What does a brindle look like? Tiger snake (Rhabdophis tigrina)

Tourism and rest 21.08.2019
Tourism and rest

According to the structure of the skull and the location of the poisonous teeth, the tiger already belongs to the back-furrowed snakes, just the large teeth are located in the depths of the oral cavity.

External signs of a tiger snake

In terms of body structure, it is similar to an ordinary snake and reaches a length of 1 meter. In the back of the head, under the skin, 10-19 pairs of nucho-dorsal glands are visible, hidden under a small skin roller.

The scales are covered with longitudinal ribs, which are clearly defined. Big eyes with a round pupil. The last two teeth in the upper jaw are large, curved backwards, and are separated from the rest of the teeth by a small gap. The coloration of the skin of a tiger snake is distinguished by its variegated shades.

This is one of the most beautiful reptiles from the collection of Russian herpetofauna. The upperparts are bright green, sometimes dark green or dark olive, fading to light brown or almost black. On the main background, black stripes are located across, which are divided into lateral and dorsal spots. The edges of the scales, located in front of the body, are colored intensely - red or orange-red. This feature of the skin is characteristic only for adults. The head on the sides is decorated with 2 noticeable black spots. The first is at the temple, and the second is in the shape of a triangle, stretching through the lower edge of the eye to the very upper jaw.

The spread of the tiger snake

Already tiger in Russia lives only in the Khabarovsk Territory and Primorye. It is found in Eastern China, on the islands of Japan, lives in Korea.

Habitats of the tiger snake

Already tiger adheres to wet habitats. Selects areas in proximity to swamps, ponds, wet lowlands with a dense grassy cover. In the absence of water bodies, it inhabits deciduous and mixed forests, as well as wet meadows. In such areas, this species of reptiles is quite numerous and widespread; on a permanent 3 km route, up to 44 individuals come across.


Tiger snake nutrition

The basis of the diet of the tiger snake is amphibians: toads and frogs, sometimes fish.

Features of the behavior of a tiger snake

Tiger snakes hibernate in abandoned burrows of mouse-like rodents or in hollows underground, forming clusters of several hundred snakes.

They react to danger by lifting vertically upper part body. This defensive, flat-necked posture is similar to that of a cobra opening its hood.

In addition, tiger snakes make body throws towards the enemy, accompanying these body movements with a loud hiss. The caustic substance produced by the nucho-dorsal glands irritates the predator's oral cavity, and he immediately leaves his prey. However, tiger snakes are not so harmless snakes and can inflict bites themselves, but short teeth usually do not stick too deeply, the poison does not get into the blood. Back-furrowed snakes seem to chew on the victim. But if the skin is scratched by long back teeth hidden deep in the oral cavity, the poison enters the bloodstream and causes severe poisoning of the body.


Keeping a tiger snake in a terrarium

The conditions for breeding tiger snakes in captivity are the same, as are the features of breeding common snakes. The temperature in the terrarium is maintained within 28-30 degrees. Reptiles breed well in captivity, possibly without wintering, although experts recommend not disturbing the natural cycle in snakes. Mating usually occurs in February or March, but may occur later if wintering is prolonged.

After 48 days, the female lays 8-22 eggs, they differ in size 2.7-3.5 X 1.6-2.0 mm and weigh twenty grams. Embryos in eggs develop at a temperature of 27-30 degrees and ninety percent humidity. The incubation period is 34-38 days. Young snakes have a body length of 15-20 cm. A week after birth, the supper offspring molt. Growth in young snakes is fast, and at the age of one and a half years they are able to produce offspring.

Poisonous properties of tiger snake

Tiger snakes do not have real, that is, glands with poison developed from the upper jaw. And the poisonous properties of reptiles are determined by Duvernoy's gland, into which the salivary gland has turned.


But, despite the obvious difference, the poisonous secret has not lost its properties. Although the strength of the poison is less pronounced than that of other poisonous reptiles: muzzle, cobras, vipers. Therefore, the tiger snake is called a "conditionally poisonous" snake, meaning that it has poisonous teeth hidden deep inside the mouth.

Photo by Vladimir Mikheev

Description

This is a slender snake, reaching a meter in length, with a physique similar to real snakes. Under the skin of the back, behind the head, she has from 10 to 19 pairs of nucho-dorsal glands, visible from the outside by small ridges on the skin. Scales with pronounced longitudinal ribs. The eyes are large, the pupil is round. In the mouth, the last two maxillary teeth are greatly enlarged, bent back and separated from the rest of the teeth by a clear gap. Tiger already - one of the most beautiful, and, of course, the most elegant of the species of snakes found in Russia. The upper side of the body is dark green, dark olive, light brown, blue or almost black, but most often bright green. On this background, there are usually distinct black transverse stripes, sometimes divided into transverse dorsal and lateral spots. In the anterior part of the body, the edges of the scales in the intervals between the stripes are bright red or orange-red. These orange and red spots only appear in adults. There are two bright black spots on the sides of the head: one is located in the temporal region, the other, triangular, connects the lower edge of the eye with the upper jaw. The eyes are large and black.

Brindle already common in Korea, East China and the Japanese islands. In Russia, it is found only in Primorye and in the south of the Khabarovsk Territory. This snake loves wet habitats. Keeps near water bodies, in swamps or in damp lowlands with dense vegetation. Away from water bodies, it settles in mixed and deciduous forests as well as in the meadows. In places like this, it's enough numerous species; met up to 44 specimens on a permanent three-kilometer route.

For the winter, it hides in rodent burrows or in vast underground chambers that serve as a collective wintering place for Far Eastern snakes.

In case of danger, it vertically raises the front of the body. At the same time, his neck becomes flat, like a cobra unfolding its hood. The defender is already hissing and lunging towards the enemy. Nukho-dorsal glands secrete a caustic secret, which, falling into the mouth of a predator that inadvertently grabbed a tiger snake, makes it immediately release the prey. On occasion, the tiger can bite the enemy himself. Its saliva is poisonous, but the short teeth usually do not bite through a person's body deeply enough for the poison to enter the bloodstream. However, if the snake succeeds in inflicting a bite with long back teeth located deep, severe poisoning can occur, accompanied by the same symptoms as with a viper bite.

This snake is similar in its biology and conditions to real snakes, only its temperature should be slightly higher (28-30 ° C). Like the common grass snake, the brindle snake breeds easily in captivity, although wintering is desirable, but not required. Depending on the duration and timing of wintering, mating dates can be shifted to any months of the year, but usually this is February-March. The duration of pregnancy is 48 days. The second clutch from snakes can be obtained in June-July. The number of eggs in clutches varies from 8 to 22, their dimensions are usually 27-35 mm x 16-20 mm, with a weight of about 20 g. The duration of incubation of eggs at a temperature of 27-30 ° C and 90% humidity is 34-38 days. The young hatch with a body length of 150-200 mm. Their first molt takes place a week after birth. The young grow quickly and at the age of one year they begin to show signs of sexual activity, and at 18 months they become sexually mature.

Like the common snake, the tiger is a real "frog-eater", it feeds mainly on black-spotted and Far Eastern frogs, as well as toads and other tailless amphibians. However, it can also eat fish.

Tiger already - "conditionally poisonous" snake

Tiger already belongs to the group of "conditionally poisonous" snakes, that is, his poisonous teeth are located not in front, but deep in his mouth. Unlike many other poisonous snakes (vipers, muzzles, etc.), the poisonous teeth of a tiger snake are located behind - at the posterior edges of the upper jaw and are separated from others by a toothless gap. Therefore, the bite with these teeth is not always applied even in the case of successful throws at the enemy. Since the teeth are located deep in the mouth on the posterior edge of the maxillary bone, the Tiger already can only bite the victim in the mouth. All this should be taken into account by beginner terrariumists. They feed, as a rule, on lizards and frogs, injecting poison into them in the process of swallowing. Although tiger snakes do not pose a direct danger to humans, since the usual bite uses non-poisonous teeth located in front. However, if a bite with poisonous teeth does occur, typical poisoning occurs. snake venom, sometimes with fatal. For a long time this snake in Russia was considered non-venomous. However, in Japan, statistics of poisoning with its poison have long been kept, and deaths are known.

According to their anatomical features (the structure of the skull and the venomous apparatus), Tiger snakes belong to the posteriorly furrowed snakes, that is, they have teeth that increase in size towards the pharynx, in other words, large teeth are located deep in the mouth. When bitten, back-furrowed snakes, as it were, chew the victim. This family of snakes does not have true, that is, phylogenetically derived from the upper jaw, poisonous glands, but have Duvernoy's gland, anatomically developed from the salivary gland. The secret of this gland also has a poisonous effect, but less pronounced than in other types of snakes.

A - Already-shaped (Tiger already), B - Asps, C - Vipers

1 - poisonous gland, 2 - gland duct, 3 - poisonous teeth, 4 - drainage cavity of a poisonous tooth, 5 - groove for draining poison, 6 - canal of a poisonous tooth

Many are interested in poisonous or not? If so, what species are dangerous and where are they found? As well as first aid for snake bites. There are several types of snakes, but in our area only the most common Common snake is found. These snakes are oily green in color with dark stripes, have Round eyes and reach approximately 100-130 cm in length. They usually live near water and wetlands. They eat insects, small fish, frogs, rodents.

ordinary snake

Eggs are laid at the beginning of summer, and young growth appears closer to autumn. For the most part, people are no longer attacked, this is done by vipers, which are very similar to them and, therefore, they are often confused. There were, of course, cases when he already bit a person, but these bites are not dangerous even during the mating season. Most often, in self-defense, these reptiles emit a fetid odor or pretend to be dead. Thus, it is clear that ordinary snakes are not dangerous to people in any way and they are not poisonous. But still there is a species whose bite can take life.

Brindle Already

Yes, it is Tiger Adders that are poisonous. If their saliva enters the blood of a person, then poisoning will occur, the symptoms of which are like a bite of a viper. This snake also reaches about a meter in length, it is similar in physique to ordinary snakes. It is distinguished only by the fact that under the skin of the back, behind the head, it has about 19 pairs of nucho-dorsal glands, they are visible from the outside along small ridges on the skin. There are two teeth in the mouth, which are greatly enlarged, bent back and separated from the rest of the teeth by a gap.

Brindle already

They are the ones who bite the prey. The Tiger Already lives in Korea, East China and on the islands of Japan. But a few years ago he was also seen in Russia, in the Yaroslavl region. Then this news caused a lot of panic among local residents. They were afraid to go out into nature, walk in forests and parks, because in our country there is not even an antidote for this snake. There were also deaths. Scientists biologists said that this species crossed with ordinary snakes and therefore multiplied greatly. But it seems that in 2017 nothing was heard about Tiger Already. Most likely it died out in our climate, so there is nothing more to be afraid of.

First aid for a bite

If, nevertheless, someone is unlucky and he meets the Tiger Snake on his way, which will bite him, then you need to immediately call a doctor, but until he arrives:

  • Take a horizontal position and try not to move;
  • Let someone take care of sucking the poison out of the wound. This can be done with a rubber bulb, syringe, pipette. But if they are not at hand, then it is possible by mouth, if there is no damage to the mucosa;
  • Treat the wound with alcohol;
  • Bandage her tightly;
  • To drink a lot of water.

But even if the person has been bitten by a poisonous person or not, it is still better to immediately contact the specialists in order to be sure that there will be no consequences.

Tiger already belongs to the genus long-toothed snakes. it interesting snakes from a small group of bright, colorful and extremely interesting reptiles in terms of species diversity.

External signs of a tiger snake

Tiger snake is a slender snake with a body length of more than a meter, similar to real snakes. Behind the head under the skin of the back, it has 10-19 pairs of nucho-dorsal glands, visible from the outside by small ridges on the skin. Scales with distinct longitudinal ribs.

The last two maxillary teeth in the oral cavity are greatly enlarged, bent backwards and separated from the rest of the teeth by a noticeable gap. Tiger already - one of the most beautiful views snake.

The dorsal side of the body is dark green, dark olive, light brown, blue or almost black, but usually bright green. Against this background, black transverse stripes are noticeable, sometimes divided into transverse dorsal and spots on the sides. The edges of the scales in the intervals between the stripes are bright red or orange-red. On the sides of the head, two bright black spots are clearly distinguished: one in the temple area, the other, triangular, along the lower edge of the eye. The eyes are large, black, the pupil is round

The spread of the tiger snake

Tiger snakes inhabit the mainland zone of Southeast Asia and adjacent islands. The genus includes about 23-25 ​​species, four of them live in the Philippines, two inhabit the floodplain forests and lowlands of Sri Lanka and India, four species live in Malaysia. Tiger snakes are widely settled in Korea, East China and the Japanese islands. In Russia, the range of the snake is located only in Primorye and in the south of the Khabarovsk Territory.


The tiger snake is a brightly colored snake.

Habitats of the tiger snake

Tiger already settles in places with a constant level of humidity, preferring to stay near water bodies, in damp lowlands with dense vegetation and in swamps.

The snake is found far from water bodies in mixed and deciduous forests, as well as in meadows. In wet places tiger already - quite a numerous species of reptiles.

Hibernation of tiger snakes

Tiger snakes fall into short-term hibernation in winter. Snakes congregate in rodent burrows, under rocks, in small crevices, snags, fallen trees, or in vast underground chambers and endure adverse conditions there.

Features of the behavior of a tiger snake

A disturbed tiger tends to quickly crawl away, but if this fails, then the snake assumes a defensive posture: vertically raises the body in front and makes the neck flat, like a cobra unfolding its hood. At the same time, it hisses and rushes towards the enemy. Poisonous glands secrete a caustic substance, which, getting into the mouth of a predator, makes him immediately release the prey.


The saliva of a reptile is poisonous, but the short teeth usually do not bite through human skin so deeply that the poison penetrates into the bloodstream. If the poison enters the body, severe poisoning occurs, accompanied by the same symptoms as with a viper bite.

Tiger snake nutrition

Tiger already feeds on frogs, as well as toads and other tailless amphibians. Hunts for fish and their fry

Reproduction of tiger snakes

Tiger snakes usually mate in February-March. The female carries eggs for 48 days. Possible second laying in June-July. The number of eggs in clutches is 8-22, measuring 2.7-3.5 cm x 1.6-2.0 cm and weighing about 20 grams. The embryos develop at a temperature of 27-30°C and a humidity of 90 percent within 34-38 days. Young snakes appear 15-20 centimeters long. A week later, the first molt passes. At the age of 18 months, young snakes are able to breed and produce offspring.


Keeping tiger snake in captivity

Tiger snakes quickly adapt to captivity. Snakes are quite unpretentious, so they feel quite favorably in a medium-sized horizontal terrarium. It should arrange a few secluded shelters, be sure to put a small flat container with water and attach a few branches for climbing.

Possibly put houseplants in pots, but in this case, breakage of stems or leaves should be expected. It is best to choose plant species with strong stems and leaves, or with creeping stems - mosses, tradescantia, philodendrons.

To create a beautiful interior, you can plant a part of the pool with aquatic plants - salvinia, riccia, pondweed and other floating species. Arranging a terrarium for tiger snakes is a matter of taste for the owner, but at the same time, one should not forget that the main thing is to create comfortable living conditions that are as close as possible to natural environment reptile habitat.

When keeping several tiger snakes together, they should be fed separately.

Tiger already - "conditionally poisonous snake"

Tiger snake is considered to be a "conditionally poisonous" snake. The fact is that his poisonous teeth are not located in front of the jaw, but deep in the oral cavity and are separated from the others by a toothless gap. Tiger snakes do not have real, that is, phylogenetically originated from the upper jaw, poisonous glands, and in the process of evolution they had Duvernoy's gland, which anatomically developed from the salivary gland. The substance of this gland also has poisonous properties, but not to the same extent as in other types of snakes.

Long-toothed snakes (Rhabdophis) are snakes from a genus of bright, colorful and extremely interesting reptiles, modest in species diversity, whose distribution area is the mainland zone of Southeast Asia and adjacent islands. The genus includes about 23-25 ​​species, four of which are found in the Philippines, two inhabit the floodplain forests and lowlands of Sri Lanka and India, four species live in Malaysia

The rest are more widely distributed, but only one species of long-toothed snakes - the brindle snake - reaches the northern border of its distribution zone within Russia. This beautiful and very interesting in content and behavior representative of the family will be discussed in this article.


The tiger snake is a slender snake, reaching more than a meter in length, there were specimens up to one hundred and thirty centimeters long. external structure head and body similar to real snakes. Under the skin of the back, behind the head, she has from 10 to 19 pairs of nucho-dorsal glands, visible from the outside by small ridges on the skin.

Scales with pronounced longitudinal ribs. The eyes are large, the pupil is round. In the mouth, the last two maxillary teeth are greatly enlarged, bent back and separated from the rest of the teeth by a clear gap.

Of the total number of the snake tribe, the tiger snake is one of the most beautiful, and, of course, the most elegant of the species of snakes found in Russia. In terms of beauty and habits, only Dinodons living in the neighborhood and, perhaps, leopard snakes that are not very closely related, can argue with him. In nature, snakes are most often found with a color of dark green, dark olive, light brown; on this background there are usually distinct black transverse stripes, sometimes divided into transverse dorsal and lateral spots.

In the anterior part of the body, between the stripes, the edges of the scales are bright red or orange-red. These orange and red spots only appear in adults. There are two bright black spots on the sides of the head: one is located in the temporal region, the other, triangular, connects the lower edge of the eye with the upper jaw. In fairness, it should be noted that sometimes, one might even say rarely, and mostly this is a lucky coincidence, snakes come across with a blue (blue) or black color, but this is a very pleasant exception for those who find such a snake.

Tiger snakes are widespread in Korea, East China and the Japanese islands. In Russia, the habitat is limited only to the Far East region - Primorye and the south of the Khabarovsk Territory. Here the snake is found in places with a constant level of humidity, preferring to stay near water bodies, in swamps or in damp lowlands with dense vegetation. Away from water bodies, it settles in mixed and deciduous forests, as well as in meadows. In such places, the species is quite numerous; you can meet up to fifty copies on a site of one square kilometer. For the winter, it goes into short-term hibernation, hiding in rodent burrows, in small crevices, under stones, snags, fallen trees, or in vast underground chambers that serve for the collective wintering of Far Eastern snakes.

When meeting with a man, the tiger tries to crawl away quickly, but if this fails and the snake feels danger, it vertically raises the front of the body, while its neck becomes flat, like a cobra unfolding its hood. The defender is already hissing and lunging towards the enemy. Nukho-dorsal glands secrete a caustic secret, which, falling into the mouth of a predator that inadvertently grabbed a tiger snake, makes it immediately release the prey.

On occasion, the tiger can bite the enemy himself. Its saliva is poisonous, but the short teeth usually do not bite through a person's body deeply enough for the poison to enter the bloodstream.

However, if the snake succeeds in inflicting a bite with long back teeth located deep, severe poisoning can occur, accompanied by the same symptoms as with a viper bite. This family of snakes does not have true, that is, phylogenetically descended from the upper jaw, poisonous glands, and in the process of evolution they had Duvernoy's gland, which anatomically developed from the salivary gland. The secret of this gland also has a poisonous effect, but less pronounced than in other types of snakes.

1. The snake belongs to the family of long-toothed snakes, which have toxic saliva and two enlarged teeth hidden in the depths of the mouth; when bitten, there may be poisoning of the body, similar to the action of viper venom.

2. This snake is similar in its biology and conditions to real snakes, only the temperature of its content should be slightly higher (28-30 ° C). Like the common grass snake, the brindle snake breeds easily in captivity, although wintering is desirable, but not required.

Depending on the duration and timing of wintering, mating dates can be shifted to any months of the year, but usually this is February-March. The duration of pregnancy is 48 days. The second clutch from snakes can be obtained in June-July. The number of eggs in clutches ranges from 8 to 22, their dimensions are usually 27-35 mm x 16-20 mm, with a weight of about 20 g. The duration of incubation of eggs at a temperature of 27-30 ° C and 90% humidity is 34-38 days . The young hatch with a body length of 150-200 mm. Their first molt takes place a week after birth. The young grow quickly and at the age of one year they begin to show signs of sexual activity, and at 18 months they become sexually mature.

Like the common snake, the tiger is a real "frog-eater", it feeds mainly on black-spotted and Far Eastern frogs, as well as toads and other tailless amphibians. However, it can also eat fish.

Snakes should be fed separately, since when they are kept together, there are quite often cases of “fights” for a food object, and since snakes overtake and grab prey in a quick throw, it may well happen that, together with a frog, a more hungry tiger will already begin to swallow and their compatriots.

Grabbing a toad, a frog, or catching another small animal, it already begins, as it were, to chew on the part of the victim’s body captured in the mouth, trying to put its enlarged poisonous teeth into action. Tiger snakes are quite voracious snakes, so when feeding, they are best suited " Golden Rule": it is better to underfeed than to overfeed, especially since in nature, in contrast to the terrarium content, the snake does not successfully complete its every hunt.

Therefore, it is quite advisable for a pet to follow a kind of diet: during the period of intensive growth of snakes, up to about six months, they should be fed more often - 2-3 times a week, after seven months, two to three feedings per month are enough, while it is advisable to give along with feed vitamin preparations and calcium supplements, a wide selection of which is presented in pet stores. TETRA vitamins and mineral supplements have proven themselves very well, which include a complete balanced complex of substances and minerals necessary for the animal's body.

The tiger snake is a medium-sized snake, quite unpretentious in keeping, therefore, when kept, it may well be content with horizontal type a medium-sized terrarium, it is advisable to arrange a few secluded shelters, be sure to have a small pool and a few branches for climbing. Plants are desirable, but not required, in order to avoid breakage of stems or leaves, it is best to use plant species with strong stems and leaves, or creeping species - mosses, tradescantia, philodendrons, bromeliads.

It is very good for decorative design to plant a part of the pool with aquatic plants - salvinia, riccia, and some other floating species. In general, the arrangement of a terrarium for your pet, its interior design is a matter of the owner's taste, but at the same time, one must not forget that the main thing is the combination of beauty in design and comfortable living of the animal, because "we are responsible for those who have tamed."

Tiger already - "conditionally poisonous" snake

Tiger already belongs to the group of "conditionally poisonous" snakes, that is, his poisonous teeth are located not in front, but deep in his mouth. Unlike many other poisonous snakes (vipers, muzzles, etc.), the poisonous teeth of a tiger snake are located behind, at the posterior edges of the upper jaw, and are separated from others by a toothless gap.

Therefore, the bite with these teeth is not always applied even in the case of successful throws at the enemy. Since the teeth are located deep in the mouth on the posterior edge of the maxillary bone, the brindle snake can only bite the victim in the mouth. All this must be taken into account by terrariumists. As a rule, snakes feed on lizards and frogs, injecting poison into them in the process of swallowing. Although tiger snakes do not pose a direct danger to humans, since only the front non-venomous teeth are used in a normal bite, if a bite with poisonous teeth does occur, typical snake venom poisoning occurs, sometimes fatal.

For a long time, this snake in Russia was considered, and even now it is considered non-poisonous, since the snake is exceptionally calm and friendly, even during feeding, having entered the hunting passion, it perfectly sees and understands what you can eat and what you can’t, and does not try to attack your hand person.

However, it should be noted that Japan has long been keeping statistics of poisoning with its poison, and deaths are known, therefore, when keeping a tiger snake in an apartment, you should still not forget that this is some kind of, but still a snake with its own complexes and reflexes laid down by nature. Therefore, do not try to train her, but accept her for who she is, and she will give you many pleasant moments to rest and relax after a busy day at work.

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