Snakes (Latin Serpentes) belong to the suborder of reptiles squamous. Their habitat is quite extensive: they live on almost all continents (with the exception of Antarctica and a number of large islands, such as Ireland, Greenland, New Zealand, Malta, some islands of Oceania), in all climatic zones and environmental conditions (forests, steppes, deserts, foothills, mountains). But still they prefer to settle in places with a hotter climate. Usually snakes lead a terrestrial way of life, but some of them can live in water, on trees or underground.
Of the variety of these reptiles, numbering more than two thousand species, the majority are non-toxic snakes. The list of poisonous does not exceed three hundred.
By their nature, snakes are predators. The basis of their diet is made up of a wide variety of animal species, both vertebrate and invertebrate. However, there are snakes that specialize in eating a certain type of prey (the so-called stenophages). Unlike poisonous ones who kill their prey with poison, non-poisonous snakes can swallow it alive or pre-strangle it. At the same time, all snakes absorb their prey entirely due to the specific structure of the lower jaw, consisting of the right and left halves, making alternating movements with them and, as it were, pulling themselves on the prey.
The main types of non-toxic snakes that live in Russia
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Oh. Surely everyone knows about this species, since this is the most common non-poisonous snake in our country. They can be found in the forest, and in the meadow, and by the road.
Usually the snakes do not exceed one meter in length, although there are individual specimens reaching two meters.
Usually these non-toxic snakes live in humid places - near ponds, in thickets of coastal reeds, in swamps, etc. Already swims and dives perfectly, overcoming long distances in the water.
The basis of his diet is made up of the inhabitants of water bodies (frogs, tadpoles, small fish), and land animals (lizards, chicks, small mammals).
- Runner. Distributed in the southern regions (Caucasus, Central Asia, south of the Far East). These poisonous snakes exceeding two meters in length can move quite quickly (up to 6 km / h), not only on the ground or on stones, but also on trees where birds are hunted.
Rats also actively exterminate rats and mice. A bite snake for a person is not dangerous, although painful. When a bite appears, all the signs of a poisonous snake bite appear (swelling, pain, dizziness), which usually go away after three days.
- Common copperfish. This smooth little snake (usually not exceeding 0.7 m in length) has a grayish or brown color, sometimes with a reddish tinge. Sometimes she is confused with a viper, but she has a narrower head, covered with large shields — compared with a viper — and a less noticeable transition to the neck. Being a rather slow creature, the coppers usually prey on animals from shelter. Copper bite is poisonous to some cold-blooded animals, but completely harmless to humans.
Non-poisonous snakes are often bred by people as pets. Well, as they say, there are no comrades for the taste and color. However, it must be remembered that caring for these reptiles is no less difficult than for other species of animals. The snake needs to create conditions as close as possible to its habitat in the natural environment - and this is not only the creation of an external environment (branches, sand, stones, etc.), but also the maintenance of a special temperature and humidity, not to mention feeding. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the fact that even a bite of a non-poisonous snake may contain a small amount of poison, and therefore, certain safety measures should be observed when handling them.
Assisting with bites of venomous snakes
If you were bitten by a snake, it is necessary to rinse the place of the bite with water or an alcohol-containing liquid, and then treat it with iodine or brilliant green. It should be remembered that even non-venomous snakes can have tiny food debris on their teeth, and in addition, the teeth themselves can remain in the wound. All this can lead to the ingestion of pathogenic microbes. And therefore, in the event of the formation of pustules, tumors or other inflammatory processes at the site of the bite, it is imperative to seek help from a medical institution.
