Snake Bones

Yesterday’s weather was moderately warm and very sunny, so I thought I would check out one of the Archaeological Sites to see if any snakes were out and about. Battery cages were once used for pheasant production a couple of generations ago. They were dumped here when the family decided to get out of the pheasant business. The steel covers on the cages become warm with the sunlight and attract Black Racers and Black Rat Snakes.

I didn’t find any snakes, but I did find some evidence of their presence.

There’s no mistaking snake bones. The long spinal column and accompanying rib bones can’t come from anything else that lives around here. Dead snakes are usually eaten by larger animals, so it’s unusual to find a skeleton just out in the open like this.

Much of the skeleton was missing. Several pieces were scattered on the ground near the cage.

A snake has an amazingly flexible spinal column. From the head to the tail it bends in just about any direction. When you see it exposed, it’s hard to imagine how it manages that flexibility. Finding a skeleton is fun, but I’d much rather find the bones surrounded by live snake.