How does it look like. How to distinguish snake from viper

With the onset of spring, snakes begin to appear in the forests. crawling on summer cottages they cause panic local residents, but not all reptiles should be feared. Having met a snake, not each of us will be able to identify whether it is dangerous. It is especially important to know how the viper differs from the snake, because it is these reptiles that are most often found in our latitudes.

Outgoing danger

The viper is a venomous snake. Having met with the enemy, she will try to slip away. If it fails to leave, it will take the position of attack, curling up into a ball and hissing intimidatingly. If the aggressor does not leave the meeting place then, he will attack.

For humans, viper venom is deadly if the necessary assistance is not provided.

Already - a harmless animal that feeds on small rodents. It does not have poisonous glands, so it is safe for humans. In case of danger, it immediately takes a defensive position and only in extreme cases releases a fetid enzyme. Can't deal more damage.

Habitat

Both snakes and vipers love equally woodlands, bushes and swamps. You can meet snakes not only in the forest, but also by opening the door of a country house after winter - they often climb into outbuildings in search of warmth. However, snakes gravitate more towards water bodies, while vipers love moist forests and they settle less frequently near rivers.

Appearance

Snakes - snakes are large (up to 2 m in length) and fast, they move perfectly both on land and in water. From above they have a dark gray, brown or black color, which turns from top to bottom into light gray. The body is covered with a grid pattern like a chessboard.

The head is oval in shape, in the region of the auricles it has two bright red or yellow spots. The pupils of the eyes are round.

Vipers are much less mobile. The body size is smaller than that of snakes - up to 80 cm. The skin is gray or brown, has a characteristic zigzag ornament. The bottom and top are painted the same.

The triangular head has no bright spots; crossed dark stripes run from the eyes to the mouth. The pupils are elongated, slit-like.

Food

The snakes, devoid of poisonous glands, attack the victim suddenly. Since their main diet is birds, small rodents and lizards, they suffocate the victim by wrapping around it, and then suck it in completely. This process can take up to several hours.

Vipers also attack larger mammals. They can wait several hours for the moment of attack, after which they suddenly sting, injecting poison into the blood. After the bite, the victim leaves the battlefield, but the toxins, spreading through the blood, slowly kill him. The snake has been chasing the bitten all this time, and when he falls exhausted, he begins to suck him up.

The viper has enough distinctive features. When meeting with any snake, the main thing is not to show aggression, and then even a poisonous animal will not attack. Be careful in the forests and in summer cottages.

In the animal world, there are different kinds snakes and serpentine. One of the most famous representatives of this class, no doubt, are snakes. As a rule, snakes, unlike most snakes, do not pose any threat to humans, since they are completely non-venomous. It is quite simple to distinguish them from vipers: on the sides of the head, the snakes have clearly visible light spots of a crescent shape (usually yellow, off-white or orange). Sometimes there are individuals without spots, but extremely rarely.

The body of snakes is usually gray or dark gray, with a white belly, covered with ribbed scales. It is quite easy to distinguish between a male and a female due to their size. Females are usually much larger than males. The largest individuals reach a length of up to 1.5 m. The body of the snake is protected by a dense protective layer of scales, and the tails are different for everyone - sharp, thin and powerful in one species, short and rounded in another, and in the third - steep.

Snakes see pretty well in the dark. Apparently, due to this, they lead a predominantly twilight or nocturnal lifestyle. The eyes of snakes are very well developed, they have a round, vertical or oval pupil.

The habitat of snakes is limited to several European countries, but most of them are in Ukraine, as well as in most of Russia, including Siberia, Transbaikalia and South Karelia. These animals prefer different areas, but they prefer wet places. The most suitable living conditions for snakes are near rivers, swamps and lakes, in forest thickets, floodplain meadows and humid forest-steppes. They are not too afraid of people, so they live quietly in gardens, kitchen gardens and build dwellings in outbuildings. Rootstocks of trees, burrows and hollows, heaps of stones, hay in haystacks and other secluded places serve as a home for snakes.

There are two main varieties of snakes: ordinary and water. From the names it is clear that one is more adapted to life on land, and the second - in aquatic environment. Ordinary snakes perfectly crawl not only on the ground, but also climb trees, make their way through the thinnest cracks. Water snakes are excellent swimmers and divers, and can stay under water for long periods of time.

And if an ordinary snake can be found everywhere (both on land and in water), then the water snake lives only in water bodies. They love both salt and fresh waters.

The prey of snakes most often are small amphibians and fish, much less often - small invertebrates, mammals or birds. At the same time, they swallow their game, without killing, whole and alive. Surprisingly, fish up to 12-14 cm long and even small lizards are often found in the stomachs of snakes.

Winter snakes spend in groups. They climb into animal burrows, burrow into cracks in the soil. Sometimes up to several hundred of these animals can gather in winter quarters.

The mating season for snakes begins in May, immediately after spring molt. A couple of months after mating, the female lays 5 to 30 soft, small eggs. Quite often, the eggs stick together and form something like a honeycomb. Places for saving offspring female snakes choose wet places, well protected from access by other animals and humans. Usually these are rotten stumps, heaps of manure and abandoned burrows of various rodents.

Of course, snakes also have enemies. The first danger to them is serpent eagles, foxes, minks, raccoon dogs, and kites.

Usually, when danger approaches, snakes flee or pretend to be dead. A frightening factor for many predators who want to attack the snake is the unpleasant odor of the liquid secreted from the glands of the cloaca.

The worst thing that can happen to a person after meeting with a snake is poisoning, and then, in the case of an individual reaction of a person to serpentine bites.

Fear, as they say, has big eyes. And most of the inhabitants of our city often take for poisonous snakes quite harmless reptiles. From tomorrow, another portion of the long holiday weekend begins, people, according to tradition, will be drawn to nature and to water bodies, so meeting people with snakes is almost inevitable. I would like to warn the townspeople against both excessive carelessness and senseless cruelty.

Snakes are an integral part of the nature of our places. In the spring, when they have mating time, they often form real "tangles" of dozens of individuals, frightening impressionable citizens.

Employees children's center spiritual development "Rainbow", located right on the shore of the bay, encounters with snakes are treated calmly. The director of the Center, Anzhelika Gerasimova, once told with a laugh how she “rescued” the workers of the water utility who were carrying out repairs at Raduga: “How she dispersed the snake chickens - shoo-shoo-shoo!” This calmness did not arise from scratch: the employees of the environmental institution are well aware that in the floodplains of rivers and near water bodies Rostov region Venomous snakes are almost non-existent. In addition, snakes, occupying their natural "niche", are of great benefit, destroying rodents - carriers of dangerous infectious diseases.

The main inhabitants of the Don floodplain -already ordinary(photos 1 to 3), which is easily distinguished by orange or yellow spots behind the head, andalready watery(photo 4-6), which is unfairly called either a water viper or a chess snake - for a pattern of dark spots arranged in a checkerboard pattern. At the same time, snakes are quite variable in color and are often completely black. Therefore, if someone you know enthusiastically talks about “huge black snakes”, be sure: he met melanistic snakes, that is, black-colored snakes. And the “immenseness” was given to them by a lively human imagination.

Both types of snakes are not poisonous!And they are quite cowardly - when they meet a person, they try to “run away” or very convincingly pretend to be dead, they even smell accordingly. But an angry one may try to scare you by hissing and puffing up to look like a viper (6th photo). They grow up to one and a half meters, which scares the faint of heart vacationers even more.

The snakes are not poisonous either.- yellow-bellied snake, patterned snake and four-banded snake (photo 7-9). However, this is one of the largest snakes in Europe (up to 2 meters), moreover, it is quite aggressive - in case of real or imaginary danger, it more often rushes into the attack than "runs away". The snake is not capable of causing great harm - its bites are painful, but not dangerous (it’s better to go to the doctor to avoid inflammation), however, because of its quick temper, it suffers in vain. Therefore, it is listed in the Red Book - there is little of it left ...

Another thing - steppe viper (photo 10-12) . Rarely approaches water bodies of its own free will - it lives in dry steppes.Feeds on small animals and rodents.However, sometimes she has to change her habitat - due to plowing or building up her native steppes.

The viper is smaller than its non-poisonous counterparts: usually the length of an adult is 30-35 centimeters, less often - 50-60. But at the same time, the viper - the snake is more “thick” than snake or snake: its body and head are wider and more massive. A short, sharply tapering tail is well defined (in the snake and snake, on the contrary, the tail tapers gradually towards the tip). There is a dark zigzag pattern on the back, although melanists are also found among vipers.For people with good eyesight and strong nerves, the most reliable sign can be the shape of the pupils: in snakes and snakes, the pupils of the eyes are round, and in the viper, they are vertical, as it should be for a nocturnal animal. Yes, and the "portrait" of these snakes is completely different (compare the photo).

This snake is not aggressive. It never attacks a person first, it will try to crawl away.It only bites to protect its own life.

Viper venom is not fatal for an adult healthy person. Of course, with timely medical care, so the main rule for a viper bite is to immediately go to the hospital! In fact, her bites are dangerous only for small children and pets.

The most important rule when meeting with a snake is: avoid this very meeting! Already, a snake or a viper - it’s not always possible to figure it out right away. Just make way, you sentient being(I would like to believe in it). After all, the snake is in its home, and you are in its home.

Happy weekend to you!

Already - this is a snake that belongs to the class of reptiles, the scaly order, the suborder of snakes, the already-shaped family (lat. Colubridae).

The Russian name "already" may have come from the Old Slavonic "uzh" - "rope". At the same time, the Proto-Slavic word presumably comes from the Lithuanian angìs, which means "snake, snake." According to information from etymological dictionaries, these words may be related to the Latin word angustus, which translates as "narrow, cramped."

Types of snakes, photos and names

Below is short description several varieties of snakes.

• ordinary snake (Natrix natrix )

It has a length of up to 1.5 meters, but on average the size of the snake does not exceed 1 meter. The snake's habitat passes through Russia, North Africa, Asia and Europe, except for the northern regions. In southern Asia, the range border includes Palestine and Iran. characteristic distinguishing feature common snake is the presence of two bright, symmetrical spots on the back of the head, on the border with the neck. Spots with a black border are yellow, orange or off-white. Occasionally there are individuals with mild spots or no spots, that is, completely black common snakes. There are also albinos. The back of the snake is light gray, dark gray, sometimes almost black. Dark spots may be present on a gray background. The abdomen is light and has a long dark stripe that extends all the way to the snake's throat. Most often, the common snake is found along the banks of lakes, ponds, quiet rivers, in coastal shrubs and oak forests, in floodplain meadows, in old overgrown clearings, in beaver settlements, on old dams, under bridges and in other similar places. In addition, ordinary snakes settle next to human habitation. They make a home in the roots and hollows of trees, in haystacks, in burrows, in other secluded places, in gardens and orchards. They can settle down in basements, cellars, barns, woodpiles, in heaps of stones or garbage. In poultry farms, snakes like moist and warm bedding, and they get along well with poultry. They can even lay their eggs in abandoned chicken and duck nests. But next to large domestic animals that can trample them, snakes almost do not settle.

• Water already (Natrix tessellata )

Much like his close relative ordinary snake, but there are differences. It is more thermophilic and widespread in southern regions habitat of the genus of snakes - from the south-west of France to Central Asia. Also, water snakes live in the south of the European part of Russia and Ukraine (especially in the mouths of the rivers flowing into the Caspian and Black Sea), in Transcaucasia (very numerous on the islands of the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan), in Kazakhstan, in the Central Asian Republics, up to India, Palestine and North Africa in the south and to China in the east. Outside water bodies, snakes are extremely rare. Water snakes live on the coast of not only fresh water bodies, but also the seas. They swim well, can cope with the strong flow of mountain rivers, and stay under water for a long time. The water already has a color of olive, olive green, olive gray or olive brown in color with dark, almost staggered spots and stripes. By the way, Natrix tessellata literally translates from Latin as "chess snake". The belly of the snake is yellowish-orange or reddish, covered with dark spots. There are also individuals that do not have a pattern or completely black water snakes. Unlike an ordinary snake, there are no “signal” yellow-orange spots on the head of the water snake, but often there is a dark spot in the shape of the Latin letter V on the back of the head. The length of the water snake is on average 1 meter, but the largest individuals reach 1.6 meters. With the onset of morning, water snakes crawl out of their shelters and settle under the bushes or, literally, “hang out” on their crowns, and when the sun begins to bake, they go into the water. They hunt in the morning and evening. During the day they bask in the sun on stones, reeds, in the nests of water birds. Water is already non-aggressive and safe for humans. He is not able to bite at all, since instead of teeth he has plates to hold slippery prey. But because of its color, it is confused with a viper and is ruthlessly destroyed.

• Colchis, or big-headed (Natrix megalocephala )

Lives in Russia in the south Krasnodar Territory, in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia. Already lives in chestnut, hornbeam, beech forests, in thickets of laurel cherry, azaleas, alder, where there are glades and ponds, on tea plantations, near streams. Colchis snakes can be found high in the mountains. They are adapted to life in swift mountain streams. This snake differs from the ordinary grass snake in its broad, concave upper surface head and the absence of light spots on the back of the head in adults. The body of the big-headed snake is massive, from 1 to 1.3 m in length. The top of the body is black, the head is white below, the abdomen with a black and white pattern. In spring and autumn, Colchis is already active in the daytime, and in summer - in the morning and at dusk. The snakes living in the mountains are active in the mornings and evenings. Colchis is no longer dangerous to humans. He escapes from enemies by diving into the water, even despite the rapid flow of the river. The number of large-headed snakes is small and in recent times decreases. This is due to uncontrolled capture, with a decrease in the population of amphibians due to the development of river valleys, and with the destruction of snakes by raccoons. Conservation measures are required to preserve this species.

• viper already (Natrix maura )

Distributed in the countries of the Western and Southern Mediterranean, not found in Russia. Snakes live near ponds, lakes, calm rivers, swamps. The snakes of this species got their name because of a color similar to that of a viper: a black-brown pattern in the form of a zigzag strip with large eye spots on the sides of it stands out on a dark gray back. True, in some individuals the color is similar to water snakes, and there are also individuals with a plain gray or olive color. The abdomen is already yellowish, closer to the tail in reddish and black spots. The average length of the reptile is 55-60 cm, large individuals reach 1 meter. Females are larger and heavier than males.

• Brindle already (Rhabdophis tigrinus )

Lives in Russia in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, distributed in Japan, Korea, Northeast and East China. Settles near water bodies, among moisture-loving vegetation. But also found in mixed forests, away from water bodies, in treeless spaces and on the seashore. Tiger snake is one of the most beautiful snakes in the world, the length of which can reach 1.1 meters. The back of the snake can be dark olive, dark green, blue, light brown, black. Juveniles are usually dark grey. The dorsal and lateral dark spots give the snake a tiger-striped appearance. Adult snakes have characteristic red-orange, red and brick red spots between dark stripes in the front of the body. The upper lip is already yellow. The snake defends itself from predators by releasing the poisonous secretion of their special neck glands. Brindle is already capable, like a cobra, to lift and inflate its neck. When people are bitten by enlarged back teeth and poisonous saliva enters the wound, symptoms are observed, as with a viper bite.

Taken from: www.snakesoftaiwan.com

• Shiny tree snake (Dendrelaphis pictus)

Distributed in Southeast Asia. Found near human settlements, in fields and forests. It lives on trees and bushes. It has a brown or bronze color, a light stripe bordered by black stripes is located on the sides. There is a black "mask" on the muzzle. it non-venomous snake with a long, thin tail, making up a third of her body.

• Angler Schneider(Xenotrophis piscator )

It lives in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, some islands of Indonesia, western Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Taiwan. Lives in small rivers and lakes, in ditches, in rice fields. The color of the snake is olive green or olive brown with light or dark spots that form a checkerboard pattern. The abdomen is light. The length is 1.2 m. The head of the snake is slightly expanded, has a conical shape. Non-poisonous fishermen are aggressive and fast. They hunt mainly during the day, but often at night.

• Eastern earthen already(Virginia valeriae )

Distributed in the eastern United States: from Iowa and Texas to New Jersey and Florida. It differs from other species in its smooth scales. A small snake, the length of which does not exceed 25 cm. The color of the snake is brown, tiny black spots can be observed on the back and sides, the abdomen is light. Ground snakes lead a burrowing lifestyle, live in loose soil, under rotten logs and in leaf litter.

• Shrub green(Philothamnus semivariegatus )

A non-venomous snake that is found throughout most of Africa, excluding arid regions and the Sahara Desert. Green snakes live in dense vegetation: on trees, in shrubs growing along rocks and riverbeds. The body of reptiles is long, with a thin tail and a slightly flattened head. The body of the snake is bright green with dark spots, the head is bluish. Scales with pronounced keels. Active during the day. It is not dangerous for a person. Feeds on lizards

• Japanese already ( Hebius vibakari)

One of the types of snakes found on the territory of Russia, namely on Far East: in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, as well as the Amur Region. Distributed in Japan, East China and Korea. Inhabits forests in these regions, thickets of bushes, meadows in the forest zone, abandoned gardens. The length of the snake is up to 50 cm. The color is monochromatic: dark brown, brown, chocolate, brown-red with a greenish tinge. The abdomen is light, yellowish or greenish. Small snakes are light brown or more often black. The non-poisonous Japanese already leads a secretive life, hiding under the ground, stones and trees. It feeds mainly on earthworms.

How do snakes reproduce?

The main part of snakes reproduces by laying eggs. Some species, such as the American snake, are ovoviviparous. And in some varieties, the beginnings of live birth are observed (for example, in the species Thamnophis sirtalis).

Male snakes reach puberty at the age of 3, females - at the 4th or 5th. There are snakes that become sexually mature when their body reaches a certain size.

Usually mating season already comes in the spring. Immediately, or 1-2 weeks after leaving the winter, snakes begin to mate. At ordinary snakes“courtship” occurs as follows: the male, approaching the female, shakes his head from side to side, then tightly presses against her from the side or back, rubs against her, wraps his tail around her. Sometimes several males gather around the female, forming the so-called "nuptial ball". But the males do not fight among themselves, but only try to interfere with each other. Mating takes place in late April - early May, and in late June - early July, snakes lay eggs. If the summer is cold, these dates are shifted to a later time.

In some species, mating occurs in autumn. This is typical, for example, for water snakes. In this case, the fertilized eggs are laid by the female the following summer.

The snake eggs are covered with a white leathery film, consisting of microscopic fibers impregnated with a sticky protein. They may have different shape: oblong, rounded, pear-shaped. The sizes of eggs and masonry are different, depending on the type of snakes, the age and length of the female. Often clutches are "collective" and can contain up to 1000 eggs.

For laying eggs, snakes use secluded warm and humid places: heaps of humus, old straw, fallen leaves, rotten stumps, damp moss, loose bedding under stones. The incubation period lasts 1-2 months. The initial stages of development of the embryo takes place in the body of the mother. From the egg, the duckling hatches with the help of a special egg tooth, which makes cuts in the shell. The length of newborns is different for different types snake. Newborn snakes immediately crawl away and lead an independent lifestyle.

Enemies of snakes in nature

The snakes have no protective equipment, they can only scare or run away and hide. A great danger to the snake is a person. Many mammals (foxes, minks, martens, raccoon dogs), predatory or big birds(serpent eagles, storks, kites), as well as some snakes, include snakes in their diet. Rodents destroy their nests. Rats eat their clutches and small snakes. Young snakes are threatened even by their future food: frogs, toads, fish, insects.

• In nature, two-headed snakes are often born. For example, every fiftieth newborn water already has 2 heads. True, such individuals do not live long.
• He never shows his belly to the enemy. You can see the color of the abdomen only during the "imaginary death" or when removed from the shelter during wintering.
• The prey swallowed by the snake remains undigested in the stomach for some time, and if the caught snake, defending itself, regurgitates food, then the recently eaten frogs or fish remain alive and unharmed.
• Many tales are told about snakes: that reptiles hypnotize frogs during a hunt or suck milk from a cow's udder. In fact, this is fiction.
• Already - this is a reptile that quickly gets used to a person. He is easy to tame. But keeping snakes at home is troublesome. Already eats only living food, that is, that which moves. It is also difficult to maintain the desired temperature in the terrarium.
• Since ancient times, there have been many tales and beliefs about these reptiles, according to which it is the keeper of treasures and treasures, the lord of all reptiles.
• In the old days, in the villages of Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic states, snakes lived in the house and caught mice no worse than cats. They were fed, specially leaving a jug of milk open. He has always been a guard, both as a magical symbol and as a rodent exterminator. The destruction or expulsion of the snake was considered unacceptable, as this threatened the house with misfortune.

Few can boast that they favorably refer to "creeping bastards." Although, in the European part of Russia, meeting a poisonous snake is a rarity. Much more often, mushroom pickers, fishermen and hunters meet an ordinary snake, which is mistaken for poisonous viper. Of course, these snakes have similarities, but at the moment of danger it is better to know exactly who is in front of you - a harmless snake or its dangerous brother.

Appearance

snakes fairly large snakes. Some individuals reach a length of one and a half meters, although the more usual sizes are about 75 cm. The predominant colors are gray and black, sometimes olive with spots that are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. On the snake's body, you can see the transition of colors: the closer to the head, the lighter the color. A distinctive feature of all snakes is yellow, white or orange spots on the head, in the ear area. They are called “yellow ears”. The head of the snake is slightly oval in shape, the tail is long and thin. And, finally, poisonous teeth are absent in already-shaped ones.

- small snake The largest individuals reach 50 cm. But you should not focus on colors, since in vipers it is too diverse: from gray and black to purple. There is one more distinguishing feature, but it may also be absent in some individuals, this is a dark zigzag on the back, which is stretched throughout the body. The tail of the viper is short, rounded, and the body is thick. The muzzle is shaped like a triangle.

Habitat

Snakes love dampness and swim well, so they can often be found near water bodies. But main reason choice of habitat is that the favorite delicacy of snakes is frogs. Sometimes, in order to feast on frogs, snakes penetrate vegetable gardens, summer cottages, where they sow panic among summer residents. Snakes hide under the roots of trees, stones, in the holes of mice. In captivity, the snake can be tamed, it easily adapts to new living conditions.

Vole mice predominate in the viper's diet, respectively, and the habitat of these poisonous snakes is limited to forests, where there are dense thickets and the ability to hide from prying eyes. But in captivity, vipers do not live long, as they refuse any food and soon die of exhaustion.

Character

Already non-aggressive. They will never be the first to attack a person. If you catch a snake, then after a short resistance and imitation of a viper (hissing, an attempt to bite the offender), it will pretend to be dead. Another protection option is an unpleasant odor that exudes in danger. It scares away many animals.

The viper also tries to stay away from a person, but if it is hurt or provoked, it will attack. This snake is ready to take revenge on any offender, even if it is an inanimate object. She does this for a long time and frantically, not paying attention to the dimensions of the offender and his attitude to the attacks on her part. There are cases when the viper fought with a stick, a stone, and even its own shadow, which seemed dangerous to it.

Findings site

1. Snakes are longer than vipers and have a thinner and elongated body.
2. The snakes have a distinctive feature in color - "yellow ears", many vipers have a zigzag stripe along the back.
3. The head of snakes is oval, while that of vipers is triangular.
4. Absence of poisonous teeth main characteristic already.
5. More often you will meet snakes near water bodies, vipers prefer forests.
6. Snakes feed on frogs, vipers mainly on mice.
7. Already-shaped easily endure captivity, vipers survive exclusively in the natural environment.