Red-bellied Snake

Storeria occipitomaculata

The Red-bellied Snake is a small, friendly snake with a bright red belly. It loves to hide under leaves and logs, making it a great friend for exploring nature!

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The Red-bellied Snake is a tiny, slender snake, typically brownish, gray, or black on its back. Its most striking feature is a bright red, orange, or pink belly, often contrasting sharply with its dark top. It usually has three distinct light spots behind its head.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassSquamataOrderSerpentesFamilyColubridaeGenusStoreria

Red-bellied Snake

Interesting facts

Some Red-bellied Snakes don't actually have red bellies, but orange or pink!

Their special hinged jaws let them swallow surprisingly large slugs and worms.

These tiny snakes are one of North America's smallest reptile species!

When startled, they quickly flatten their body to appear wider and bigger!

Special abilities

Red-bellied Snake can play dead by flipping over and staying still, which helps them trick predators into thinking they're not tasty!

Red-bellied Snakes have tiny, pointed teeth perfect for grasping slippery slugs and earthworms, helping them catch their favorite meals.

Red-bellied Snakes give birth to live, miniature baby snakes instead of laying eggs, helping their young have a head start.

Measurements & details

Length: 20-40 cm
Weight: 0.002-0.014 kg
Lifespan: 2-4 years
Top Speed: 0.5 km/h
Clutch Size: 3-14

Diet & Feeding

This tiny snake loves to slurp up slugs and earthworms, along with other soft-bodied insects!

Primary Foods

Slugs
Earthworms
Grubs
Sowbugs
Small salamanders

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Crows will prey on small snakes found in open areas.

eaten by

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Larger garter snakes can sometimes prey on smaller snakes.

eaten by

Striped Skunk

Mephitis mephitis

Skunks are opportunistic predators that eat small reptiles.

hunts

Dusky Arion

Arion subfuscus

This snake's specialized diet includes various species of slugs.

hunts

Common Earthworm

Lumbricus terrestris

Earthworms are a primary food source for Red-bellied Snakes.

Traits

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Camouflaged

Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

Hibernating

Hibernating animals enter a state of metabolic depression during cold periods or when food is scarce, characterized by reduced body temperature and activity.