What do little snakes eat? What do snakes eat? How to care for a common snake

You will need

• - spacious terrarium;
• - cuvette for water;
• - soil;
• - driftwood for landscape decoration;
• - moss;
• - incandescent lamp;
• - live food.

Instructions

For the snake, it is necessary to prepare a terrarium that is sufficiently spacious and high - after all, an adult individual, depending on the size, can reach a length of 1 - 1.5 m. Make sure that the terrarium is tightly closed with a mesh lid. The bottom can be covered with sand or peat. Required condition for snakes - the presence of a pond in the terrarium. The size of the reservoir should be such that it can curl up there entirely. Place one or two pieces of driftwood in the terrarium, on which your pet can climb in the same way as he would do. Try to arrange them so that the snake can use them as a shelter. Areas lined with moss will also be a pleasant addition to the landscape - it will help retain moisture that is comfortable for the snake.

Install an incandescent lamp above the terrarium, preferably with a mirror reflector. This will allow the snake to receive a sufficient amount of light and heat even on rainy days. Remember also that it is better to place the terrarium in the sunniest part of the room. Because to create already safe conditions For not so easy, it is better not to allow him to plunge into this state. Hibernation can be avoided by providing the snake with sufficient heat, light and live food throughout the year.

One of the peculiarities of keeping snakes is that they need live, moving food. It can be frogs, tadpoles, and small fish for the snake. As a last resort, if in winter it is not possible to get live food, the snake can be accustomed to frozen food. But then the food will have to be put into the snake’s mouth by force, since it will not perceive motionless pieces of meat or fish as food. This method of feeding can cause injury to the snake due to the fragility of its jaws. The snake needs to be fed approximately once every three days.

If he is losing mobility, and his coat is losing color and shine, he may be about to shed. It is important not to confuse this condition with a disease. Another sign that a snake is about to shed is its desire to stay in the water as long and as often as possible. Perhaps you will be able to see how the snake gets out of its old skin. After molting, your pet will appear with fresh scales, bright and shiny. Old skins can be preserved by observing the growth dynamics of the grass snake.

A common inhabitant of wet places, swamps and river banks in our country, it is found throughout almost the entire European part of Russia, as well as in the south of Siberia and the Far East.

Description of the snake

Animal already ordinary belongs to the genus of real snakes and has distinctive feature in the form of two “ears” on the head - spots of white, yellow or orange color. In some individuals, the spots are weak or absent. The coloring of snakes ranges from black to gray or brown with a lighter belly, the presence or absence of a pattern in the form of spots or stripes. Source:

Already leads a diurnal lifestyle, and its activity is subject to seasonal changes. Snakes are most active, including the breeding season, from April to September. In the morning they crawl out to warm up in the sun, and at night they cool down in shelters made of branches, under snags, leaves, etc. In winter, they hide in shelters and hibernate. Females are larger than males, snake length can reach 1.5 meters.

Like other snakes, grass snakes shed their skin. During normal molting, the skin comes off entirely. Before molting, it becomes more passive and refuses food. To make molting go smoothly, you need to support enough level humidity.

Generally speaking, it’s hard to call a snake a pet, and considering that most of the snakes in the same poultry market are caught in wildlife, taking this snake home is not very advisable. After all, no matter how good the conditions of detention are, they cannot compare with natural environment a habitat. In addition, snakes are quite demanding in terms of temperature and humidity, so they often die in inexperienced hands. If you have no experience with snakes, it is better to release the snake into the wild.

Terrarium for snake

But if you have already decided, come what may get a snake at home, then for home care he needs a spacious, long terrarium, a significant part of which will be occupied by a swimming pool. A snake needs a pool for swimming and drinking, so choose a body of water that your pet can fit in completely.

The top of the terrarium is tightly closed with a net to prevent it from escaping. A soil that retains moisture well: peat or sand is placed at the bottom of the terrarium. You can also place sand at the bottom of the pool. Source:

In addition to the main soil, create an area of ​​damp moss in a warm corner in which your snake can burrow. They also place all kinds of snags, scatterings of stones between which the snake can crawl, shelters and shelters made of well-fixed branches or bark.

It is necessary to maintain a temperature difference in the terrarium. One corner should be warm for warming up. A heating lamp is placed near it, under which you can put a stone or driftwood, where the snake will heat its body. It is also better to place the area with wet moss in a warm corner. Daytime temperatures here should be 30-35º.

Except warm corner there should be a cool and dry place, preferably with a shelter, where it can cool down. In this place the temperature is about 22º. average temperature the rest of the terrarium fluctuates around 22-26º during the day. At night, the terrarium is not heated or lit, because... It is already active during the day and sleeps in a shelter at night. In addition to temperature, it is necessary to maintain humidity in the terrarium. To do this, the soil and moss are regularly sprayed. It is very good to purchase a special ultraviolet lamp, although summer period You can limit yourself to regular sunbathing.

Domestic snake and hibernation

In order for it to hibernate, in the fall the daylight hours are reduced for a month (gradually, from 12 to 4 hours) as well as the heating period. A decrease in temperature and lighting provokes hibernation, therefore, after a complete cessation of lighting and a decrease in temperature to 10º, it is able to spend about 2 months in hibernation, which has a beneficial effect on further activity and reproduction.

Feeding snakes

What do snakes eat? The snake's diet consists of live food. Snakes feed mainly on frogs and rodents, sometimes small fish. Food must move! At home you will have to buy grass tree frogs, small mice, aquarium fish and feed them alive. Also, some snakes eat insects, bloodworms, snails, and worms.

If you dream of a pet that is more unusual than cats, dogs and fish, which will surprise guests, do not rush to get exotic snakes or spiders. Think about such an ordinary inhabitant of our latitudes as the snake - he is as beautiful and interesting to watch as any other snake, but at the same time does not pose an immediate threat to the life and health of his owners.

The modern animal lover can easily find all the information on how to keep a snake at home on the Internet. In turn, a competent consultant in a specialized store will help organize this knowledge and compile full list necessary.

How to keep a snake at home and what you need for this

A common or aquatic snake can also feel quite comfortable in captivity. First of all, you need to choose and arrange a terrarium (long and spacious), which would have:

• constant access to water for bathing and drinking in the form of a large, stable reservoir;
• soil that retains moisture for a long time (peat, sand, etc.);
• a large stone, which will be needed during the molting period;
• wet moss, driftwood or other objects behind which it can hide;
• a heater covered with a protective plastic mesh to protect the snake’s skin from accidental burns.

Frogs, newts, toads, fish, mice can serve as food, and sometimes bloodworms, insects, and snails may be liked. Main difficulty– snakes prefer live food, so you will have to move the offered food until the snake pays attention to it. It is rarely possible to train a pet to eat food that has already been killed and you should not count on it. However, snakes need to be fed no more than 3-4 times a week.

How does he behave at home?

Snakes are non-aggressive, if you don’t frighten them, they bite extremely rarely. The owners recognize them, get used to them, and can even be picked up (though only for the reason that it is warm around the person). The pet's mode of activity is as follows:

• active in daytime, sleeps at night;
• already sheds once a year at home, as in natural environment;
• The approach of the molting period can be determined by the characteristic clouding of the eyes and changes in behavior.

During the cold season, a house with central heating will require special shelter and maintenance. low temperature(which, like the light intensity, should be gradually reduced in advance) so that it can spend at least 2 months in a state of “hibernation”.

Care and safety rules

The home must have zones with different temperature conditions:

• a place for warming up (30-35°), where a special lamp is installed;
• a cool corner (about 22°) where the snake can hide and cool down.

In addition to feeding, the responsibilities of the owners include:

• regular cleaning and replacement of water in the “pool”;
• maintaining high level humidity (for this, soil and moss are sprayed).

Nimble snakes are distinguished by amazing tenacity and perseverance, if we're talking about about finding a loophole to escape. When ordering a terrarium, pay attention to the strength and quality of the mesh that will be used as a lid. In itself, this type of snake is safe for humans, but not everyone can immediately determine that in front of them is a harmless snake and not poisonous viper. Better to exclude unexpected meetings, limiting the pet’s location to a terrarium.

Depending on how they are kept, snakes can live at home for quite a long time (up to 20 years). To create decent living conditions for your snake, it is recommended to order food, equipment and other supplies from specialized stores. You can save time and money by purchasing everything you need online, for example, in the online store "

As a child, I often went fishing and into the forest to pick berries or mushrooms. And, of course, in wet weather I met snake. Very unpleasant animals. And most often snakes. Yes, many will say that you shouldn’t be afraid of snakes, and they are generally harmless. But when you are in the forest and see a snake, you do not have time to quickly determine what kind of snake it is. So, now I will tell you about the fear of my childhood. About " already».

What do snakes eat?

Already - this snake, which is most common in Eurasia, not poisonous. His diet is not very varied, here is a list of what he usually eats feeds:

• Alive frogs.
• Rodents.
• Fish.

Here's a list of those who usually eats snakes:

• Storks.
• Predatory birds.
• Some mammals.

The snake's feeding method is the same as that of all other snakes. No longer chews prey, but swallowsfully, and since this snake has no poison, the victim at the moment of swallowing will still be alive. If the object is large enough, then the process of eating can last a very long time. But after such a meal maybe I won't eat for several days. Several cases were recorded when the snake remained without food for 300 days and did not suffer any harm to health. Snakes can go a long time without food, but They cannot live without water.

A snake usually stays on earth for a long time pursues your victim. In water, on the contrary, it hides in some place and waitingt booty, which itself floats to him.

A little information about already

Identify a snake from other snakes you can on yellow, or white spot on the head. But in very rare cases there may be no spot on the head at all. Usually snakes do not differ in size, but in some cases the size of females reaches up to 2,5 meters in length.

No matter how strange it may sound, it’s really easy tamed and does not experience any special problems with life Vcaptivity. In Ukraine and Belarus, cases have been recorded where local residents tamed snakes for catching mice.

Already - not aggressive snake. But when he is attacked, he begins hiss and throws his head forward. If this does not help, then he releases odorous liquid, which scares away animals. When all else fails, the snake simply pretends to be dead, relaxing all muscles.

Not many people like snakes, but we have to meet them. The main thing is to know how to distinguish one snake from another. But never go close to a snake unless you are sure that it will not cause you much harm. be careful!

Canaries love to swim. Bathing cleanses the skin and strengthens the plumage. Bathing water should be at room temperature. The bathing suit is attached to the outside of the door so that water does not enter the cage. After each bathing, the bathing suit is removed and the doors are closed. Bathing suits should be washed daily. Canaries must be taught to bathe with early age, i.e. from the moment they are separated from the female - after 30-35 days of age.

After disinfection, the cage and equipment must be thoroughly rinsed again, scalded, wiped and dried. Dry chamomile is poured under the tray and inserted into its original place. Pour clean, dry river sand and a thin layer of crushed eggshells from a boiled egg onto the tray (bottom of the cage). Sand and eggshell serve as mineral nutrition for poultry, maintain its health and promote digestion. After this, feed is poured into the feeders and placed at the feeding site.

Drinking water should be at room temperature. It is poured into a small glass or porcelain dish (height 3-4 cm) and placed on the bottom of the cage in a place convenient for the bird to drink. Between the rods of the cage, you can insert small feeders in the form of a thimble or a plastic plug for periodic feeding with honey, grated carrots, and yolk in addition to the main food.

The cage is placed in a well-lit place, but not in the sun, not on a window or in a draft. If the room is closed, you can and should let the bird fly. At first 5-10 minutes, and then up to 40-45 minutes. You can train a bird to sit on your hand or shoulder, but this requires a lot of patience. You need to approach cages with canaries in such a way that the birds see you: by talking to them in an even, gentle voice, you will win the bird’s trust, you can even teach them to sit on your hand.

Selection

Canaries have been breeding in cages for hundreds of years. The body of the domestic canary is very plastic. By changing feeding conditions, you can force the canary to change the color of its plumage.

In his homeland, in natural conditions, in wild canaries the breeding season begins in the 2nd half of March. Best time for mating and breeding chicks in our conditions - spring (March, April, May). During this period there is more daylight, and the female can feed the chicks longer. To obtain good offspring, it is necessary to carefully select a male and a female. The male must be large, with interesting song, beautiful plumage, active. Age - at least 1 year. The female must also have the appropriate qualities. It is advisable to select pairs of males from one and a half to two years old and even up to five years, and females from 11 months to three to four years. The coloration of the offspring is influenced by both sires, while vocal qualities, song sensitivity and hearing are influenced by the male. This should also be taken into account when selecting a pair.

Some amateur canary breeders practice breeding one male with two or three females and at the same time get normal litters, but this requires a lot of experience. A more accessible method is to breed one male with one female. Before mating, a cage with a male and a cage with a female are placed next to each other so that the birds see each other and begin to show mutual interest. During this period, the male is given soft food in addition to grain every day for 5-6 days. Females also increase their diet. Birds ready to mate are placed in one cage. The male is placed first, and after a day or two the female is placed next to him. By this time, the male will get used to the new environment. The female, released to the male, quickly mates with him and begins building a nest. From the beginning of mating and construction of the nest to the laying of the first egg, three to ten days pass.

The mating cage can be regular or slightly larger. The nest can be hung in the corner of the cage from the inside or outside, in a quiet place. In nature, canaries have a cup-shaped nest, and therefore amateur canary breeders make an artificial nest or nest base of the same shape, usually made of clothesline.

In order for the female to calmly build a nest, she needs to place in the cage pieces of cut cotton or linen threads 2-3 cm in size, small pieces of linen or cotton fabric, and even well-dried small hay, gathered into a ball. Within 6-7 days, the female builds a nest, after which she begins to lay eggs. As soon as the first egg is laid, it is necessary to remove the remaining building materials, add fresh sand, and clean the cage from accumulated construction waste. This is done because sometimes the female continues to build the nest and breaks the egg in the process. You should not change the location of the nest or rearrange the cage after the female has laid an egg and especially after the chick or full brood has emerged. If there is an extreme need for this, it must be done very carefully and only at night. There were cases when the female left the nest and stopped feeding the chicks. Egg laying can last 4-6 days. After the female lays 3-4 eggs, the male is removed from the cage, since the female herself can feed the chicks. But you can leave the male, and he will actively help the female in hatching and feeding the chicks.

The female canary incubates the chicks for 13 days. Males also take part in incubating the eggs. At the moment when the female goes to feed, he replaces her. On the 14th day, the chicks hatch from the eggs. 3-4 hours after the chicks hatch, the female begins to feed them. Both parents also feed the chicks from their beaks. There are cases when the male destroys the nest, throws out eggs and even chicks. Such a male must be removed immediately. The main thing is that there is always grain soft food in the feeders. At this time, in addition to the grain mixture, the female is given soft food - a mass of boiled eggs with crushed breadcrumbs.

The cubs that fly away from the nest initially seem clumsy and inept. On the 24-28th day after hatching, the chicks separated from their parents are good at finding and eating soft and grain food. Young male canaries begin to sing (chirp) on the 35-37th day after leaving the nest. The sounds made by a young male are deep, long and continuous. The “singing” of a young female is higher-pitched, short-lived and abrupt, with long pauses. This period of “singing” in young birds is very short: 10-12 days before the start of molting. During the period of maturation, it is necessary to determine the sex of the birds. Males usually begin to chirp, puffing out their crops, and females make a “tiv-tiv” sound. Identified males need to be placed, each in a separate cage, and females can be kept together in one cage. Young males at the age of 5-6 months begin to sing in an incomplete and fragile voice, and by 8-9 months they reach a full voice. In a good canary, the song is fully strengthened only by the age of two.

Large bird. Length up to 65 cm. Wingspan - 1.2-1.5 meters. Weight 0.8-1.5 kg. Painted completely black with a metallic sheen. The feathers of the crop are elongated, lanceolate. Young birds are matte black. The colors of the male and female are the same. The tail is wedge-shaped, unlike the crow's.