Trivia question for Apr-29-2011

Olivia has been partial to snakes ever since we learned about the Rattlesnake Roundups and how many snakes are senselessly killed each year at these events.  Her trivia tonight shows here affection for all snakes.  When these guys are threatened, they inflate to form a hood to scare away potential predators, much like a cobra.

This Snake is primarily diurnal, and makes use of a variety of habitats, including short-grass prairies, grasslands, and rocky, semi-arid regions. It is typically a docile snake (though known to be highly aggressive in some individuals), that may hiss and make mock strikes if harassed. They feed on amphibians, lizards, and rodents. They breed in the spring, laying 4 to 23 eggs in the mid summer, which take approximately 60 days to hatch.

So here are Olivia’s questions:  Tell us another way these guys avoid predators and tell us how they are able to burrow into the sand.  Also, tell us what disease these snakes sometimes get which only happens when they are kept in captivity?

Good Luck 😉

Answer:

Congratulations to John for being the first with all the correct answer. The snake we featured is the Western Hognose Snake. Common names: western hog-nosed snake, plains hognose snake.

To avoid predators, these guys sometimes play dead or omit a foul odor. The characteristic of all hognose snakes is their upturned snout, which aids in digging in the soil. They can suffer from Blister disease and liver damage in captivity from a narrowed diet. Here is more on these guys: Western Hognose Snake

Thanks for playing along 😉