African egg snake, description, what it eats, lifestyle, habitat, photos, videos. African egg snake or African egg eater A snake that eats eggs with a large head
Raw egg for breakfast, lunch and dinner. No, this is not a new weight loss diet. This is the daily diet of the African egg eater (lat. Dasypeltis scabra) - one of the most common representatives of egg snakes.
African Egg-Eating Snake (lat. Dasypeltis scabra)
The habitat of this snake becomes clear from its name. Only it is not distributed throughout the entire territory of the African continent, but in its equatorial and southern parts, starting from Senegal and Sudan in the north and ending with South Africa in the south. Part of the habitat of this species is located in the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula.
Egg eaters feel great both on the ground and in trees. In cases of danger, they try to hide in deep crevices under roots or in tree hollows.
The African egg eater grows no more than 110 centimeters in length. The snake’s medium-sized body is crowned with a small rounded head. Egg snakes belong to the colubrid family, members of which are known for the absence of poisonous teeth. The remaining teeth are underdeveloped.
The color of these snakes has one peculiarity. Despite the basic tone, which varies from light brown to dark gray, dark spots and stripes are scattered throughout the snake's body. But there are also monochromatic specimens whose color has no pattern at all, or is very pale. The scales have pronounced ribs.
When the skin is stretched, the ribs on the scales are clearly visible
Small eyes with vertical pupils are of little use. But poor eyesight is compensated by an excellent sense of smell and touch. The egg eater finds its prey using its tongue and a special pit at the tip of its muzzle. Having found a nest with eggs in this way, the snake begins to eat.
Egg snakes feed only on eggs, and therefore their structure has a number of features.
Firstly, the bones of the skull are loosely connected to each other; the lower jaw is not connected to the upper. This allows the snake to open its mouth very wide and gradually swallow the egg.
Secondly, the snake’s teeth are very small and weak. With such a diet, she simply doesn’t need them.
Thirdly, the pharynx can also become very stretched.
Fourthly, at the beginning of the esophagus, the egg is waiting for an “egg saw” - elongated and sharp processes of the anterior vertebrae of the body. When the snake begins to push the egg into the esophagus, these processes seem to saw through the shell, after which all the liquid contents enter the esophagus, and the shell is spat out back.
On the right are the remains eggshells
During harvest periods, these snakes begin to accumulate fat, which is gradually consumed in times of famine, when it is difficult to obtain bird eggs.
In cases of danger, if it is not possible to hide, the snake begins to emit vibrating sounds produced by rubbing the ribbed scales against each other.
Small family African snakes, including 5 types. Together with the related genus of Indian egg snakes (Elachistodon), it is often classified as an independent subfamily Dasypeltinae among colubrids. The specialized way of feeding of these snakes leaves a deep imprint on the structure and behavior of these animals. They feed exclusively on bird eggs. Due to the fact that the need to grasp and hold prey disappears, the teeth are greatly reduced. But the bones of the skull are connected extremely movably, which allows you to open your mouth very wide and swallow big catch. The lower processes of the cervical vertebrae are elongated and pierce the wall of the esophagus from above, emerging into its lumen. These pointed bones, like a can opener, open the shell of an egg as it passes through the esophagus. Its liquid contents flow into the stomach, and the compressed shell is regurgitated in one lump.
Egg snakes are common in Equatorial and South Africa, adhering to dry savannas with open forests. They move confidently on the ground and climb trees well.
Small snakes about 80 cm long, up to a maximum of 1 meter. The head is small, weakly separated from the body, rounded in front, with a convex rostrum. The eyes are small, with a vertical pupil. Body scales with well-defined ribs. A disturbed snake, wriggling its body, rubbing its scales against each other, makes a peculiar rustling sound. The coloration is very diverse, even within the same population, which creates significant difficulties in identifying species.
For captivity, a cubic or vertical terrarium with a large number of intertwined branches and a shelter located above the ground surface is best suited. This can be a ceramic or plastic tube, a solid piece of bark, or any other suitable shelter. It is better to use sand as a substrate. The temperature is maintained at 28-30 degrees, the humidity is low, it is enough to spray the container with a spray bottle every 2-3 times. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure good ventilation in the terrarium to prevent air stagnation. These snakes are usually calm, absolutely harmless and live well in captivity. the main problem provide them with food. The best option is fresh eggs of various small ornamental birds that are kept and bred in captivity: parrots, weavers, canaries, etc. Suitable for adults quail eggs However, washed and cooled quail eggs sold in stores are odorless and lose their attractiveness to snakes. When feeding eggs, you can place them in an artificial nest suspended from branches, which is used for breeding birds in cages. Due to instability food base in nature, egg snakes are able to actively feed, quickly accumulating fat, and vice versa, for a long time starve, refusing food.
It is unlikely that a lifelong diet of raw eggs could delight anyone, unless that someone is an African ovi eater (lat. Dasypeltis scabra), otherwise called the African egg snake.
From the name of this unique reptile it follows that it prefers Africa to all other places on the planet, and feels especially comfortable in the southern and equatorial parts of the continent. Meadows with tall grasses, mountain forests, savannas, semi-deserts and coastal areas - such places appealed to the egg eaters. In all senses. Comfortable environment and an abundance of your favorite food - you can’t even dream of more!
The egg snake moves equally confidently both on the ground and among dense branches. The approach of danger forces her to seek refuge in a skillfully hidden hollow tree or among the roots that have formed deep crevices. However, their discreet appearance allows them to easily camouflage themselves into the surrounding landscape. The main color varies within the gray-brown range, and numerous spots and stripes become a good addition to camouflage.
The physique of these snakes, reaching a length of 110 cm, is the most ordinary: a rounded head and a small standard body covered with ribbed scales. Egg eaters do not have poisonous teeth, and those that exist are so weak and tiny that they do not pose any threat. To scare away enemies or demonstrate their displeasure, they have to use an unusual method: curl up in a figure eight and make a threatening vibrating sound, which is generated by the friction of the relief scales against each other.
Vision is also poorly developed: vertical pupils only give the snake’s large eyes a penetrating expression; in fact, egg eaters see poorly. But all the missteps of nature are compensated by the exceptional sense of touch and smell of the egg snake. With the help of only one tongue and a small sensitive depression on the “chin” of the African reptile, it is possible to easily detect the coveted prey - nests with eggs. And from this moment a performance unforgettable in its entertainment begins: the egg eater begins the meal.
There would be nothing supernatural in the scene of the reptile absorbing its prey if the dimensions of the egg were not many times greater than the diameter of the snake’s body. How do egg eaters manage to cope with their prey? For this they should be grateful to the peculiarities of their anatomical structure. Due to the fact that the upper and lower jaws of the snake exist separately from each other, its mouth easily opens to the width necessary for swallowing massive prey. The moment the egg got inside the snake became clearer; it remains to figure out what happens to the prey next.
Thanks again wise nature, which provided the egg eaters with a surprisingly elastic pharynx, capable of stretching to unprecedented sizes. Once in the pharynx, the egg is pushed by the snake a little deeper - to the beginning of the esophagus, where it is met sharp teeth special processes of the anterior vertebrae, acting as a kind of “egg saw”.
As soon as the prey reaches the cunning mechanism, the egg eater makes a series of plastic movements, and the teeth of the “saw” open the shell, sending the nutritious contents of the egg into the stomach. The empty shell, which has become unnecessary, is mercilessly pressed into a compact briquette and after some time is spat out.
By the way, these ardent fans of the egg diet quite easily endure periods of hunger, when there is little prey in their habitats: to do this, they just need to gain fat first, eating heartily during the harvest season.
Class: Reptilia = Reptiles
Subclass: Lepidosauria = Lepidosaurs, scaly lizards
Order: Squamata Oppel = Scaly
Suborder: Serpentes (Ophidia) Linnaeus = Snakes
Genus: Dasypeltis Wagler = African egg snakes, egg eaters
Egg-eating snakes (Dasypeltinae), a subfamily of colubrid snakes. Body length up to 80 cm. The lower processes of the anterior trunk vertebrae (24-26 of them) are greatly enlarged and in the form of wedges protrude through the dorsal wall of the esophagus into its cavity.
Egg-eating snakes feed on bird eggs, swallowing them whole. When the egg enters the esophagus, the snake bends sharply, causing the vertebral processes to crush the egg shell and its liquid contents to enter the stomach; a lump of broken shell is thrown out through the mouth after a while. 2 genera, each with 1 species. The African egg-eater snake (Dasypeltis scabra) is common in tropical and southern Africa; Indian Egg-Eating Snake - (Elachistodon westermanni) in the northeastern part of the Hindustan Peninsula.
Egg Snakes
A small genus of African snakes, including 5 species. Together with the related genus of Indian egg snakes (Elachistodon), it is often classified as an independent subfamily Dasypeltinae among colubrids. The specialized way of feeding of these snakes leaves a deep imprint on the structure and behavior of these animals. They feed exclusively on bird eggs. Due to the fact that the need to grasp and hold prey disappears, the teeth are greatly reduced 
get comfortable. But the bones of the skull are connected extremely movably, which allows them to open their mouth very wide and swallow large prey. The lower processes of the cervical vertebrae are elongated and pierce the wall of the esophagus from above, emerging into its lumen. These pointed bones, like a can opener, open the shell of an egg as it passes through the esophagus. Its liquid contents flow into the stomach, and the compressed shell is regurgitated in one lump.
Egg snakes are widespread in Equatorial and Southern Africa, adhering to dry savannas with open forests. They move confidently on the ground and climb trees well.
Small snakes about 80 cm long, up to a maximum of 1 meter. The head is small, weakly separated from the body, rounded in front, with a convex rostrum. The eyes are small, with a vertical pupil. Body scales with well-defined ribs. A disturbed snake, wriggling its body, rubbing its scales against each other, makes a peculiar rustling sound. The coloration is very diverse, even within the same population, which creates significant difficulties in identifying species. 
For captivity, a cubic or vertical terrarium with a large number of intertwined branches and a shelter located above the ground surface is best suited. This can be a ceramic or plastic tube, a solid piece of bark, or any other suitable shelter. It is better to use sand as a substrate. The temperature is maintained at 28-30 degrees, the humidity is low, it is enough to spray the container with a spray bottle every 2-3 times. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure good ventilation in the terrarium to prevent air stagnation. These snakes are usually calm, absolutely harmless and live well in captivity. The main problem is to provide them with food. The best option is fresh eggs of various small ornamental birds that are kept and bred in captivity: parrots, weaver birds, canaries, etc. Quail eggs are suitable for adult birds, but washed and cooled quail eggs sold in stores are odorless and lose their attractiveness to snakes. When feeding eggs, you can place them in an artificial nest suspended from branches, which is used for breeding birds in cages. Due to the instability of the food supply in nature, egg snakes are able to actively feed, quickly accumulating fat, and, conversely, starve for a long time, refusing food. 
Dasypeltis scabra = African egg snake
The most widespread and common type of egg snake. Lives in most of African continent with the exception of the central Sahara massifs and equatorial rain forests, from Senegal and Sudan in the north to South Africa in the south. Relict populations exist in southwestern Morocco and in the Fayoum region of Egypt. Enters the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. It inhabits the widest range of biotopes: wet and dry savannas, semi-deserts, coastal and mountain forests, tall grass meadows.
A medium-sized snake up to 1.1 m long, usually smaller - about 80 cm. Body scales with well-developed keels. The eyes are relatively small. The color varies greatly. The most typical is the “diamond” shape: the main color tone is light brown, reddish or gray, along the ridge there is a series of oval or rhombic dark spots separated by white spaces, there are often one or two V-shaped lines on the neck, distinct vertical or oblique dark lines on the sides stripes. There are specimens with a weakly defined pattern or no pattern at all (solid brown, orange or grayish).
Dasypeltis medici = Medici egg snake
The species is distributed in southeast Africa from southern Kenya along the coast to the north of South Africa, inland to Malawi and eastern Zimbabwe. It is found in various biotopes: savannas, tall grass meadows, bush thickets, lowland and mountain forests. They lead a semi-arboreal lifestyle, climbing trees and bushes in search of bird nests. A medium-sized snake, maximum length 1 m, usually less - 50 - 80 cm. The body is cylindrical, the cervical interception is practically not pronounced, the head is short, with a rounded nasal region. The eyes are large. The color is very variable, various shades of pink, orange, red, gray, brown. Some individuals are uniformly colored, others have a dark stripe along the ridge, interrupted by white spots, and a pattern of several V-shaped lines on the neck.
Description
It is a medium-sized snake, 80 - 110 cm long. The head is small, weakly separated from the body. The head is rounded in front, with a convex rostrum. The teeth are greatly reduced. The eyes are relatively small, with a vertical pupil. Body scales of an African egg eater with well-developed ribs. The coloration of this species varies greatly. The most typical is the so-called “diamond” form, in which the main color of the snake is light brown, reddish or gray, along the ridge there is a series of oval or rhombic dark spots that are separated by white spaces, and on the neck there are one or two V- shaped lines, on the sides there are distinct vertical or relatively inclined dark stripes. There are also specimens with a weakly expressed pattern or without it at all - monochromatic.
Behavior and eating habits
It is characterized by a specialized feeding method - it feeds exclusively on bird eggs. In connection with which she has several characteristic features. The bones of the skull are connected extremely movably, allowing the snake to open its mouth very wide and swallow large prey. The lower processes of the cervical vertebrae are elongated and pierce the wall of the esophagus, emerging into its lumen. These pointed bones help open the egg shell. The liquid contents of the egg flow into the stomach, and the compressed shell is regurgitated by the snake
A disturbed snake wriggles its body, making a rustling sound by rubbing its scales against each other.
Area
Lives on the predominant part of the African continent, with the exception of the central Sahara and equatorial forests. Distributed from Senegal and Sudan in the north to South Africa in the south. Populations also exist in southwestern Morocco and in the Fayoum region of Egypt. Part of the species' range extends into the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. Inhabits various biotopes: savannas, semi-deserts, coastal, mountain forests, tall grass meadows.
Notes
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
- Dasylabris
- Dasyponyssidae
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