The Thrills In Our Neighborhood
One would think that living in the middle of Austin we wouldn't have much wildlife but where we live we have a protected creek on one side and a protected wildlife area on the other. This morning, as our kids were out playing, our neighbor came over to let us know the he had killed a Coral snake that was sunning on their driveway. Our girls love to spend time at their house and especially at their carport.
I had never seen a Coral snake so I went to take a look at it. We pulled out of the trash can, the neighbor had cut it's head off, and it was as colorful as you would expect. It was also very small...only about 2 feet long. All I could think of was "red touches yellow, kill a fellow". Since the girls followed us over I took it as an opportunity to teach them about the snake and what they should do if they ever see a snake. Not sure Chloe go it, she kept saying "animals like to smell your hand".
I almost didn't tell Denise because she worries too much.
Here are some facts about a Coral snake:
- The coral snake is likely the most gaudy of North American venomous snakes. This snake has a multitude of natural mimics which try to pose as the dangerous coral.
- The beauty of this snake represents a true danger as small children may readily pick it up to show parents, thus providing ample opportunity for a bite from this otherwise rather docile reptile.
- The snake is classed with several Old World species like the neurotoxic cobras, kraits, and mambas.
- Typically very small by comparison, averaging only 20 inches or so, this snake is seldom seen and tends to be very nocturnal. The snake spends much of its life underground in cracks and crevices.
- The grooved jaw along with tiny hollow fixed fangs assure that the coral has a poor delivery system for getting its venom into the victim. However, the coral snake does not have to "chew" its victim to inflict a painfully venomous bite, contrary to popular myth. The diet of the coral snake consists primarily of small lizards, snakes, reptiles and amphibians.
- When disturbed the coral snake often lays its head out of sight and rattles its flattened elevated tail and emits a popping sound with its vent lining.
- The coral snake lays a clutch of 2 to 3 eggs in the summer and, unlike the live-young bearing pit vipers, is the only poisonous snake in North America to lay eggs.
