The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-08-09
SNAKES ELABORATE MENU.
Poisonous Variety Most Difficult to
Keep in Captivity.

VaIS varying ITOm Jay OF TWO W
a month. Turtles and lizards which
are active feed every other day, but
the big constructing snakes, which lie
coiled in the same position for a week
at time, do not require q meal OF
tener than twice month AS rule
the smaller snakes are fed every ten
days, while the boas and pythons re-
ceive their food every three weeks.
Nearly all the big snakes have the
habit of fasting for indefinite periods.
After feeding regularly for three or
four months, python will steadily
decline food for about the same period,
after which it again begins feeding vO-
raciously.
During these long fasting spells the
keepers follow their charges actions
with close attention, for it is at these
times that the dreaded canker may
form in a serpent's mouth, and unless
Immediately counteracted by antisep-
tic washes it becomes dangerous and
often fatal. A three months fast OF
a healthy snake never worries the
keeper, for the reptile usually begins
feeding again without the slightest
sign of emaciatiOn.
A most elaborate menu is required
in the reptile house. The constructors
eat rabbits, chickens and pigeons,
while rats, mice and sparrows are
eaten by the smaller snakes. Lizards
eat large quantities of meal worms,
which are varied by flies caught in
Quantities or fish are fed to the alli-
gators and water sharks, while vege-
tables of many kinds are the food Of
the tortoises and herbivorous lizards.
If live rabbit or chicken were
cast into the cage containing six or
eight of the big snakes trouble would
be inevitable. Several of the reptiles
would seize the creature at the same
time. and in the construction that fol
lowed all would become entangled in
such knots that the smaller snakes
would fare badly. If, after the prey
is killed and large snake begins to
swallow it, smaller snake is per-
sistent in it's hold on the prey, the
small snake may find resting place
in the elastic interior of it's cage
mate.
The feeding of cage of pythons is
an operation which requires time and
skill. The first thing done is to sepa-
rate the big fellows, which lie socially
coiled in a great mass. The keeper
than hands them their chickens and
rabbits, one by one, keeping many
of the snakes covered with blankets
to prevent fighting. To throw the
food at random into the cage would
result in the more powerful speci
mems eating everything, besides fight
ing among themselves.
The poisonous snakes are the most
difficult to keep in captivity They
are so nervous that the slightest
noise causes them to spring in a coil
of defence, and these reptile often de-
liberately starve themselves to death.
Because of this nervousness the pois-
onous snakes are usually fed at night.
when the reptile house is absolutely
quiet. This disposition belongs only
to the viperine snakes. Though the
bobras are always on the lookout for
York Geological Park is a cobra with
trouble they eat regularly and vora-
ciously.
In the reptile house of the New
an appetite that embarrasses the keep
ers. The specimen is thirteen feet
in length, and strictly cannibalistic.
Nothing but snakes will he touch, and,
still more, he scorns the small COM
mon snakes which are readily OBJ
tanned
Before the formidable brute had
been in the building six months he
had depopulated a cage full Of black
snakes and devoured a collection OF
Southern coach-whip snakes, and all
the large specimens which the park
could spare. More black snakes were
ordered, but. as the cobra demanded
four or five of these at a meal, the
situation became embarrassing.
1t was finally decided to remedy
conditions by an ingenious method
A black snake was killed and stuffed
full of rats, until it's diameter was
about six times beyond the normal
when it was cast into the cobra's quar-
tiers.
After inspecting the morsel for
some time, the cobra began to swaI-
low it slowly. It was an operation
that consumed a full half hour, and
after it's completion the snakes ap-
pearance demonstrated that he haa
enough to satisfy AIe most voracious
expectations.
When valuable SNAKES arrive at the
reptile house, and are not apparently
inclined to- eat, they have a certain
length of time in which to show signs
of appetite, and then, if still indis-
posed, compulsory feeding is resortea
to. Czarina, the twenty-foot python