Queen Snake Diet
Queen snakes are water snakes that can grow to be two feet in length. They are slender snakes that are typically gray in color, but they can also be found in light brown to olive green, with some specimens showing three faint stripes along their body. Learning about the diet of queen snakes can teach you more about how how they live in the wild.
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Features
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The diet of the queen snake is very restricted. They primarily eat soft-shelled crayfish that have just molted and they are unable to eat crayfish whose shells have already hardened. They will also supplement their diet with newts, minnows, snails, fairy shrimp, tadpoles and frogs.
Geography
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Queen snakes may be found from western New York to southeastern Wisconsin, and their range extends south to Alabama. Their location often depends on where they can find food, and they tend to be found in clear streams and swamps. They need moderate to fast currents that have rocky bottoms.
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Time Frame
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Like other cold-blooded animals, queen snakes are dependent on heat to help their digestive systems. During the colder part of the year, they will go into hibernation before emerging to hunt their prey. The temperature needs to be at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit before they can be active and hunting.
Threats
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The crayfish that the queen snake hunts is considered an indicator species, meaning that their presence means the water is clear and clean. With increasing pollution of waterways, the number of crayfish decreases, leading to a prey shortage for the queen snake. Between the lack of prey and the destruction of their habitat, queen snakes are considered an endangered species.
Warning
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Due to its diet and its endangered status, do not try to keep the queen snake as a pet. If you come across an injured queen snake, contact a wildlife rehabilitation center, which will be able to treat and release the animal in an appropriate place.
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