While it is true that snakes are typically less active in winter, this is not always the case. Sometimes it just appears that a snake or some other animal is hibernating when they really may not be. Snakes do not actually hibernate in the winter like bears or other animals, but rather they become much less active and rarely seen by humans.

Sometimes snakes will find a stump hole to slither into until an unseasonably warm day, crawling out to enjoy the warmer weather. Typically though, snakes are not very active in the colder winter months throughout the year.

So far there is no solid evidence that snakes are especially afraid of fire, and they do have poor eyesight. If you encounter a snake, it is a much better idea to avoid excessive movement, as they are attracted to it. Those who need to keep snakes out of their garden and away from their home might want to try spraying sulfur around the area, as it has been known to keep them at bay.

If you have a snake inside your house, it is recommended that you contact wildlife control as soon as possible. Although fire might seem like a good way to scare away snakes, it is not particularly efficient with an unexpected encounter with one.

Although asexuality has been observed in certain wild snakes, most of these animals go through a mating ritual. Most female snakes instigate this ritual by releasing pheromones as they slither across the ground, attracting mature male snakes which come up to rub their chins against the back of the female snake’s neck; this is the start of the courtship between the snakes.

To show that the female snake is receptive to the male’s advances, she raises her tail. The male snake then raises his tale and wraps it around the female’s. The male snack inserts his sex organ into hers when the time is right and mating begins.

Dogs, cats, and many other types of common household pets can be trained to either obey commands, or perform tricks. However other types of pets are impossible to train, no matter how hard you try.

So what about snakes? Are snakes trainable?

No, snakes are not trainable and will not learn to obey their owner’s commands. They simply do not have the large, highly developed brains that would be required for training.

There are several kinds of snakes, such as pythons, which do have basic forms of pattern recognition. This means that, for instance, they can “learn” when feeding day is and will anticipate it, so long as you are consistent with your feedings. However if you are hoping to get a snake to perform tricks, you will be disappointed to learn that it is simply not possible.

One of the most distinctive characteristics of snakes is how they slither back and forth to move around. This sort of movement is accomplished by special scales on the belly on the snake called scutes, which can be moved by muscles attached to the snakes’ ribs. These scales propel the snake forward, causing the slithering motion that we all know.

But do snakes move the same way when they are young? Some people have asked the question: Are snakes born with legs?

No, there is no species of snake that has legs at any point during it’s life.

This confusion probably comes about due to the similarities between snakes and other reptiles (or amphibians) that can have a snake-like appearance and yet do in fact have legs.

The intelligence of animals can vary greatly, from the simpler creatures which are driven purely by instinct, to the highly intelligent great apes which are capable of critical thinking and reasoning skills.

So what about snakes? Are snakes intelligent?

For the most part, no they are not. Having only a reptilian brain, snakes lack the parts of the brain which allow organisms such as us to think the way we do.

Snakes are driven almost purely by instinct, and are not capable of higher forms of thinking. They seek only the most basic of survival needs, such as food and reproduction.

Some animals, such as mammals, regulate their body temperature through the use of internally generated heat, while other types of animals cannot produce their own heat internally and must get it fro an outside source. These two types of animals are most often referred to as “warm-blooded” and “cold-blooded,” respectively. While often incorrectly thought of as the same thing as warm or cold blooded, the classifications of endothermic and ectothermic are actually slightly different.

Being either endothermic or ectothermic is only part of what makes an animal warm blooded or cold blooded, along with factors such as the range of internal temperatures that an organism can function at, as well as the ability, or inability, to alter metabolic rate in response to temperature variables.

We humans are considered both endothermic and warm-blooded, as with all mammals. But what about snakes? Are snakes endothermic or ectothermic?

The truth is that all snakes are considered ectothermic, as well as cold-blooded. A snake does not have the thermophysiology necessary in order to internally regulate its’ body temperature. This means that snakes must get their body heat from external sources such as the sun.

In fact, it is common and essentially necessary for pet snakes to have a “heating rock” in their tank; an electronically warmed rock for the snake to warm itself on. Without such a device, the snake’s body temperature could drop too low and it could potentially die from it.

Have you ever tried to walk up to a snake in the wild, only to have it immediately slither away? If you have, then it’s easy to believe that the snake heard you approaching and, as a result, made a hasty retreat. However, this is only partially true. Snakes do not hear in the same way that we understand the sense.

Most other reptiles possess an eardrum an an inner ear structure that allows them to hear much the same way that humans and other animals do. However, snakes do not have this feature. According to some evolutionary experts, this is because snakes, being the ground-dwellers that they are, do not have any need for traditional hearing.

That is not to say that snakes cannot detect sound. The method by which snakes ‘hear’ is referred to as bone conductive hearing. They pick up even the subtlest of vibrations through their jaw bones, and these vibrations are transmitted to a pair of cochlear, or snail-shaped, structures in the snake’s head. Humans have these same structures in their own ears. When vibrations hit these structures, they are transmitted along nerves into the brain where they are interpreted as sound. In effect, a snake’s jaw serves as its ‘ears’.

Compared to a human’s ears, however, a snake’s auditory structures are many times more sensitive. They are able to detect sounds ranging from an elephant charging to a tiny mouse creeping along the grass. They can even detect the hissing of other snakes, which may play an important role in the mating habits of some species. This incredible level of sensitivity makes them swift and effective hunters, which is part of why they have been around for more than 112 million years.

There is no denying that snakes are fascinating creatures, but many people are often confused as to what group of animals they fit into. With their complete lack of limbs and extremities, bizarre ways of eating, worm-like method of locomotion, odd smelling habits and unblinking gaze, they seem more like an unknown alien creature than any Earth-dweller that has already been identified and cataloged. Therefore, it isn’t really surprising that people peg them as being either reptiles, amphibians or mammals, but two of these assumptions are incorrect.

Mammals are fur-bearing animals that typically give live birth. Like with many things, there are exceptions. The platypus, which resembles a cross between a duck and a beaver, lays eggs and animals like the naked mole rat have no fur. However, all mammals possess mammary glands that produce milk to feed their young, hence their name.

If you think that a snake is an amphibian, you’re getting closer. Amphibians are cold-blooded, egg-laying animals that possess smooth skin and most often live in or near water sources. At the very least, they require a moist environment in order to survive. Their young usually go through an aquatic larval stage and don’t even remotely resemble their parents during this time. This group includes frogs, toads, salamanders and newts.

Snakes are reptiles. This group of animals is very similar to amphibians, except that they lay eggs on dry land and most of them possess scales. They live in wide variety of habitats ranging from swampy marshes to scorching deserts. They’re cold-blooded and rely on the sun to provide them with heat and energy. Their young are completely formed when they’re born and look like perfect miniatures of their parents. Other familiar animals in this group include turtles, tortoises, lizards and several species of legless lizards that resemble snakes.

Some animals eat only other animals (carnivores), some eat only plants (herbivores), and some will eat a combination of plants and animals (omnivores).

What about snakes? Are snakes carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores?

The fact is that all varieties of snakes are strictly carnivores, meaning that they feed only on other animals such as rodents, lizards, and even the eggs of other reptiles.

While you might think that a snake can only eat creatures much smaller than itself, it could surprise you to learn that some snakes can actually eat prey with a diameter larger than the snake’s own head! This is possible because, when feeding, snakes are able to unhinge their jaw, allowing them to open their mouths extremely wide.