REPTILIAN TUESDAY # 42

REPTILIAN TUESDAY #42

We’re going to the pine forests near our backyard to meet a useful snake! Get your walking stick out and put your hiking boots on! Let’s do this!

MEET THE COMMON KINGSNAKE!

   Range/Habitat: Western-Eastern Southern US/ forests, scrub, suburbs

   Diet: Carnivore: snakes, birds, rodents

   Length: 3 ¼-6 ½ ft

   Conservation Status: common

Fun Facts:

• Common Kingsnakes are powerful constrictors.
• They are excellent swimmers!
• Common kingsnakes vary in color and pattern depending on where they live.
• They can live up to 25 years.
• Common kingsnakes give off a smelly, musky odor when threatened.
• Common kingsnakes eat venomous snakes. They are immune to the venom!

Snakes shouldn’t be feared. They are an important part of the ecosystem! Kingsnakes even eat venomous snakes, so if you see one, just wave from a distance and let him go on about his merry way!