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 offspring because they are able to take care of themselves.
All snakes are predators, and many are fussy eaters.
Rubber boas feed on other snakes, mice, young birds and lizards, plus many worms, slugs and insects. Toads and mice are the favorite foods of hognose snakes. These behaviors, intended to scare off the intruder, lead to a common misconception that snakes charge or at-tack people. In most cases, a snake advances only if it feels threatened. Usually it crawls away if it can reach cover safely.