Information on a Vine Snake's Diet
The vine snake is part of the animal categorization Colubridae. There are several species, all sharing the same characteristics and diet. They can be separated into three groups according to the locations they live in. Oxybelis vine snakes, such as the green vine snakes, are found in the southwestern United States, Central America and South America. The vine snakes belonging to the genus Ahaetulla live in Asia, while those of Capensis live in Africa. All live in forests and woodland; their name derives from their resemblance to the vines and lianas among which they live.
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Characteristics
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All vine snakes are thin reptiles, rarely more than 1 inch thick in the body. They measure, when mature, between 4 and 6 feet. They have unridged scales, sometimes with vivid coloration underneath that it will display when threatened. Their mouths extend almost the length of the head, which is used to swallow their prey whole.
Diet
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Vine snakes prey on small mammals, reptiles and birds. The majority of their diet consists of mice, lizards and young birds that have yet to fledge and so remain in their nests. It has been known to eat frogs and other snakes. They will hunt prey both during the daytime and at night.
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Camouflage
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The camouflage of the vine snake is an essential component in its process of finding food. Different species have evolved different coloring in order to blend in with their respective surroundings, but all resemble the branches of the trees that they live in, ranging from green to dark brown. The head is aerodynamically proportional to the body, increasing the resemblance to a branch or twig.
Finding Prey
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Because the vine snake is a slow-moving species (compounded by having to maneuver through tree branches) it relies on its camouflage to sneak up on its prey. Often they will look for prey on the ground or on lower branches from an elevated position in the trees. After locating a prey animal, the vine snake will follow it at a short distance, using its tongue to test the animal's scent and confirm its suitability as food. It will then strike.
Vision
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Unlike most other species of snake whose eyes functions independently of each other, vine snakes are distinguished by their binocular vision. This means that both eyes focus on the same point, as human eyes do. This is a distinct advantage in searching for prey among the leaf litter and branches of trees, giving vine snakes the ability to determine shape more readily than other snakes, who usually rely on movement to hunt.
Killing Prey
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The vine snake is not a constrictor. It kills with venom that is dispensed from fangs at the back of its mouth, unlike snakes like vipers and cobras whose fangs are in the front of their mouths. Because it is a thin snake, lacking great muscle strength, the vine snake will, upon finding a young bird in a nest or discovering a mouse, grab it by the head and lift it off the ground, up to 15 inches, while injecting its venom. This prevents the prey from using its muscular strength to resist and wriggle free. The vine snake will then often swallow the prey while hanging downward from a branch.
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References
- Photo Credit snake image by Dennis Carrigan from Fotolia.com
