Fox Snake
What critter helps humans, has nothing to do with its name, and is often mistaken for venomous?
The Fox Snake!
Critter At A Glance
What is so cool about a Fox Snake? The Fox Snake is a type of North American Rat Snake. They have a sneaky skill of shaking their tails like Rattlesnakes, and can easily be mistaken for a venomous Copperhead Snake. They have good climbing skills and also help in keeping pest populations down in farmers’ fields.
What do we know about them? These snakes like to burrow under dirt or logs when it gets too hot or too cold outside. When it’s time to start a family, males wrestle each other in a competition for the females. Females lay groups of 6-29 eggs in the summer months. After 60 days, babies hatch and start to fend for themselves.
Where are they found? Eastern Fox Snakes live East of the Mississippi River and can be found in wetlands or marshy areas. Western Fox Snakes live west of the Mississippi River, and they can be found in grasslands, prairies, dune areas, farm fields, pastures, and woodlots. They are usually near water, and they like to bask.
Jump into Finn’s Story below!
Are you ready for an out of this world fact?
When Fox Snakes are disturbed, they give off something called musk. It’s a bad smell and it smells kind of like foxes. EWWW!
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Today’s challenge is to play a little game of Duck, Duck, Goose! BUT, instead of flying friends, it's slithering ones.
Grab a group of friends to sit in a circle.
Take turns playing “Fox Snake, Fox Snake, Rattlesnake!”
Tag us on Instagram or Facebook! #heymrjim
“Fox Snakes Animal Facts | P. Vulpinus and P. Ramspotti - AZ Animals.” AZ Animals, https://a-z-animals.com/animals/fox-snakes/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2022.
Marie, Anne. “Fascinating Fox Snake Facts.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 26 Dec. 2019, https://www.thoughtco.com/fox-snake-facts-4779875.
Web, Animal Diversity. “BioKIDS - Kids’ Inquiry of Diverse Species, Pantherophis Vulpinus, Western Fox Snake: INFORMATION.” BioKIDS - Kids’ Inquiry of Diverse Species, Welcome, http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Pantherophis_vulpinus/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2022.