Snakes have no moveable eyelids, and therefore can never blink or close their eyes. A single transparent scale covers the eye. They do not have external ears, but can hear by sensing vibrations through the bones in their head. In addition to being able to smell odors as we do, snakes can taste the air and ground using their forked tongue. Particles picked up by the tongue are processed by the Jacobson s Organ in the roof of the mouth.
Most snakes mate in the spring after they emerge from hibernation.
Some oviparous species in the state are kingsnakes, black rat snakes, bullsnakes, racers, worm snakes, and green snakes. Snake eggs have a tough, leathery shell. Females lay their eggs in rotten logs or leaf litter. The eggs usually hatch in later summer to early fall. Water snakes, garter snakes, brown snakes, copperheads, cottonmouths and rattlesnakes all examples of ovoviviparous species in Indiana.