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The life cycle of a snake depends on its species, which differs from one species to the next. Snakes are among the most dangerous serpents and are quite different from other reptiles.
- They come under the category of reptiles because they can survive in water and inland like forests, deserts, and so on.
- There are more than 2900 species of snakes all over the world.
- They are divided into two types: one is venomous, and the other is non-venomous.
- Around 600 are venomous out of 2900 species of snakes.
- Parthenogenesis is a process by which some uncommon species of snakes lay eggs without mating.
- You all must be familiar with the king cobra, the most dangerous snake in the world.
- It belongs to the category of venomous snakes.
- The non-venomous snakes attack their prey by strangling them and swallowing them alive.
- Here, we will have a closer look at the life cycle of a snake and discuss some important questions.
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Key Terms: Life Cycle of Snake, Snake Life Cycle, Types of Snakes, Snakes, Venomous Snakes, Non-Venomous Snake, Egg, Young Snake, Adult Snake, Mating, Parthenogenesis, Reptiles
Snake
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A snake is a long, elongated reptile with no legs or wings. They do not have eyelids and ears. Their body shapes can be different based on their species.
- Snakes have a patterned body.
- They have a long, sharp tongue and a bigger mouth with teeth.
- With their big mouth, they can swallow easily without chewing.
- We have studied that all species of snakes are not the same in skin colour.
- Moreover, they have a moveable body.
- Snakelets, or newly hatched snakes, find their food in the form of small rodents or reptiles for their survival.
- To accommodate their narrow bodies, snakes organs are placed in front of each other instead of side by side.
- Each of the snakes has only one functional lung.
Snake
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Life Cycle of a Snake
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The life cycle of a snake includes everything that takes place until they get mature. It includes the complete development of the snakes. The snakes can be born as eggs or as a snake, it depends on their species.
The Egg - Stage 1
When male and female snakes mate, the male snake transfers his sperm into the oviduct of the female snakes. The female snakes store the sperm in her oviduct for 1-2 months.
- Once the fertilization is done, the female snake lays down her eggs.
- These eggs are 10 to 15 in number.
- Eggs are white in color, large in size and soft leather-skinned.
- The female snake protects their eggs till the hatching process.
- Hatching is the process when a snake comes out from the eggs.
- They hatch the eggs with their tooth and try to come out from the shell.
- Most of the snakes produce their eggs during summers.
- Some snakes give live birth to their baby; they do not produce eggs they just give an internal birth to their baby.
- They give birth to their babies by hatching their eggs or by giving internal birth.
Young Snake (Snakelet) - Stage 2
During the laying process, the baby snakes emerge like snakes by hatching their shells. They break the shells with their teeth. The female snakes protect their eggs only until they lay them.
- After the laying process, they leave their eggs and don’t care about the baby snakes.
- These baby snakes are called snake lets.
- They eat all the small reptiles and feed themselves.
- Snakes let eat rats, lizards, mice and other small animals.
- These snakes can extend their tongue and can feel the external essence.
- They can shed their skin up to 4 times a year.
- These reptiles want to become adults as soon as possible; that’s why they shed their skin more.
Adult Snake - Stage 3
The snake becomes mature sexually within a span of 2 to 3 years. Being an adult they become a proper snake within some time. They can change their skin one or two times a year.
- These snakes start feeding themselves with all the food a snake eats.
- They eat all the other snakes, reptiles and other animals.
- Adult Snakes can eat rats, deer, lizards, and pigs, too.
- They have a wider mouth, and they can swallow the whole animal without chewing it.
- In the adult stage, they are also capable of producing new eggs to run their lifecycle.
Life Cycle of a Snake
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Things to Remember
- Snakes fall under the order squamata and also under the suborder serpentes.
- They can eat animals that are larger than their head.
- These reptiles don’t have eyelids, so when they sleep, their eyes remain enclosed.
- Snakes can smell with their tongue.
- They are reptiles possessing an elongated body, no legs or wings and are carnivorous by nature.
- The largest snake around the world is green anaconda.
- You may not be aware, but some large birds and animals can also frighten snakes.
Sample Questions
Ques: What is the difference between a venomous and a non-venomous snake? (2 marks)
Ans: Difference between venomous and non-venomous snakes are as follows:
- Venomous snake- A venomous snake is large. Their heads are of triangular shapes. They are more poisoned than non-venomous snakes. They are very few venomous snakes. They produce venom which helps them to kill the animals.
- Non-venomous snakes- Non-venomous snakes are not too much larger. They have rounder eyes and a rounder head. They are non-poisoned snakes. There is a large number of non-venomous snakes in the world. They do not produce venom.
Ques: What is the lifespan of a snake? (2 marks)
Ans: The snakes come under the category of reptiles. The lifespan of every animal is different from each other but the lifespan of a snake can be extended to 100 years. It depends on health, nutrition, genetics, and some other things. If a snake has good health and gets nutrition then there are chances that it may live for 100 years. The wild snakes die soon. The lifespan of a captivated snake is more than a wild snake.
Ques: What is the food of the snakes? What do they eat? (2 marks)
Ans: Snakes are the meat-eaters. They eat only meat. Due to this, they are called carnivores. They eat all the reptiles, they also eat other snakes. Other kinds of reptiles they eat are fish, birds, slugs, mammals, snails, leeches and earthworms but some snakes only eat certain things they only eat small insects and do not eat all kinds of snakes.
Ques: When does the snake become sexually active? (2 marks)
Ans: After entering the adult age, the snakes start growing faster. They grow throughout their lifetime, but they grow slowly. The male snakes get mature earlier on another side the female out mature slowly. The female ones get sexually active when they are likely to produce eggs. Other snakes become sexually active based on their species.
Ques: Answer the following questions: (A) What is the maximum age of a snake?
(B) What is the death age of snake? (4 marks)
Ans: (A) Depending on the species and habitat, snakes need two to four years to reach sexual maturity. Under ideal circumstances, adult snakes can live up to 30 years; nevertheless, most snakes' lifespans are severely limited by encroaching people and natural predators.
(B) There isn't a snake species that can live for 500 years. The oldest snakes known to science, including certain python and boa species, usually survive between thirty and forty years in the wild.
Ques: When the snakes are active? (2 marks)
Ans: The snakes are more active during the summer season. They are likely to be more active in the day than the night. They are cold-blooded so they need heat. During summers they are more active so they went out in a day during summer to get heat. They are very less active on nights. There are very few snakes that can see at night.
Ques: Did snake eats bigger animals? (2 marks)
Ans: Snakes can’t chew anything. Instead of chewing they just swallow the whole thing. Snakes always eat bigger animals. Eating bigger foods can only stop their cravings. They have a slower metabolism so big animals are a must for them. Snakes are very different from other servants their food, their life everything is different, they like to eat bigger only.
Ques: Why do snakes shed their skin? (2 marks)
Ans: Snakes need to shed their skin because their skin can’t grow with them. They need to change their skin on time because if they shed their skin they can produce more. It’s a healthier thing snakes do for a healthy life. It’s also an amazing thing. They grow only if they shed their skin on time. Snakes shed their old skin to get a new one.
Ques: How the female snakes lay their eggs? (3 marks)
Ans: After the female & male snakes mate. The male snake transfers its sperm into the oviduct of the female snake. A female snake stores the sperm into her oviduct for 2 months. After the fertilization process is done the female snakes are ready for the laying process. A female lay their legs at dry places these eggs are up to 15 in numbers. It means female snakes lay 10-15 eggs at one time. The female snakes expelled their eggs through the uterine.
Ques: Where do snakes live? (2 marks)
Ans: Snakes are cold-blooded reptiles, meaning they don’t have the ability to make their own body heat. This is the reason why they can be found in warmer areas around the world except for Iceland, Ireland etc which are known to be coldest countries. Different kinds of snakes can be seen grovelling around in places like forests, deserts, prairies and even in the water which helps them to stay warmer.
Ques: What is a king cobra lifespan? (2 marks)
Ans: The deadly king cobra is a venomous snake. Poisonous fluid known as venom is contained in a venomous snake's bite. An elephant could be killed by the fatal bite of a king cobra. An oviparous snake, or one that lays eggs, is a king cobra. A female king cobra lays her eggs in a nest and tends to them until they hatch. The babies may survive on their own as soon as they hatch. A king cobra's life span in the wild is roughly 20 years.
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