ReptilesReptiles are cold blooded creatures, requiring the sun's rays to warm their blood and allow them to function. This entails basking, as you may have seen snakes coiled up in the sun or a group of turtles basking on a log above the water. As a whole include snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodilians, some of which obviously do not exist in this region.
Snakes are carnivores, feeding only on other animals. They rely on their tongue's acute particle detection and analyzation to track prey, find mates, avoid predators and interact with their environment. Snakes frequently use objects such as rocks to increase the flow of heat into their bodies as these substrates warm quickly and conduct heat well, making for a more efficient increase in their metabolic processes. Although snakes have no ears, they are sensitive to vibrations which alert them to approaching threats. The species of snakes currently described here are the Eastern Garter Snake, Eastern Milk Snake, and the Red-bellied Snake. Others are present such as the Ring-necked Snake, Smooth Green Snake, and the Northern Brown Snake, but not detailed on this site. Most turtles are herbivores or omnivores. They are familiar to many of us in May and June when they spread out in search of nest sites, crossing roads and lawns. In their mainly aquatic life back in the water, they are shy and reclusive, quick to dive off of basking sites or burying themselves in mud when they are disturbed. The two most common turtle species are the Common Snapping Turtle and the Painted Turtle. |