These are things like the amount of food available, what enemies share the same living area as the snake, the weather and the temperature, and all kinds of other things. The life span of a captive snake is different. As a snake flicks it's forked tongue in and out, it is actually tasting scent particles from the air and the ground around it. If you see a snake that is not actively flicking his tongue it could be a sign that the snake is ill. There are different answers for each different kind of snake.
Some snakes give birth to live babies, while other snakes lay eggs.
A clutch is kind of like a nest of eggs. Snakes lay their clutches of eggs in different spots. Some lay eggs on the ground, some in trees, some underground, and some snakes lay their eggs under things, like wood piles. A snakes dry, scaly skin protects its inside organs from the outside environment in which it lives. The colors and patterns on a snake help to hide the snake from predators and danger.