Common Snakes Snakes Common
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Common Snakes in the East Bay 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605 Regional Park District 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757 ( TR S 711) ebparks.org Pacific Northern Pacific Visitor Centers Ardenwood Historic Farm, Fremont Gophersnake Rattlesnake 510-544-2797, [email protected] Slender Triangular Big Break Visitor Center at the Delta The background color of the head head The general coloration of the Big Break Regional Shoreline, Oakley Pacific gophersnake is glossy northern pacific rattlesnake 510-544-3050, [email protected] yellow to buff with black, brown, varies, usually matching the Greathouse and Sidney Flat Visitor Centers or reddish-brown blotches on the background soil color, with Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Antioch back. The scales are keeled and the brown or black dorsal blotches. 510-544-2750, [email protected] tail pointed. Its general coloration The head is broad, flat, and Coyote Hills Visitor Center and behavior mimic a rattlesnake, triangular with facial pits and Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont but the Pacific gophersnake is vertically oriented, elliptical 510-544-3220, [email protected] harmless. This snake is a good eye pupils. The skin is dull Crab Cove Visitor Center climber and burrower. It lays with keeled scales. The tail, Crown Memorial State Beach, Alameda 510-544-3187, [email protected] an average of 6-7 eggs in the tapering with a“rattle,” is Slender Thick Rocky Ridge Visitor Center spring to early summer, with shiny dull made up of interlocking Del Valle Regional Park, Livermore the young hatching in about body body pieces of dry skin. This snake 510-544-3146, [email protected] a70 days. is most active in spring or Open summer weekends Length: 36-100 inches. fall, in morning and evening Garin Barn Visitor Center/Dry Creek Garden or at night in warm weather, Garin Regional Park, Hayward Habitat: They are found and is live-bearing with an 510-544-3220 (Coyote Hills), [email protected] in many different habitats average of 4-12 young born Open summer weekends throughout California including September to October. Old Green Barn Visitor Center blue oak, gray pine, and oak Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness, Sunol woodlands. Pacific gophersnakes are Length: 15-62 inches. 510-544-3249, [email protected] also found in chaparral, grassland, and Habitat: Rattlesnakes are found Weekends only riparian areas. in a variety of habitats from coastal Tilden Regional Park, Regional Parks Botanic Garden Berkeley, 510-544-3169, [email protected] Food: They eat small mammals, birds, sand dunes to timberline. They prefer rock outcrops in annual grasslands, Environmental Education Center/Little Farm bird eggs, and lizards. These snakes Tilden Nature Area, Berkeley chaparral, blue oak, gray pine, and often inhabit the same burrows as 510-544-2233, [email protected] 20180927 their prey. oak woodlands. Food: They eat small mammals, Regional Parks Membership: Pointed Rattles birds, and lizards. RECEIVE FREE DAY-USE PARKING, SWIMMING, The Pacific gophersnake DOG PASS, AND MORE. 510-544-2220 tail is often mistaken for REGIONALPARKSFOUNDATION.ORG a rattlesnake and killed. On the cover: Pacific Ring-necked Snake Snake photos courtesy Gary Nafis than the width of its head. The snake uses its tiny forms, which may occur two to three times a year. In Snake Country: hooked teeth and flexible jaws to pull an animal Therefore, the number of rattles on a rattlesnake 1. Look at the ground ahead of you as you are walking. into its mouth. You might find a snake with shows how many times it has shed, not how many a bulge indicating that it has recently swallowed years it has lived. 2. Look carefully around and under logs and rocks before sitting down. a prey animal. Snakes protect themselves by not moving, relying Rattlesnakes use poison to kill their prey. on their colors to camouflage them, or by quickly 3. Avoid placing your hands or feet where you can’t Although the poison is harmful to humans, its slithering away. A rattlesnake may rattle as a see clearly. Snakes are an primary purpose is for catching food, not defense. warning, while some other snakes might emit a 4. Check the immediate area around picnic tables, amazing group of animals. Rattlesnakes also have temperature-sensitive organs foul-smelling fluid if handled. When threatened, campsites, and barbecues before using them. There are giant snakes longer than on each side of their heads called loreal pits. These some snakes will also bite in defense. As a 5. If you find a rattlesnake in a picnic or some buses and tiny ones that will fit in pits enable rattlesnakes to locate prey even in dark camp area, notify park staff. Do not a tablespoon! Whether you are fascinated or burrows where the scent trail can be confusing. disturb it. frightened by snakes, they are sure to capture your Snakes use their tongues to help identify (smell) 6. If you see a rattlesnake or a snake you can’t attention when you see them. Although they are food and danger by flicking them in and out. The identify, give it plenty of room and leave it alone. secretive in nature, every now and then you will tips of the tongue fit into an organ in the roof of find a snake quietly going about its business. Some, the mouth called the Jacobson’s organ that All snakes in the East Bay Regional such as the northern pacific rattlesnake, may warn helps identify the chemicals in the air. Snakes Park District are protected. It is our What to Do if you of their presence. Others may see you and slip rely on “tasting the air”(their sense of smell), responsibility to see that these animals away before you know it. Whatever the case, it is and the movement of prey when hunting for are allowed to survive in their natural Bitten by a Snake: fun to identify the snake and learn something about food. environment. Outside the Regional 1. If bitten by a rattlesnake, stay calm and send its life history. This brochure is designed to help As with all reptiles, snakes have bodies covered Parks, housing developments, new someone to Call 911. The victim should remain you identify some of the snakes you may meet in with scales. A clear scale protects each eye. roads, and other construction calm by lying down with the affected limb lower the East Bay Regional Parks. Snakes shed their skin as they grow. You may be projects reduce the habitat and than the heart. Do Not waste precious time on Spring and summer are the best seasons for lucky enough to find a shed skin close to a rock chances for their survival. People tourniquets, “cutting and sucking,” or snake bite observing snakes. Snakes are able to regulate their or log. Snakes rub against these to help peel off who harm snakes or remove them kits. If you are by yourself, walk calmly to the body temperature by moving in and out of shade. this colorless layer of skin. Each time a rattlesnake from their habitat also threaten nearest source of help: another person, a park A warmer body allows a snake to move faster when sheds, a new rattle their continued survival. employee, or a phone to Dial 911. Do Not Run. trying to catch prey. Depending upon the kind of Fortunately, with your 2. If bitten by any other kind of snake, leave the snake, they eat insects, slugs, frogs, birds, bird eggs, cooperation, our parklands will snake alone. Wash the wound with soap and small mammals, and other reptiles. remain a refuge for wildlife and water or an antiseptic and seek medical attention. provide a place to view and enjoy these Some snakes capture prey with their mouths and 3. If you are not sure what kind of snake bit you, interesting creatures. swallow them whole. Other snakes wrap their check the bite for two puncture marks (in rare bodies around prey animals to constrict them. cases one puncture mark) associated with intense, The jaw is expandable due to elastic muscles and burning pain. This is typical of a rattlesnake bite. ligaments in the throat and between bones in the Other snakebites may leave multiple teeth marks jaw. This allows a snake to swallow prey larger without burning pain. Remember: Snakes It is illegal are an important resource in the to collect, kill, or remove natural environment. They are prime any plants or animals from the East controlling agents of rodent, insect, and Bay Regional Park District. Please help us to other reptile populations. They must be protect wildlife and their environment for present enjoyed and left where they are found. and future generations. Common Snakes in the East Bay Regional Park District Northern Rubber Boa The northern rubber boa is a stout-bodied snake Diablo Range Gartersnake that looks and feels like rubber. Sometimes called Western Yellow- The coloration of the Diablo range gartersnake Coast Gartersnake the “two-headed snake” because it’s tail is shaped varies greatly depending upon the subspecies. somewhat like it’s head. It has shiny, smooth skin The back is usually blotched brown to black with The coloration of the coast gartersnake varies bellied Racer greatly depending upon the subspecies. The that can be brown to olive green on top and yellow The western yellow-bellied racer has large eyes a dorsal stripe. This snake is live-bearing with to cream below. It is usually active at dawn and 7-25 young born late summer to fall. subspecies in the East Bay has a bright yellow stripe and a long slender body which is olive-green, down the middle of the back.