Ssseptember is Baby Snake Season!
In the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, late August and September is baby snake season. At this time of year, you are more likely to encounter snakes, but don’t worry – snakes are super scared of people and won’t chase or bother you if you just leave them alone.
Did you know that some snakes lay eggs and others give birth to live young? For example, rat snakes and ring neck snakes lay eggs whereas garter snakes and copperheads give birth to live young. And snakes don’t really “nest” – so you won’t find a “nest” of snakes. Snakes that lay eggs will typically do so in moist soil, compost, rotting leaves, or rotting logs. After laying eggs, the mother snake will abandon the eggs and never return to protect or care for them. Snakes that give birth to live young also abandon their babies after resting for a few hours. If you find a baby snake you don’t need to be concerned about a mother snake being nearby to “protect” her babies.
Snakes are normal, natural, and beneficial part of our environment. Be kind to our snake neighbors and just leave them alone.
Please enjoy this Baby Snake video I made a few years ago when I was the director at my original company, Reptiles Alive LLC:
