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An inland taipan snake has an incredibly accurate bite, and it nearly always envenoms it target. If the threat does not leave, the inland taipan snake will strike. This display involves the snake lifting up its forebody, creating a tight S-shaped curve.
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When provoked, an inland taipan snake will initially perform a threat display. It will then rapidly bite its prey several times in a row.
#INLAND TAIPAN FANGS CRACK#
When an inland taipan snake hunts its prey, it will corner the rodent in a small burrow or crack in the ground. The inland taipan snake is an active hunter. It is not considered an endangered species, because it is common enough within its normal range of territory. The inland taipan snake is protected by Australian law, just like all other Australian snakes. When there are not enough rodents for the snakes to eat, their numbers go down. These animals compete with the snakes for their rodent choice of prey, the long-haired rat. Inland taipan snake populations are more likely to suffer as a result of human expansion, which results in the loss of the snake’s habitat.Īdditionally, inland taipan snake populations are negatively affected by the introduction of non-native predators to Australia, such as cats and foxes. A few larger reptiles, such as the mulga snake and the perentie monitor lizard, are immune to the snake’s venom and will eat young inland taipan snakes. The inland taipan snake has very few predators in the wild. Incubation Temperature: 27 to 30 degrees Celsius.Female Reproductive Maturity Age: 28 months.Male Reproductive Maturity Age: 16 months.In captivity, these snakes can produce 1 or 2 clutches of eggs in a single breeding season. It will usually leave these eggs in an abandoned animal burrow. The female inland taipan snake will lay its eggs in the middle of spring. In these fights, the snakes will strike at each other with their mouths closed, asserting dominance without biting each other. The male snakes will fight each other in a sort of ritual combat which can go on for a half-hour or more. Mating season for an inland taipan snake is during late winter. They may also be fed small birds, but these snakes almost exclusively prefer to eat mammals. In captivity, an inland taipan snake thrives well on mice and rats. The long-haired rat is this snake’s favorite food, as it breeds in high numbers throughout the year. In the wild, an inland taipan snake feeds on small mammals, including long-haired rats and house mice. When the weather is cooler, you may find an inland taipan snake active outside of its den in the afternoon as well.
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Then the snake will seek shelter to hide in for the rest of the day. It will bask in the sun and forage for food in nearby animal burrows. When Is This Snake Active?Īn inland taipan snake is diurnal and most active during the early morning.
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The snake deals with the heat by hiding in underground burrows and cracks. Very few humans choose to live in this hot, dry, remote land. You will find it mainly in Australian floodplains and dunes, away from areas more populated by humans. It prefers an arid climate with sparse vegetation, taking shelter in cracks and crevices in the rocky ground. This desert snake originates in eastern Australia. The inland taipan snake, on the other hand, does not have a distinct neck. The coastal taipan snake has a distinct neck which is clearly different from the head. This snake is also commonly mistaken for the closely related coastal taipan snake. This snake is very similar in appearance to the eastern brown snake and the western brown snake, and so these 3 snake species are often confused for each other. The color change may allow the inland taipan snake to absorb more sunlight in the colder months of the year, while avoiding overheating itself during the warmer months of summer. This scale color changes throughout the year – the snake is darker in color during the winter, and lighter in color during the summer. An inland taipan snake has a lighter yellow belly, usually with orange blotches.
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The inland taipan snake’s head is usually several shades darker than the rest of its body and may even be black in color. Its dorsal scales are a shade of brown, anywhere between a pale tan, to a yellow brown, to a darker brown. Its large eyes have a round pupil and a dark brown, nearly black iris. This medium-large snake has a rectangular-shaped head. Fang Length: less than an inch (3.5 to 6.2 millimeters).Other Names: Fierce Snake, Lignum Snake, Small-Scaled Snake, Dandarabilla, Western Taipan.Scientific Name: Oxyuranus microlepidotus, meaning “sharp tail, small scale”.Let’s start with some basic information about the inland taipan snake: It is known for its quick, agile movement and its fiercely toxic venom, which is particularly lethal to mammals. The inland taipan snakes is a solitary, terrestrial snake from Australia. 1.9.5 Does This Snake Always Inject Venom? Inland Taipan Species Information
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