Snakes in Texas

Texas has 68 species of snakes and if you include subspecies a total of 115, the record for the most snakes found in any state in The United States.  Every single one of the 254 counties in the state of Texas is home to snakes.  Only 15 % of snakes are venemous.  Of these 4 of the 5 categories are found in Texas.  Coral, Copperhead, Cottonmouth (or water moccasin) and Rattlesnakes.  Texas does not have any Boas.  Snakes,  like people are vertebrates (they have a backbone)  however unlike us they are cold blooded.  They will warm themselves in the sun or on rocks and hibernate through the colder winter months.  In Texas they emerge from their dens in late February or early March, shed their skin then mate.  They do not care for their young and are solitary mostly shy creatures.  Snakes donot migrate.  Central Texas had the largest number of species of snakes however West Texas or South Texas are the best places to look for snakes as they have the largest number of resident individuals.  Snakes are predators and swallow their prey of rabbits, rodents or other snakes whole and alive.  Snakes number one enemy is man.  Snakes avoid the extreme heat of a Texas summer day limiting activity to the early morning or cooler evenings.