What are the detailed information and living habits of the five-step snake?
Being bitten by a five-step snake will cause greater pain
There has always been a saying that after being bitten by a five-step snake, you cannot walk five steps. Of course, this is actually just a joke. . It is true that the five-step snake is relatively venomous, but it is not so violent. The venom of the five-step snake is blood circulation poison, and it will cause severe pain after being bitten. What habits does such a venomous snake have in daily life?
The living areas where snakes are distributed are mainly related to factors such as altitude, vegetation conditions, water conditions, and food objects. The diversity of snake habitats is some unique living habits formed by snakes in the long-term evolution process in order to adapt to changes in external living conditions. Therefore, a kind of snake will definitely choose a place with suitable temperature, good concealment, abundant food nearby, and close to water source as its habitat. The habitat environments of various snakes and the morphological characteristics they acquire in response to certain environments over a long period of time are relatively stable.
The habitat environment of five-step snakes is terrestrial, but a few are arboreal. The habitats of different species of snakes are also different. Five-step snakes mainly live in evergreen and deciduous mixed forests at an altitude of 400-700 meters. They like to move around the ditches of Shanwu in summer. They usually choose to live in cool, ventilated places with trees and water. They also live in tea gardens, It can move around farmland and firewood piles, climb trees, and enter people's houses. In winter, they usually overwinter in natural holes formed by tree roots or old rat holes.
The annual activity cycle of the five-step snake is about 9 months from sting to heavy snow. The main factors affecting the activity are temperature, humidity and food. When the temperature is 20-30℃, they are most active. When the temperature is as high as 35-38℃, they tend to gather near the water.
The five-step snakes in the wild usually feed on social rats, dog-footed rats, weasels and spiny-breasted frogs. The distribution of the five-step snake in Shanwu is related to the distribution and quantity of the spiny-breasted frog. Because they enter people's houses, they also feed on yellow-breasted rats.
During the breeding period, the odor gland secretions at the base of the female snake’s tail have a special odor to attract male snakes. There is a phenomenon of chasing mates before mating, and they entangle each other during mating. It should be noted that snakes are more irritable than usual when they are mating. At this time, if they are disturbed outside, they will attack violently. Most female snakes lay their eggs in natural caves, which are shallow, short and dry. The number of eggs laid varies. Young female snakes lay eggs early but in small numbers, while old female snakes lay eggs late but in large numbers, usually 12-18 eggs.
The hibernation period of the five-step snake is about 3 months from the heavy snow to the hibernation of the following year. The overwintering cave is deep, and the snakes often live together with small and large snakes, and sometimes live in the same cave with vipers. When the air temperature is 8°C, it is equal to the snake's body surface temperature. When the temperature is higher than 8°C, the snake's body surface temperature is always slightly lower than the air temperature by 1°C. When the temperature is lower than 8°C, the snake's body surface temperature is slightly higher than the air temperature by 1°C. It can bite when the surface temperature is above 11°C. Young snakes raised in captivity will not move their pupils when the temperature is below 17°C. If they are touched at 12°C, they will open their mouths to bite.