Baby Gopher Snake 19 March 2007 |
Along a trial in a nearby County Park. |
Chanced upon a tiny Western Gopher Snake. |
Young snakes will generally remain motionless, hoping to go unnoticed. |
Moving slowly, you can often approach them. |
Any sudden movement will alarm these sensitive creatures. |
A bit too close, this little gopher snake suddenly slipped into the trailside grasses. |
Where it coiled into a defensive position and glared defiantly at me. |
See how its flattened its head to mimic the wedge-shaped head of a rattlesnake? |
When threatened, these snakes will strike and bite repeatedly. Though they have no teeth, their bite is like the sudden grip of a vice. |
Although it didn't hiss or strike at me, it flicked its tongue, rattled its tail repeatedly. |
Then it slipped away into the tall grass and disappeared. |
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