes running along the body. The color of the back depends on the subspecies of the reptile; it can be gray, brown, dark green, but always with a “checkerboard” pattern, which can be practically invisible, or can be pronounced.

What fundamentally distinguishes a viper from a snake is its lower mobility, although it also swims quite quickly in water. The length of the snake is up to 80 cm, the body is dense, the length of the tail is approximately an eighth of the body length. The head is pointed - almost triangular in shape, on the muzzle there are crossed dark stripes running from the eyes to the corners of the mouth. The eyes look like slits, with vertical “cat-like” pupils. The two front poisonous teeth are clearly visible.

The color of both the back and belly of vipers is the same - the snake is completely gray, brown, green or black. And the skin pattern covering the entire body is characteristic - zigzag. But there are also species with a single color without a pattern - just dark gray or black.

About water snakes

The most difficult thing is to distinguish a water snake from a viper. These snakes are mistakenly considered a hybrid of a grass snake and a viper. In fact, water snakes, common in the Russian south, are not at all dangerous to humans, they are not poisonous. They love to swim in both salty sea and fresh river water.

The color of water snakes is olive, olive-grayish, brown or swamp green. A snake of this species can be distinguished by oval (not triangular, like a viper) spots on the back, located in a checkerboard pattern (in vipers the pattern is always zigzag). The skin on the abdomen of a water snake is reddish or yellowish with black speckles.

But it is really incredibly difficult for the average person (ordinary southern tourist) to distinguish completely black specimens of snakes from vipers.

Viper and snake - differences in the method of obtaining food and diet

In principle, the viper also feeds on the same thing:

• frogs,
• lizards,
• small birds,
• bird eggs.

But they hunt and eat differently.

The snake attacks its prey suddenly, as it is characterized by jumping ability and swiftness. It swallows its prey completely and slowly - it takes up to several hours to pull a caught animal into the esophagus. Snakes may not eat at all for more than 2 weeks, which does not affect their physical activity and dexterity. The fact is that these reptiles quickly gain weight - they have a sufficient supply of subcutaneous fat, which makes it easy to endure even long winter hibernation.

The viper watches its prey for a long time and patiently. Then it attacks, stings, waits for the moment when the victim weakens from the poisonous bite and only then begins to eat. The viper itself, its own poison, which entered its body with the blood of the victim, does not cause any harm, since the gastric juice of this snake has the ability to neutralize it.

Despite the poisonous nature of vipers, they are eaten by other animals in the wild. They are food for foxes, hedgehogs, martens and badgers. Among the birds that hunt vipers are the heron, the stork, and the kite - these birds eat both the snakes themselves and their eggs.

Reproduction method and offspring

In this they are similar to the viper, although the latter is an ovoviviparous reptile. The mating period for both reptiles begins in the spring, when they emerge from hibernation. Both eggs are laid during June, first making secure nests in secluded places. A female snake hatches 8-28 babies, a female viper hatches 8-20 babies.

The benefits and harms of snakes and vipers for humans

Snakes exterminate field and garden rodents. When kept in captivity, they are unpretentious in care and undemanding in food. Sensing danger, they do not attack the person, but try to hide. If it is not possible to disappear from the person’s field of vision, they take a defensive pose, hiss and make short lunges towards the threatening object. If the danger has not disappeared, a strong-smelling enzyme is released to scare off the enemy.

The viper is dangerous poisonous bites, but when frightened, she will not rush at a person first if she had no intention of attacking. When threatened, this snake curls up into a ball, extends its neck and hisses, opening its mouth wide and rotating its jaw so that its fangs become visible. Almost always, a viper bite takes the life of a small animal. For humans, in most cases, a bite does not end in death. Medicines are made from viper venom and used in folk medicine.

Bottom line

So, the main differences are in quality brief reminder for tourists:

• A non-venomous snake's eyes are always round;
• the snake has a checkerboard pattern of oval spots on its skin, the viper has triangular spots, arranged in a zigzag;
• The head of the snake in the area of ​​the ears is decorated with bright spots, the viper has two poisonous teeth.

But the size and color of snakes can be confused with each other. The most important thing, if it is not clear who exactly is in front of you - a snake or a viper, remains calm, making it clear to the reptile that you are in a peaceful mood and will not cause harm. Then the snake will calmly crawl away. We hope now you will be able to distinguish a snake from a viper when you meet it, good luck!

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