Snake Eyes Trivia Quiz

The California red-sided garter is a colourful subspecies of the common garter snake. Found primarily in California, it lives in a wide variety of habitats, such as grasslands, woodlands and meadows and is often found near streams, ponds and marshes.

It has a body colour of greenish to brownish tones with three distinctive yellow to cream coloured stripes along it and vivid red or orange markings on its sides between these. It can grow up to 46-104 cm (18-41 inches) in length.

Non-venomous and harmless to humans, it feeds on frogs, tadpoles, earthworms, small fish, salamanders and slugs, as well as small rodents and lizards and is active during the day. They're beneficial to ecosystems as they help control populations of small prey species.

This one is a huge snake! The king cobra is the longest venomous snake that exists. With a length of over 5.85 metres (18 feet), it can lift a third of its body off the ground, allowing it to rise to eye level with a standing human. It adopts this posture when confronting threats.

It is found in India, southern China and Southeast Asia, where it inhabits savannahs, grasslands, rainforests, bamboo thickets, swamps and rivers. Its diet chiefly consists of other snakes (including those which are venomous), small mammals, lizards and bird eggs.

Its venom, a deadly neurotoxin, is released when it bites, and even the tiniest amount is capable of paralysing its prey. It can kill a large animal, like an elephant, in only a few hours. A bite could be fatal to a human within hours of sustaining one if untreated. This doesn't occur very often, however, as the king cobra is shy by nature.

The green anaconda is the heaviest snake in the world and one of the longest. It can grow up to 9 metres (30 feet) and weigh over 250 kg (550 lbs). Their bodies are olive green with dark spots. It's a constrictor, which means it wraps around its prey and squeezes until they stop breathing. Constrictors kill by preventing blood from reaching the prey's brain and heart.

It's found in South America, especially Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, and Bolivia, and loves watery places like swamps, marshes, rivers, and rainforests. It's a great swimmer and spends most of its time in water. It eats fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, even caimans and capybaras! After a big meal, it can go for weeks without eating again.

Green anacondas are mostly active at night and prefer to be alone. Females are much bigger than males, and they give birth to live babies, up to 40 at a time! They rarely attack humans and normally avoid people when possible.

The boa constrictor, also known as the common boa, is a large non-venomous snake, which is usually 6-10 feet (1.8-3 meters) long, but some individuals can reach up to 13 feet (4 meters) and weigh around 60 pounds (27 kg). Their colour varies from green to a subdued brown with oval, circular, or diamond patterns.

They inhabit central and South America, from Mexico through Central America and into South America, including Caribbean islands, where they are found in tropical rainforests, dry forests, savannas, and even semi-desert areas. It is mostly terrestrial but climbs into trees in search of birds. Their diet includes birds and small to medium-sized mammals, including rats, opossums, and bats.

Because of their docile nature, boa constrictors are one of the most popular large snakes kept as pets. They're normally tolerant of being handled once they get used to it. They are robust and adapt to captivity, living for 20-30 years.

The mangrove viper is a venomous snake which is native to the mangrove forests of Southeast Asia. They can grow to roughly 60-100 cm (2-3 feet) in length. They have an intricate pattern and can vary greatly in colour, from brown, olive, yellow, grey and even blueish. Some have red eyes.

Found in mangrove swamps, coastal forests, and lowland areas near water, they're great climbers and spend a lot of their time in trees and shrubs. Because of their colouration and ability to alter the tone of their skin slightly, they blend easily into their environment.

They're carnivorous and feed on birds, especially those which roost in mangrove trees, lizards and smaller snakes, frogs, toads, rats and mice. They also eat fish when they're near tidal areas or flooded mangrove roots.

Native to the southeastern United States, the Eastern coral snake is a highly venomous species, which belongs to the Elapidae family. It is often nicknamed the American cobra, harlequin coral snake, or candy-stick snake. They usually measure between 20 and 30 inches (50-80 cm) in length.

Its appearance is striking, with vivid colouration, as its body is encircled by red, yellow and black rings. A well-known rhyme helps distinguish it from the non-venomous scarlet kingsnake and the scarlet snake: 'Red next to yellow, you're a dead fellow; red next to black, friend of Jack. ' It does, however, apply to some but not all coral snakes and coral snake mimics.

They inhabit pine flatwoods and scrublands (particularly common in Florida), hardwood forests with leaf litter, sandy or well-drained soils where they can burrow, areas with plenty of ground cover, like logs, leaf litter, pine straw, debris and the edges of wetlands and hammocks. They prefer areas that stay relatively moist but not waterlogged

Despite their dangerous venom, they're not aggressive. They prefer to avoid confrontation and will often retreat if disturbed.

The ball python, also known as the royal python, is a non-venomous constrictor native to sub-Saharan Africa. It's one of the smallest species in the python family, normally reaching lengths of 3 to 5 feet (about 0.9 to 1.5 meters), with females generally growing larger than males. They curl into a tight ball when threatened, hence their name.

They have a muscular build and distinctive head shape, which is slightly triangular with heat-sensing pits along the upper lip. The body is a light tan or golden colour, with a striking black pattern of black or dark brown blotches, which helps them blend in with their environment.

They're crepuscular and mostly found in the grasslands, savannas, and open forests of West and Central Africa, including countries like Ghana, Togo, and Benin. They like plenty of ground cover and access to termite mounds or burrows, which they use for shelter.

They mainly eat small mammals and birds and prey on rodents such as rats and mice, using their powerful bodies to constrict and suffocate their prey before swallowing it whole.

The reticulated python is the longest snake species in the world. Some individuals reach lengths of up to 10 meters (32.8 feet), but most measure between 1.5 and 6.5 meters (5 and 21 feet). Despite their size, they are non-venomous constrictors, relying on their muscular bodies to subdue prey.

Their name comes from the reticulated, net-like, pattern on their scales which is a mix of yellowish to brown tones with black diamond-shaped markings and lighter highlights. The pattern is considered one of the most beautiful among snakes and helps them blend into their surroundings in dense vegetation.

They're native to South and Southeast Asia, including countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, where they thrive in tropical rainforests, wetlands, and grassland forests. Excellent swimmers, they've even been spotted far out at sea, enabling them to colonise small islands.

Their diet consists mainly of mammals and birds. They prey on rodents, monkeys, pigs, and even deer, depending on their size and habitat. Due to their size and strength, large reticulated pythons have occasionally been known to prey on animals as large as goats.

The Eastern milksnake is a non-venomous member of the colubrid family, and is native to eastern and central North America. It is commonly found in southern Canada, the northeastern United States, and parts of the Midwest.

They usually measure between 60 and 90 cm (about 2 to 3 feet) in length, although some individuals can grow to over 130 cm (4.3 feet). Their bodies are tan or light brown with dark red or reddish-brown blotches outlined in black. This pattern can resemble that of the venomous coral snake, but the Eastern milksnake is harmless and often mistaken for its more dangerous lookalike.

They inhabit a variety of environments including forests, fields, rocky outcrops, and even farmlands. They are adaptable and often shelter in old foundations, mammal burrows, or crevices, especially during hibernation periods.

Their diet consists mainly of small mammals such as mice and voles, but they also consume birds, bird eggs, reptiles, amphibians, and occasionally fish and invertebrates. They are constrictors, using their muscular bodies to subdue prey before swallowing it whole. Despite their name, they don't drink milk!

The black mamba is one of the most feared snakes in the world. It's known for its speed, potent venom, and dramatic defensive display. It's the longest venomous snake in Africa and the second longest in the world after the king cobra. It measures between 2.5 and 4.5 meters (8 to 14 feet) in length.

Despite its name, the black mamba is not black on the outside. Its skin ranges from grey to olive-brown. Its name comes from the inky black colouration inside its mouth, which it reveals when threatened.

They are native to sub-Saharan Africa, found in countries ranging from southern Ethiopia to Namibia and Mozambique. Their preferred habitats include savannas, rocky hillsides, and open woodlands, where they can find shelter in termite mounds, hollow trees, or abandoned burrows.

Their diet is mainly small rats, mice, squirrels and birds, lizards and bird eggs. They use speed and precision to strike prey, delivering a neurotoxic venom that quickly immobilises its target. Unlike constrictors, the black mamba relies on its venom to kill.