Re: Black Racer

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Posted by Kenny Wray on June 08, 2000 at 14:59:49:

In Reply to: Black Racer posted by W. Peak on June 07, 2000 at 15:26:56:

: This morning I found a Black Racer lying in the shade (approx. 65 degrees F) outside our house. See these snakes often on our property but I'd never seen one that looked like this. The snake was lying in a general S-shape but every inch or so over its body was kinked sharply so that it looked as if it had swallowed a bunch of pointed wooden blocks. It looked so odd I thought it might be dead and that I was seeing some sort of final seizure frozen in place by rigor mortis. But when I went back out a few minutes later, the thing had moved its head. Then, two or three hours later, I saw the same snake (though now completely un-kinked) engaged in active hunting behavior. So what was this weird kinked behavior all about? Was it trying to warm itself? Sense something (it was near an active bird feeder)? Many thanks for any help you can offer. Peace.

Snakes often do this on the road at night. It is most likely a response to cooler conditions. Some have suggested that they are trying to maximize surface area by touching more of the body to a warm surface or exposing more while basking. Pretty common behavior, though don't know exactly why. Later, KW

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: : This morning I found a Black Racer lying in the shade (approx. 65 degrees F) outside our house. See these snakes often on our property but I'd never seen one that looked like this. The snake was lying in a general S-shape but every inch or so over its body was kinked sharply so that it looked as if it had swallowed a bunch of pointed wooden blocks. It looked so odd I thought it might be dead and that I was seeing some sort of final seizure frozen in place by rigor mortis. But when I went back out a few minutes later, the thing had moved its head. Then, two or three hours later, I saw the same snake (though now completely un-kinked) engaged in active hunting behavior. So what was this weird kinked behavior all about? Was it trying to warm itself? Sense something (it was near an active bird feeder)? Many thanks for any help you can offer. Peace. : Snakes often do this on the road at night. It is most likely a response to cooler conditions. Some have suggested that they are trying to maximize surface area by touching more of the body to a warm surface or exposing more while basking. Pretty common behavior, though don't know exactly why. Later, KW

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Re: Black Racer

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