Snakes shed their skin and eye coverings together. Soon after temperatures rise in the spring, snakes come out of hibernation and mate. Some snakes lay eggs in a damp protected area where they will hatch in about two months. Other snakes hatch eggs inside their bodies. Once the young have been hatched or born, parents do not care for their off-spring because they are able to take care of themselves.
All snakes are predators, and many are fussy eaters.
Bull-snakes eat rats, mice, and chipmunks. King snakes feed on other snakes, mice, young birds, and bird eggs. Toads are the favorite food of hognose snakes. These behaviors, intended to scare off the intruder, lead to a common misconception that snakes charge or attack people. In most cases, a snake advances only if it feels threatened.