Snakes lifecycle
Snakes are legless reptiles that can be found pretty much all across
the globe. They vary in size from ten centimeters in length to several
meters, they are all carnivorous and they kill their prey either by
injecting it with venom or constricting it. However, some snakes can
even be kept as pets.
Most snakes start their lives as eggs that have been carefully laid in
shallow holes or under rocks where they can be protected by their
mother. However, some snake species give birth to living snakes. A
snake’s egg doesn’t have a tough outer shell like a bird’s would;
instead it has a soft leather-like texture to it. The baby snake breaks
through this shell with the aid of a special egg tooth that falls off
soon after the hatchling is free from its shell. Like any other
organism on this planet, the snake needs to eat in order to grow. All
snakes are carnivores. What sets snakes and reptiles for that matter
apart from other creatures, besides the fact that they can’t regulate
their internal body head, is that they need to periodically shed their
skin in order to grow harmoniously. And this process happens most often
while they are in their juvenile stages. A juvenile snake will shed its
skin around four times a year, whilst a mature snake will only shed it
once maybe twice a year. The shedding process starts with a dulling of
their skin color and their eyes start getting a milky hue. This means
that the snakes won’t see very well during this period and most of them
will become more aggressive to movements form the outside world. In the
wild they rub up against rocks and fallen branches and anything they can
find in order to get rid of their old skin. This shedding process serves
two main purposes. The first is replacing their skin and the second is
getting rid of the parasites that inhabited their old one. If a snake
has been living an ideal life, with enough nourishment and humidity in
his environment, then its skin should usually peel away in one big
piece.
The mating season of snakes vary from area to area usually dependent on
climactic conditions, with spring being the mating season in colder
regions, while tropical region snakes can mate at any time. After the
mating process is complete the female snake will store the male’s sperm
in the oviduct for about one to two months and then fertilizes the eggs.
This is the basic parts of the snake’s lifecycle that you should be
aware of. |
