Life of snakes

It's a nice warm day and you decide to go to the lake. You find a nice quiet area away from the crowd and settle down to bask in the sun. However, you soon discover you are not the only one enjoying the warmth of the rays. Laying stretched out on a limb hanging over the water is a large dark snake. You scream, he slithers and the quiet of the day is spoiled for the both of you. Upon hearing the scream, people come running and you explain how a huge water moccasin invaded YOUR territory. But are you sure it was a water moccasin? Maybe not.

All too often non-venomous water snakes are mistaken for the venomous water moccasin or otherwise known as the "Cottonmouth" so named because of its milky white lined mouth. The water moccasin and the water snake have many similarities that allow for these misidentifications. For instance, both species live around creeks, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams or swamps. Wherever there is a water source you are likely to find one of these guys. Another common characteristic of the water snake and water moccasin is their size. Either may grow up to five feet in length. They both have keeled scales, broad, triangular heads and stout bodies. Both species may become aggressive if they feel threatened or if it is mating season.

With all the similarities between the two species, how would one tell them apart? Glad you asked. There are a few differences. As mentioned earlier, the water moccasin has a white lined mouth which it displays wide opened when it feels threatened. Also the pupils of the water moccasin are vertical, meaning that it has what appears to be a slit in the middle, giving it a very sinister look. The water snake on the other hand has rounded pupils . So, if you happen to come upon one of these fascinating creatures and have the audacity to try to identify it, you can either ask him to open wide or simply look him in the eyes. I just suggest you leave well enough alone!

Snake proof boots, also often commonly referred to as just snake boots, are a great bit of outdoor clothing protection against venomous snake bites. But snake boots are also a little bit controversial, since there is some argument over whether or not they are necessary.

Some people say that normal hiking boots or regular cowboy boots can stop snake bites, but they're not specifically designed for this and the difference between coming out of a snake bite completely unharmed or taking some major venom from a big rattlesnake is an awfully big difference to risk on a "maybe."

Can normal cowboy boots stop a rattlesnake bite? Maybe. The answer you get depends on who you ask, and at least searching around online will give you answers on both sides of the field, so it's hard to figure out who's telling the truth, who isn't, or if this is just one of those questions that has a lot of gray and no clear cut answer.

Snake proof boots, on the other hand, stop snake bites from pit vipers and any other type of venomous snake you might run into. Period, end of statement. These boots will stop a snake bite, while there is still a major debate over whether or not cowboy boots, or normal hiking boots, actually do the same or not.

If you are going to be in an area that is known for having a lot of venomous snakes, especially if you are "out in the boondocks" where quick medical attention might be impossible, why in the world would you trust your safety to normal hiking boots instead of snake proof hiking boots? Why wear normal rubber boots in the swamp, when you can be wearing snake proof rubber swamp boots?

The question on whether or not snake boots are really necessary might continue to rage on, but as to the question of whether or not snake boots are a scam, the answer is simple: no. This type of footwear is designed to prevent the wearer from being injected with snake venom, and that's exactly what these specialty boots do.

Snake boots come in many forms, so whether it is for hunting wild turkey in a southern swamp, or going on a long adventure hike on the Appalachian Trail, there is a pair of snake proof boots that should be perfect for whatever you need them for. Why take a chance? Find a great pair of snake boots, and walk in secure confidence!

In the United States, each year an average of 8,000 people receive snake bites from venomous snakes. Some of these people are bitten from the result of not being able to identify the snake, while some others are bitten for the result of identifying the snake incorrectly and getting close to it thinking that it is safe to do so. Even the 'harmless', non-venomous snakes can cause a severe infection or an allergic reaction in many people.

If ever bitten by a venomous snake, most doctors give you antivenin, an antidote to cure snake bites, to treat a serious snake bite. Each antivenin is created in a horse's blood serum when the horse is injected with snake venom. So they won't just give you any snake venom, for if it is not from the right kind of snake it can be like giving you poison. They will give you the venom for the kind of snake that bit you. So what if you don't know what kind of snake bit you? Well they normally have ways of finding that out, by the description of the snake or from the symptoms you have of the venom, but not all the time. For this reason it would be very useful to know your snakes.

For those who live on or near woody lands, swamps, or any source of water, it would be very good to know your snakes backwards and forward. Even the people who hunt, fish, hike, camp, and do other outdoor things. Knowing your snakes is really important. If you are any of these people above then take the time to learn all the snakes in your area or at least learn the basic features to tell the venomous and the non-venomous apart. For the one's that don't won't to take the time at all, when you see a snake, do like some people would do and just run as fast as you can. This may save you from being bitten.

All you you really have to know about snakes to identify them is listed below:

1. body length - this is can be very useful if the snake is fully grown

2. body shape- this is a very effective way of identifying most snakes especially water snakes and water moccasins

3. head & neck shape - this is can be used to identify any snake and some times tell the venomous apart from the non-venomous

4. color & pattern - very effective to identify a snake with, it can be hard if the snake is shedding its skin or if the snake is a small snake

5. scale texture - if you can see the scales this can be useful, but you may have to get closer to the see to see it. I don't recommend this way

6. eye pupil shape- this is probably the best way to tell the venomous and non-venomous snakes apart. If you can't do this without getting close then forget this method

Now to summarize all I have written in a few words, KNOW YOUR SNAKES.

After spending many vacations in Cancun, Mexico, I decided to take the plunge and move there to study the beautiful nature I'd admired in my previous trips. Having lived many years in the comfort and safety of American suburbia, it was time for some adventure. After learning Spanish, I went to the Yucatan and rented a home in suburban Playa del Carmen and hired myself a maid. Then, with help from hired guides and friends, I visited a variety of remote places in the Mexican jungles. It was an unforgettable experience to see a variety of animals in their natural habitats.

The ever-growing city of Playa del Carmen is an hour south of Cancun, and easily accessed by public buses. Both cities are on the Caribbean Sea, where coral reefs abound up and down the coastline. The beauty of pure white, limestone sand, and richly colored, turquoise water of the ocean drew me down there. Being a nature artist, I was fascinated by the plants and animals of the region. Armed with my cameras, drawing paper and pens, I got to work drawing and photographing bugs, birds, plants and anything else exotic. Soon, my artwork landed me a job as main illustrator for a large nature park called XCaret.

Whenever I had a drawing to deliver to my employer, I would board the employee bus for XCaret, and then walk down a long, back jungle path next to the park to the office. These walks fascinated me, due to the path was directly next to fenced enclosures for their zoo and aviary. Flamingoes, spider monkeys and a harpy eagle were animals I could see the best from the path. One time I made the mistake of giving one of the monkeys a cookie, only to see the other monkeys chase after him to steal it, trying to beat him up! I quickly got out a couple more cookies and gave the rest to them, to avoid the original monkey from getting hurt. They all sat there munching peacefully as I snuck off, hoping nobody saw.

In Mexico, you will see iguanas in nature frequently. As I walked down the nature path on my way to work, there was rustling in the big tree near me. I looked up only to see a large, 6 foot green iguana male with bright orange fringe on his back, in the canopy of the tree. He looked down at me. I remember people telling me that iguanas are good eating, taste like chicken, and that they are called "chicken of the tree". I never found out if that was true or not, but then, I wasn't about to go eating iguanas. Nope, I'm not that adventurous in my dining choices. Black iguanas can be seen usually sitting one per rock pile. Everywhere there were rocks, were male iguanas sunning themselves. Interesting creatures. In Chankanaab Park (on the island of Cozumel) there is a huge iguana that walks around public areas, oblivious to the humans that walk past it. It will bite if petted, the park employee told me. So, I took photos of it and kept my distance.

Another lizard that was interesting and plentiful, was Basiliscus basiliscus, the basilisk. There are a few varieties of basilisk to be found in Mexico. It can run on water if it gets scared enough, and I witnessed it after scaring one unintentionally. Later, I found a smaller one and drew it for my job, they have intense eyes, looking very serious. When I was finished drawing him, he ran upright into the jungle, glad to be free of the big, scary human with whom he'd spent a few hours with.

The jungles of Mexico are fascinating, but I would never recommend walking off your path into one. First off, the foliage is very dense. Second, there are critters in there that can hurt you if provoked, namely scorpions, snakes and spiders. Look, but don't touch. I have seen all of these, and have paid people to remove them from my home. Scorpions will come after you if they are agitated. Back away quickly, wherever they cannot follow. The lighter colored ones, I was told, are more dangerous than the black ones. There are tarantulas in Mexico, and they are big but not aggressive, thank goodness. I had a red-kneed tarantula taken away from the front of my door once. My maid used to throw out other spiders she found inside, and laugh when I would be freaked out by them. "This? It's harmless!" she'd tell me. Yuck. I took her word for it.

As for snakes, there are a few that are reason enough not to go walking alone in the jungle. First, there are huge boa constrictors. My ex-husband was called by the ladies next door, to remove a 6-foot boa out of their rental flat. They said it just slithered into the open back door. Lesson learned, never leave an open door to your house if you live close to the jungle. Then, there is a crimson colored snake the locals called Coralio. I don't know its scientific name, but it was beautiful but deadly. A man who lived near me had a whole apartment full of snakes, and he showed them to me up close. Snakes are interesting but it pays to watch where you step, since my ex and I nearly stepped on one during an evening walk. There are other snakes to watch out for, but these are the kinds that we saw. All snakes will mind their own business if unprovoked, it seems, trouble seems to be when humans aren't paying attention and step on one by mistake. So, it pays to watch where you walk.

Then there were the amazing birds. A gorgeous variety of colors, shapes and sizes, birds in Mexico are exotic and fascinating. My favorites were the toco toucan, motmot, currasows, Yucatan jay, cinnamon-colored cuckoo, and pileated woodpecker and violaceous trogon (a relative of the resplendent quetzal). They had a knack for showing themselves whenever I didn't have my camera with me. I did draw and take notes of what I saw, then look them up later. There was a bird that was so colorful that locals called it, "siete colores" (seven colors). After looking it up, I identified it as a painted bunting. Another bird locals call "pecho amarillo"(yellow breast), otherwise known as the great kiskadee, used to sit outside my window and yell, "Eeee, Eeee!" at the top of his lungs. We used to call back at him, and he'd answer. Very funny bird.

In Playa del Carmen, there is an outdoor aviary, built into the jungle, in the Playacar section. I went in there and walked around, to see the different birds that usually are hidden by jungle. One bird took a fancy to me, a barred currasow who followed me everywhere. She was my feathered tour guide, and posed for photos freely. I finally got to see a chachalaca up close, a relative to a turkey, that is shy, loud (its call sounds like a rusty meat grinder), and travels in groups. Also, there were red ibis, more flamingos, egrets, and much more. The aviary is a must see if you visit Playacar.

Another interesting natural sector in the Yucatan were all the bugs. Insects of every kind, in great quantities. I could've done without all the mosquitoes, though, thank goodness for bug repellent. My favorites were the butterflies. Sometimes when driving down remote roads, we came across undulating masses of various butterfiles colored yellow, white or black. Monarch butterflies also migrate in large groups down to Mexico, I saw them once, too. The most beautiful butterfly I came across in the wild, in my opinion, was the morpho butterfly. It has large irridescent blue wings, wasn't as common as other butterflies, and preferred the privacy of non-populated areas like fields and jungles. There was another butterfly that was big, brown and with its wings closed, was the size of a large dinner plate. It was called an owl butterfly, and flew slowly. I got really close to him and he seemed unafraid. He had patterns on his wings that were like numbers. Fascinating.

Beetles. Ahh, beetles..not very graceful, and apparently not all that bright, but endearing with their less than graceful antics. There were golden scarab beetles that used to fly into my window as I was working, frequently. They usually landed on their backs with their feet flailing helplessly in the air. Eventually the situation would rely on me turning them right-side up, some would then fly off, others would somehow end up on their backs again. It was odd, but I took the opportunity to draw these metallically colored insects, who looked as if they were gilded in brushed gold.

Grasshoppers and katydids are in large quantity in the jungles of the Yucatan. There are so many varieties of grasshoppers, I lost count. As for katydids. their bodies are gigantic, the size of a sparrow. I caught one, to draw him, then when I let him go off my balcony, he flew away in a straight path. His big, green body was visible for a very long time as he flapped off into the sunset, it was surreal.

Sea creatures and fish are plentiful in the Caribbean Sea. Though the reefs are endangered and show signs of damage, they are still beautiful. Every day, I'd snorkel in the low-traffic area near my home. It was serene to get to the beach early in the morning, pick up a few shells that washed up on shore, then make my spot on the beach. I'd snorkel until my body got cold, every day. There weren't many large predators in the areas I swam in, due to the breakwalls that run up and down the coast, separating the shores from the deeper, ocean water. Once in awhile, a barracuda would find its way into the reef area, my, what big teeth they have. Out there, you can see dolphins playing in the waves made by large yachts or ferries. Bottle-nosed dolphins are very social creatures and seem unafraid of humans. Some of the most memorable smaller fish and creatures I saw were brittle starfish (they live under rocks and will climb off your hand quickly if you try to hold one), octopus, conch, sea turtles, moray eels, blue tangs and of course, those feisty damselfish. Though I haven't gotten my scuba license, I went on a few professional scuba tours where the water was so shallow, snorkeling was possible. Tours are great for finding gorgeous coral gardens that aren't visible to everyone else. The prettiest ones I saw were near the town of Puerto Morelos.

Other places I liked to explore were the Cenotes Azul, and Dos Ojos. Cenotes are brackish water natural bodies of water that the Mayan indians used to build their villages around. Now, they sit in the jungle and tourists enter them to go cave diving. Underneath the Yucatan is an elaborate network of caves that attract cave-divers from all over the world. Not me, I preferred just swimming in the crystal clear water in the mouth of the cenotes, and observing the fish I saw. One of the cenotes had fish that I'd seen in pet stores back in the US, swimming there naturally. Jack Dempsey fish and green sailfin mollies, along with a kind of livebearer fish I didn't recognise. They were very colorful, and the Dempseys, being combative cichlids who like to pick on one another, had tattered fins. But, all the fish were very healthy. What a wonder it is to swim among them in their natural habitat. The nature around cenotes is interesting, too. I saw a basilisk run across the water, when I swam too close to him, and a duck that would dive for fish and stay underwater for a long time. Nature abounds in and around cenotes.

The nature of Mexico is plentiful and beautiful in all its forms. The tropical, hot climate brings out flora and fauna unlike anything I've ever seen in my home state of Ohio, or even in my current state of Florida. Living among the lush jungles, hearing jungle frogs sing at night and spending time with my wonderful Mexican co-workers, guides and friends changed my life. By being respectful of nature (look, don't touch) and watching where you walk, you will see clouds of butterflies, brilliantly colored birds, and animals like coatimundis, agoutis and others normally only seen in zoos. My employer promoted the preservation of Mexico's wildlife, and it was my honor doing artwork of all things natural for them. I miss walking the jungle path to their office weekly and seeing the zoo animals, as well as the wild ones in the trees. If you love nature, make sure to visit Mexico and go on tours to see the beauty of the wild, but with professionals who know where to take you. It will be an experience you will appreciate and remember forever.

Spitting cobras, emus, and a Gila monster were but a few of my living companions in the seventies. Ironically, I am so not an animal lover, it is more that I tolerate animals. If you had told me that one day I would live amongst exotic animals within the confines of my own home, I would have run the other way. For four years, I endured co-habitation with a strange husband and his strange home business. I met my ex-husband in Tennessee. We dated for a short time and during a moment of insanity, I agreed to leave my family and friends and run off to Florida with him. All of our belongings were packed in my Datsun pickup truck and off we went. Our destination was unknown. For one week our home was in a tent in the Okefenokee Swamp. Our neighbors were raccoons that ravaged through our meager food supply on a nightly basis. Mosquitoes as big as hummingbirds buzzed us relentlessly. Of course, there were alligators galore lurking in the water's edge. Once, we rented a sixteen foot flat bottom boat and trolled a few good miles through the murky waters of the Okefenokee Swamp. In some spots it was like going through a jungle with the occasional alligator eyes peering above the surface of the water at us. All seemed well and almost relaxing until we ran out of gas and were upstream from the base camp. The sun was setting and no other boats were in sight. All we could do was paddle. I with the oar in the rear paddling on one side, then the other. My ex was in the front sculling to steer. My job of paddling was the more strenuous of the two, but there was no way that I was putting my arm in the water as gator bait. Fortunately, after about one hour, a loan boater was puttering his way back to camp and seeing our dilemma threw us a line and towed us back to shore.

Without remorse on my part, we left the swamp in search of a more stable home environment. Next stop was a small town called Lake City, Florida and a job offer for my spouse as an alligator wrestler at a place appropriately called Alligator Town. It was a paycheck which afforded us our first roof over our head, a travel trailer in a nearby trailer park. The trailer was so small that if anyone came to visit, we all had to sit outside. The belongings we had packed in my truck stayed in the truck. The bathroom in the trailer was not much more than a spicket in a small closet. One week was all I could stand. After that, we moved on up the road to a bigger trailer...whoopee. At least this place had a toilet and a tub in the same room. The spare bedroom was used to house our ferret, named Freddie. The living room was rather spacious, therefore, my hubby set up a large aquarium for his python (or maybe it was a boa constrictor), I forget. Whatever big snake it was, it escaped during the night. Can you imagine having to tell your neighbors that if they find a rather large nine foot snake, please return it to us? It brought us notoriety. The local newspaper got wind of it and ran an article. Fortunately, the snake was found and returned to its aquarium with extra cinder blocks on the top to keep it inside. My neighbors didn't visit me.

To supplement our meager income, I got a job and we were able to locate a house in the country in which to move ourselves and our growing menagerie. The house was crummy, but beggars cannot be choosers. It was at the house that my husband decided to become an entrepreneur. He formed the Suwanee Zoological Society and the spare bedroom became home to caged rattlesnakes, pythons, cobras, copperheads, lizards, and anything else he could get his hands on. If I try really hard, I can conjure up memories in that house that nightmares are made of. One in particular was when I was sleeping and heard a noise out of the ordinary. I got out of bed and went into the hallway to the door of the spare bedroom housing all the critters. Like hundreds of other times, I opened the door and reached in and turned on the light switch. The first thing that caught my eye was the overturned cages on the bedroom floor. My next move made my heart stop and all the blood drained out of my head. I looked up from the floor and turned my head slightly and came face to face (within probably two inches) with a boa constrictor. Apparently, he had escaped from his cage and in so doing, knocked over anything it slithered over. Slowly backing away and closing the door shut, I went back to bed and slowly pulled the covers off my husband and then with a heavy handed slap in the middle of the back, woke him up. For the next few days, I was finding baby snakes all over the house, some were harmless, some were poisonous.

My best friend was not phased by our strange habitat and she visited frequently. On a whim, we decided to cook dinner for the gang. Bustling around the kitchen, we gathered our ingredients and cooking utensils to make the dinner. She was unable to locate a particular size pot in a bottom cabinet. I told her I would find it and reached into the cabinet and again experienced another heart-stopping moment when I realized my arm was hovering above the head of a coiled rattlesnake. Knowing well enough not to make a sudden move, I slowly backed out and when I knew I was out of range began yelling for my husband. Hearing the panic in my voice, he made haste to the kitchen and focused his attention to where I was pointing my finger. With a sigh of relief, he said, "So that's where it has been hiding."

The house we lived in was in need of much work. The kitchen was probably the worst room as it needed new linoleum, new wallpaper as what was in it was busy and hideous, and the ceiling had a hole in it leading to the attic. The hole was covered with a heavy piece of butcher paper. It was from this point that a six inch baby cobra dangled and it was I who noticed this anomaly. Again, summoning immediate help, my husband walked into the room and carefully pulled the little poisonous snake from the ceiling. Looking at me with the utmost sincerity said, "I was going to tell you about losing this snake."

Snake hunting expeditions took my husband and his buddies away for days at a time. For the most part, I was only at the house for a few hours each night because I was working two jobs. All I wanted was a shower and a few hours sleep before the next shift started. The times when I was at the house alone usually did not bother me, except for one. A recently acquired addition to the animal inventory was a Gila monster, which is a very dangerous reptile. I instructed to feed the animal...carefully. Honestly, I did try, but it lunged and scared me to death. The Gila monster did not get its supper that night and it apparently was upset with me. Although it was in a cage in a closed off bedroom, it was making a terrible racket by banging up against the cage and making threatening guttural noises. I couldn't afford to go to a motel and I had nowhere else to go, but I was determined not to stay in the same house with this creature; so I got my blanket and my pillow and slept in the car for the next two nights.

One day a package arrived at the house from a fellow reptile lover. Tokay geckos were supposed to be in the box, but we were not sure how many. The tape was carefully cut and the outside packing was peeled away. The lid was lifted off of the box and in a split second, hundreds of Tokay geckos escaped and ran at lighting speed in every direction. They are speedy little lizards. For the duration of our stay in that house, we were finding Tokay geckos everywhere. Our neighbors, who were not especially fond of our being there, reported geckos in their homes, too. It wasn't totally a bad thing because they loved to eat roaches and palmetto bugs (which were in abundance) and spiders, which I despise. It was unnerving, however, to be lying in bed and feeling the scurrying lizard run across the covers or be awakened out of a deep sleep with their croaking. The reason they are called Tokay geckos is because that is what they actually say, 'Toe-Kay', over and over again.

My most memorable moment of self-awareness in that I was living in a mad house was on one of those days my husband was out on a reptile hunting expedition. I was home alone and it was pouring down rain, a real gully washer. A pickup truck drove up and a man with a large plastic garbage can stood on my doorstep. I answered the door and he asked if this is where someone bought snakes. I said, "yes, but you will have to come back later." He said he couldn't, he had a big rattlesnake and if we did not want it, he would go elsewhere. Well, I had witnessed my husband toting a sack containing snakes hundreds of times. I didn't see the harm of giving the guy money and me putting the snake, still in the bag, in the "snake room" until my husband got home. Well, this particular snake was not in a bag. The man was wanting me to put the snake in a bag. When he took the top off the trash can, all I saw was a humongous body of the largest rattlesnake I had ever seen. "No way, man," I said. He was actually angry that I wouldn't take the snake off his hands and pay him money. He said a few choice words and left with his snake. When my husband returned, I recounted the event to him. His response was, "Are you crazy?...Do you know how much money that snake would bring?" Did I feel foolish because my priorities were not straight? No. This was the beginning of the end of our four year marriage.

Snakes have generally been associated with the jungle but they can really make good pets if handled properly. However, taking care of a pet snake is completely different with other pets such as dogs or cats. They demand that you keep them in good conditions and proper diet for them to make a good pet. You should be acquainted with all the specifics about taking care of a pet snake before you make the decision to have one in your homestead.

Make sure that you put your snake in a glass cage that is bigger enough for the ease of its maneuver. Other features to include in a glass cage are a good lighting system and good temperature control. There should also be a rock and a water bowl. Taking care of your snake will require providing meat food such as rats and mice. For most snakes, make sure the rodents are dead because some rodents might attack and even harm or kill your pet snake. Remember snakes fall under the category of carnivorous and will be advisable that you feed them meat at least twice a week.

Snakes shed skins after every three months and so you should ensure you take care of your pet snake by providing a frequent supply of water in the bowl for it to soak in. Ensure that you take your pet gets veterinary attention at least once a year for a checkup. Take care of your pet snake by ensuring that you clean its abode at least once per week.

Anaconda snakes are a misinterpreted and misunderstood a lot. The movie Anaconda starring Jennifer Lopez and Jon Voight etched an inerasable image of this creature in our mind. The very A word conjures up an image of a creature that is big, bad, ugly and savors humans and animals alike.

However, this image of the snake is as far from reality as is Hawaii from Himalayas.

Etymologically speaking, there are two probable sources of this dreaded name, and surprisingly both the two sources are from the far away continent of Asia. One of the possible origins of the name is the Sinhalese word of yenakandey or henakandey which when literally translated meant whip snake while the other probable origin is the Tamil word anaikondran which when translated meant elephant slayer. It is truly surprising to know that the name of a species found only in the tropical forests of South America is derived from a language that is spoken in the southern most tip of Asia.

The natural habitat of this beautiful and majestic snake is the tropical forests of Southern America and the swamps, riverbeds and water bodies are richly populated with this constrictor snake. As a matter of fact, the very word Amazon is almost synonymous to anacondas and piranhas for most of us.

However, in this age of television adventurism and couch potato wild life enthusiasts, you will find these creatures in almost every respectable zoos and snake gardens. However, the grandeur of a domesticated or bred one is significantly pale as compared to the gigantic, fierce and intoxicating beautiful natural anacondas found in the swamps of the great river Amazon

Anaconda snakes are one of the largest reptiles found in the wild. Currently, only Asiatic pythons in terms of length weight and body diameter and they together are the main members of the constrictor family of snakes.

As the name suggests, constrictor snakes use constriction, or the squeezing effect to strangulate its preys and then gobbles up the prey wholly. This probably makes anacondas one of the cleanest predators and leaves nothing to waste unlike the lion kings or the tiger cats.

Another very interesting fact about this species of snake is the physical superiority of females over males. While male anacondas are known to have grown to as much as twenty feet with an average length of sixteen feet, female counterparts are considerably bigger with a maximum length of thirty feet with a species average length of about twenty five feet. And in the wilds of Amazon, it is the bigger the better.

It is rightly said that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. While we the citizens of the concrete jungle squirm at the very mention of the name anaconda, the natural beauty of this snake increasingly amazes wild life enthusiasts, environmentalists and biologists. Unanimous the decision may be, the kings of the Amazon, the anaconda snakes.

How do you react when you see a snake or some other reptile?

Many people are super frightened and want to kill any snake that they may see near their home.

We're not born with any fears except the fear of falling and of loud noises. Other fears and phobias develop as a result of what others have shared with us as we've grown up.

That fear of reptiles develops from the conditioning from parents and others who have acquired the fear from their predecessors.

As a child I went to a day camp where one of the activities was going to the "snake pit" where we would sit around the edge and the handler would pick up snakes for us to handle. I loved the little ring-necked snakes-about 8 - 10 inches long. Fun to hold. At the snake pit, I learned some of the characteristics of poisonous snakes - the flattened head, a small depression between the eyes and sometimes a "rattle" for a tail.

My parents didn't instill a huge fear in me. I learned the value of snakes in controlling rodents. We lived on the edge of some woods though and seeing a snake in the shed where we kept gardening supplies was a little startling.

Another unforgettable experience was when our basset hound yelped from the other room when we were living in a very large older home. That large black snake definitely didn't belong in my kitchen. Quickly removed, safely from the house, with the help of a large shovel.

Recently I had the opportunity to attend an event at my grandsons' school where "The Reptile Man" showed quite a variety of reptiles to the enthralled audience of children.

His loving attitude toward his animals quickly spread to the children and they were all excited at any opportunity to go up with him to be part of handling the animals. He had a cute name for all of them-like Sheila the Gila monster. He was very clear about leaving snakes alone in the wild. They like to be left alone. And poisonous snakes are not to be reckoned with. He described in detail the effects of poisonous snake bites. He taught the difference between realistic caution and unfounded fears.

To see the throngs of children lining up to have their picture taken with either a small alligator or a huge snake was amazing! They knew these creatures were safe because of being raised in captivity. With careful education, they knew that they could be close to these animals. The generalization that all reptiles are scary was dropped by these kids for sure.

You may be wondering what this discussion has to do with your life.

What negative conditioning have you received that is affecting your mindset?

Are there things that you are not attempting because you have generalized your fears about trying something new or going to different places?

If you can just think rationally about opportunities rather than reacting quickly from your preconceived notions, you may very well find yourself getting beyond stuck and moving on to new experiences. Think back over the last few days or weeks.

Where have you made quick decisions without getting beyond the old beliefs that may or may not be reality?

Unfortunately, many snake keepers do not actually think about their snakes' psychological issues. It is well known within the hobby that a vast number of snake species are fairly 'lazy' creatures, perhaps only venturing out of their hide for food, water, or a mate. This is a true statement for many species, and this habit will most certainly be the same in the wild as well as in captivity. However, in the wild the snake may spend hours or perhaps days hunting for food, may travel some distance to find water and may spend weeks courting females and perhaps fighting males in the process. This article describes the many ways possible to keep your pet snake healthy and active, ensuring little chance of obesity or behavioural problems caused by boredom or inactivity.

The first and foremost point is to ensure that the basics are in place. That is; an adequate sized vivarium, appropriate temperature levels allowing for thermoregulation, adequate humidity levels if necessary, enough food and water and a hiding place where the snake may retreat to. Once these are all in place, it is possible to expand on each area, making life more interesting for your snake and therefore a more pleasurable viewing experience for yourself.

Many experts in the reptile industry will no doubt spend a considerable amount of time explaining to beginners and interested people that snakes do not actually need much space. It is widely accepted that snakes will live happily in a terrarium smaller than its own length, and I do not disagree completely with this statement. In fact, many individual snakes will suffer dramatic consequences when placed into a terrarium too large. They often become so stressed they will not feed, become very timid, rarely venture out of a hide, become overly aggressive and will not control their body temperature adequately leading to further problems. It is important when changing terrarium size for your snake that you are comfortable with your snakes feeding habits, and that it is comfortable with you as the handler. If it is, I urge everyone to expand the size of terrarium offered to their snake. The larger the vivarium, the more hiding areas and décor there should be. This will allow more interest and the opportunity for more exercise. If however, your snake does not take well to the move and refuses food, do not move the snake back into its original enclosure straight away. Instead, try for 2-4 weeks to let your snake settle in, ensuring the heat levels are appropriate and that there are enough hiding areas. I suggest for the initial move that the décor and hide areas from the old terrarium are moved into the larger one. This will make your snake feel more comfortable and speed up the transitional period.

The terrarium furnishings will play a very important role in enriching your snakes' life. You could try offering various substrate depths, types and levels. For instance, you could build the substrate up to 20cm deep at one end of the enclosure, perhaps held up by some natural cork bark or rock, and then have a lower layer of 3cm deep towards the other end. Offering more than one substrate within the terrarium will allow the snake to move around on different textured surfaces. Perhaps for a rainforest species; bark chips could be mixed with soil and dried leaves. Fake plants are perfect for snake enclosures; they can be washed easily and do not get squashed if a heavy snake decides to sit on it. These plants can hang from the ceiling or back wall, drape and wrap around sticks perched across the terrarium, or could simply be placed in bundles on the ground to mimic small bushes. Having a number of basking sites within the terrarium are particularly important for diurnal species. These should be open areas underneath a heat source, preferably more than one area and could be directed on a flat stone, a hanging branch or even on top of a hiding area. It is important that any heavy items of décor placed into the vivarium are fixed securely. However, allowing slight movement in lighter objects such as small branches and plants is only natural and will certainly stimulate the snakes' natural responses.

It is important to realise not only what temperatures your snake should be exposed to, but also in what manner they are offered. In the wild, heat is gained by use of the sun, but this is not to say that a snake must have a basking area with heat or light from above. You should first find out where your snake comes from and the daily habits which it would naturally go through.

Nearly all diurnal snakes will bask in the sun; it is therefore only natural to offer a spot bulb type of heat. This will mimic the sun and should allow the snake to bask directly underneath the area which the bulb is pointing. The sun also moves throughout the day, meaning that many a time, the snake will also have to move. Often, diurnal species do not bask during the middle of the day; instead they will bask in the early morning and late afternoon. By placing 2 spot bulbs in different areas of the terrarium wired into a timer, you can mimic the effect of the sun and give the snake the chance to search out a new, better basking site. If you have a large budget and terrarium to play with, you can offer further basking sites for different times of the day. You could even set up the lamps with timers on dimming thermostats so that the temperature output could lessen or greaten depending on the time of day.

Many nocturnal or rainforest dwelling species will not bask in the sun, but should be exposed to a higher day time temperature. Although it is recommended that you offer varying temperatures, there should be an overall air temperature. This can be achieved by using a power plate. A power plate is a 75Watt heater that is attached to the ceiling of your terrarium and provides a wider range of heat from above, making it more efficient at raising the actual air temperature than other heaters. Lighting should still be offered for these species, although in the form of a fluorescent tube. At night, a red bulb or moon bulb could be used for background heat and to allow better viewing of the snake.

Nocturnal, terrestrial species that do not live in a rainforest environment will often obtain their heat from the ground surface, usually on flat rocks which have been exposed to the sun during the day and allowed to heat up. This heat is retained for some hours throughout the evening. Hot rocks are available to mimic this behaviour, although it is only suggested that you use these for a few hours at the appropriate time; generally as lights go out until 4 hours later.

Water is generally offered in a small water dish which doesn't even allow the snake to fully submerse itself. Although this is preferable for many desert dwelling species, other species will regularly travel to streams, ponds or puddles to drink, bathe and swim. Offering water in a larger dish, away from the heat source will stimulate the snake to bathe and swim more often, allowing for more exercise. Be sure to watch for faeces in the water, as many snakes will commonly excrete during bathing. Allowing water movement through a pump, air bubbles or even a small waterfall will also stimulate the snake to bathe and drink regularly. For rainforest dwelling species, particularly arboreal species, a drip system and / or misting system will simulate rainfall in the wild. This may be very important for some species that will predominantly drink from water droplets that gather on leaves or branches.

One major part to all snakes' lives is feeding. In the wild, snakes will have to hunt for a wide variety of live prey. Some snakes may ambush their prey; others will use sight and chase their prey, while others will use scent. In captivity, feeding live prey is frowned upon unless in extreme circumstances where the snake simply refuses all other feeding methods. Feeding live prey to captive snakes would of course stimulate their natural feeding behaviour; however it can be dangerous and is almost certainly not necessary. It is possible though, to recreate some of the snakes' natural feeding responses and make it exercise for food.

Unfortunately, a large percentage of reptile hobbyists are not educated enough to realise the importance of reptile stimulation through feeding. Snakes get most of their exercise through hunting and breeding, so if your snake is not used for breeding and is fed by virtually placing a dead rodent into its mouth, it will hardly get much exercise. This has caused a large number of reptiles in captivity to become overweight and obese, usually with the owners unaware. There are a number of methods you can use to both stimulate the natural senses of hunting and to also force the snake to move around the enclosure in order to feed.

If your terrarium has plenty of décor and hide areas, try hiding the food underneath foliage or in hiding areas. By rubbing the food along different surfaces of the terrarium it is possible to create a scent trail. Try and make this trail as elaborate as possible, this will no doubt confuse the snake but will inevitably make it move more and get more exercise. You can also try hanging the food from the roof of the terrarium. It is not wise to tie the food with string or other non-digestible material; however, a mouse tail for instance could be trapped in the lid of the terrarium or some kind of clip. With the force of the snake tugging at the food, it should break free. This will make it a little harder for the snake to strike, as the food will sway around as it attempts to bite it. If your snake has a routine feeding regime, for instance every Monday evening, there is every chance it will begin to associate this time with food. This has been commonly recorded in large pythons and is a very dangerous situation to arise. Not only is it un-natural, but can result in the snake striking at anything that enters the enclosure at this particular time, even your hand. Many keepers will see this as aggression, but may simply be a triggered feeding response. It is more natural to feed your snake at random intervals and at different times during the day or night (depending on whether your snake is diurnal or nocturnal). Try to keep regular watch of your snake, if it is being lazy and is simply hides all day long, don't feed it. Wait until the snake starts to venture out and search for food without any food actually being there, this will encourage the snake to search for food more often if you only feed while the snake is roaming around. Tease feeding is an excellent method to re-create a wild animal's movements. With a pair of long forceps you can grip the food item and move it around, simulating the movements of the animal in the wild. If the snake shows interest, move it further away and around the enclosure, enticing the snake to chase and hunt the food. Once the snake strikes; shake the food quite violently to simulate a struggle situation. At this point, the snake should coil around the food and exert a great deal of energy in asphyxiating the prey. This method is the closest you can come to seeing the snakes' natural feeding methods and can be quite exciting to watch.

Handling your snake on a regular basis is a similar situation to taking your dog for a walk. It is a way of taking the snake out of its usual environment to provide exercise and an array of unusual smells. Many wild caught snakes, or snakes not used to being handled should have limitations on the amount of time spent handling. The last thing you want to do is stress the snake by over-handling. Captive bred individuals that are regularly handled will however enjoy human interaction and the chance to move around different surfaces. On a warm day, take your snake outside in the garden and let it roam around on the grass. Be very careful not to take your eyes off the snake though, the last thing you want is for it to quickly burrow into the ground or worse still, grabbed by a passing predatory bird. Being able to handle your snake will not only allow exercise and scent stimulation, it will also allow for easier maintenance and veterinary care if needed.

It has hardly been recognised that snakes require mental stimulation to stay fit and healthy in captivity. This article, together with your own ideas should prevent your snake from becoming obese and from having any behavioural problems.

We would love to hear if you try any of our methods, or have your own methods you would like to share with us. Please visit our web site and let us know how you and your snake are getting on!