Vocabulary Words
- Brumation – – a state of being sluggish and inactive that cold blooded animals, such as a snake, use during very cold winters (hibernation-like). Bruma means winter in latin.
- Oviparous – animals that lay eggs which then develop and hatch into young animals.
- Milksnake – a type of Kingsnake that is common in Connecticut, found around houses and barns, and does not have venom.
- Ecdysis – the process of a reptile shedding its skin.
Fun Facts
- Its frequent occurrence in rodent-infested barns led to the erroneous belief that they suck milk from cows by night; hence the name Milksnake.
- Meigs Point Nature Center has had its Milksnake for about 18 years.
- Snakes shed their skins to grow and remove parasites. You know that it is about to shed its skin when a snake’s eyes get cloudy and its skin color is dull.
- People often think that a Milksnake is venomous due to red coloring in its skin and its eyes. They can also mimic the sound of the rattlesnake.
