Ordinary already - a description of where it lives, features

It has long been believed that if you already settled in the local area, you can not drive away and kill him. Otherwise, it can provoke unhappiness in the family. However, today snakes are more afraid than before. Therefore, reptiles fear for their lives. Today's material is devoted to ordinary snakes, their features and other distinctive characteristics.

Description

1. The reptile belongs to the category of snakes, the family is already distinctive. A distinctive characteristic is the presence of yellowish marks in the cervical region. Pigmentation may be orange, lemon, beige, gray, or it may not be at all.
2. If we proceed from the averaged values, then the individual extends up to 1 m in length. However, in the natural environment, larger members of the family were found that grew up to 2 m. Male individuals are not as large as females.
3. The hull exceeds the tail length by about 4 times. The head is clearly visible, it is medium or large, it is noticeably separated from the cervical region. The upper part of the body is pigmented with olive, gray or brown. In contrast, there are dark marks in a checkerboard pattern.
4. The color of the abdominal section is of importance, by which it is possible to distinguish this snake from self-similar. The reptile has a dirty white stomach, but it can also be light gray. A dark stripe spreads in the central part.

Spread

1. These representatives of the family are widespread in the northern strip, beginning with Karelia and ending with Sweden. They are found in southern climatic zones, for example, Africa. In the western part, individuals are located on the Iberian Peninsula and the British Isles. In the east they are found in Transbaikalia and Mongolia.
2. A distinctive characteristic of reptiles of this species is that they easily get used to any landscape. That is, they may well exist near fresh or salty sources, as well as in mountainous areas without vegetation or dense areas. But the fact that snakes need water is a fact. Preferably with the passage.
3. When reptiles choose a place to live, they give preference to river armholes, forest strips, steppe regions, marshy edges, mountains and adjoining territories. There are also snakes in gardens, in wastelands and in parks.
4. When the presented individuals settle near the city or within it, they often creep out onto the roadway and become victims of drivers. This is not surprising, since the instinct for self-preservation is poorly developed. The population is getting smaller because of this, but extinction does not threaten snakes.

Lifestyle

1. It should start with the fact that these reptiles exist for about 20 years. For snakes, this period is simply huge. They need an aquatic environment for a comfortable and long life. They adore swimming and drinking water; they swim aimlessly from side to side. The route is laid near the shore, but can sail into the open sea or into the center of a large lake.
2. As for movement in the water, these reptiles skillfully wield the body, bending and craning their neck up. When the hunt begins, it already dives into the depths, grabs the snag and rests. He prefers to search for prey in the evening and morning. However, most of the activity occurs on the day.
3. When the weather is sunny, the reptile is located on a stone or hemp, resting and basking under the rays. At night, creeps into a mink or other shelter from stones and roots.

Enemies

1. The reptile needs to hide until the sun sets. If this does not happen, then the enemy will come and give the snake a chance to survive. Among the enemies, about 40 species of large birds, including storks, can be distinguished. Rodents, predator mammals (fox, hedgehog, weasel, etc.) are ranked as natural enemies.
2. When the enemy is nearby, he is trying to make him considered poisonous. He bends and rises, pulls his tail and hisses. Some timid individuals just crawl away, trying to stay away from danger.
3. If the reptile is in the hands of a person or in the jaws of a dog, it will make the first attempts to scare offender A liquid with an unpleasant and disgusting odor is released from the cesspool. If this does not help, the reptile hangs with a rope, pretending to be a dead creature.
4. Due to the fact that these snakes are constantly tormented by a lack of reliable shelters, they settle next to a person. It is unpleasant for people to admit that these snakes are occupied by attics, sheds, former chicken coops, as well as baths and even houses. They develop, multiply, leading fear to the family.

Comparison with Vipers

1. The similarity of the snake and the viper is manifested in the fact that the given species of reptiles inhabit the same territories. They like to be in reservoirs, forest belts, on lawns. Both vipers and snakes in every possible way avoid communication with a person and flee.
2. However, that’s all, there are much more differences. For example, snakes can not boast of the presence of poisonous fangs. They are longer and thinner, the pupils are vertical or have a rounded format, the head is rounded, yellow marks are present on it.

Diet

1. As for gastronomic preferences, they are pretty monotonous. Most often, the diet of the considered individuals includes fish or frogs. It can also be other animals that correspond to a similar size.
2. Snakes can prey on lizards, toads, newts, newborn rat pups, chicks and insects. These reptiles do not eat plant foods. As for the carrion, they simply disdain it. The interesting thing is that when kept in a terrarium, they are happy to enjoy milk.
3. When hunting fish, such individuals are almost always guided by expectant tactics. As soon as the victim is close to the snake, the latter is immediately enough. As for the frogs, the snakes pursue them right on land, who try to escape and jump to the side. Frogs do not see a potential danger in the snake.
4. The small fish represented by the reptiles are swallowed without any problems. As for the frogs, the snake can stretch the meal for several hours. The problem is that snakes do not always manage to capture prey right behind their heads.
5. Like most reptiles, these individuals are also able to widely stretch their jaws. The problem is different. The angular-shaped frog is in no hurry to be eaten. Therefore, during the struggle, she manages to break free. However, not one of those who give up. Therefore, he attacks her again until swallowed.
6. If the reptiles in question have a meal that is quite satisfying. That really can do without food for 5-6 days. Sometimes such snakes can starve even for several months. In this case, after a hunger strike it can already eat tight. What is most interesting, there are no problems against the background of the gastrointestinal tract of the snake.

Breeding

1. As for puberty, it comes to about 4 years. It is worth noting that the mating season in such reptiles lasts only one month in the spring. Females begin masonry in mid-summer.
2. However, the periods of mating reptile games may vary slightly depending on habitats and climatic conditions.But such a time always begins after the first seasonal skin change takes place. There are even autumn mating. The female lays eggs after wintering.
3. During mating, snakes are woven into a ball. In it there is a female and many males. After such actions, the snake lays leathery eggs, the number of which, from several clutches, can reach 100 pcs. Reptiles protect future offspring from cold and drying out.

A rather interesting reptile species. The surprising fact is that with a small number of secluded places, the females come together and create one collective incubator. In it, eyewitnesses numbered more than 1000 eggs. The bottom line is that the eggs need a warm and moist incubator. Only in this way young animals will be born healthy. After a couple of months, small snakes hatch.

Video: ordinary (Natrix natrix)