Superpowers
What do snakes use their tongues for?
To smell their surroundings.
What time of day are crepuscular snakes most active?
Dawn and dusk.
True or False: Only venomous snakes have teeth.
False: Almost all snakes have teeth (egg eaters are the only exception).
How did a "ball python" get its name?
It curls up into a ball when it feels threatened.
What is a snake's diet? (omnivore, carnivore, or herbivore)
Carnivore
Which two common pet snakes are venomous?
Western Hognose and Garter snakes.
What do some snakes do during cold weather?
Brumation (similar to hibernation).
Can you determine whether or not a snake is venomous from the shape of its pupils?
No: the shape of pupils indicates what time of day the snake is most active (nocturnal, diurnal, or crepuscular).
How did a "hognose snake" get its name?
The shape of the upturned nose used for burrowing.
Which snake in the rhyme has red next to black?
The milk snake.
What are the holes on a ball python’s snout?
Heat-sensing pits.
How can snakes eat something bigger than their head?
Soft scull and stretchy ligaments in jaw (NOT dislocating/unhinging it).
What term refers to snakes being cold blooded?
Ectothermic.
How did a "corn snake" get its name?
It was named after the checkered pattern on their bellies, which resembles multicolored maize or Indian corn.
A person who studies snakes is called a . . .
herpetologist.
Are snakes deaf?
No: while lacking external ear openings, they still have the inner ear structure.
Why are some snakes called "kings"? (i.e. king snakes and king cobras)
Because king snakes eat other snakes.
What are snake scales made of?
Keratin.
How did a "garter snake" get its name?
Named after the strips of fabric used to hold up stockings.
Which state has no wild snake population?
Alaska.
The oldest recorded snake in captivity lived in the St. Louis Zoo and died at 62 years old. What species was it?
A ball python.
Why do snakes yawn?
To realign their jaw, often after a meal (not because they're tired).
What is one difference between legless lizards and snakes?
Possible answers: legless lizards have eyelids and can blink; legless lizards' tongues are not forked; snakes have flexible jaws for larger prey. (Legless lizards and snakes are an example of convergent evolution.)
How did a "milk snake" get its name?
It was named after a folk myth that suggested the snakes snuck into barns and drank milk from cows. (In reality, they were eating the mice and rats in barns and enjoying the dark hiding spots.)
What amphibian is sometimes mistaken for a snake?
A caecilian.