Fun Worm Snake Facts For Kids

Worm snakes originated in east woodland areas in places like Louisiana and Arizona and in the eastern U.S. from southern New England. They usually hide under leaves, trees, and mostly under stones. They are non-harmful towards humans and not venomous in nature. These species are endangered species. They are best when left alone since they don't like being held for long and are often considered shy beings. There are primarily two types of worm snakes one is an eastern worm snake and the other is a carphophis vermis also popularly known as the western worm snake.

Keeping them as a pet has become a popular move among snake lovers and first-time owners. One can keep them in a terrarium which includes soil, mud as well as hiding places for them to feel comfortable. A ten-gallon terrarium would be ideal for the same. When keeping them as pets one could consider getting more than one to keep them some company in the terrarium.  They are not dangerous beings and do not bite humans. They feed primarily on insects so when keeping them as a pet it's essential they have access to proper dietary requirements in their environment. In this article, we will take a look at western worm snake facts as well as the eastern worm snake facts. If you liked this article please visit sea snake and orb-weaver spider.

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What type of animal is a worm snake?

The worm snake is a type of snake animal which is a snake but due to its size and shape it is ofte times mistaken for being an earthworm.

What class of animal does a worm snake belong to?

Worm snakes belong to the category of reptiles and belong to the family of Colubrid snakes.

How many worm snakes are there in the world?

The exact number of worm snakes in the world is not known however they are categorized as endangered species by the IUCN. Since they are considered to be a common species they are not protected in any way however, the case is different in Georgia where they have been protected from the beginning.

Where does a worm snake live?

Wood snakes live in wetlands mostly however they are found in the woods as well under stones and bushy areas where they can camouflage themselves. Worm snakes are also seen in farms since they try to search for insects to prey on and in recent years have been adopted as a pet in homes by snake lovers as well as first times owners.

What is a worm snake's habitat?

Worm snakes are in the eastern United States and other parts of the world as well. They dwell in and around forests as their habitat and rarely go further away from the same. They usually hide beneath stones, rocks, logs, under-leaf litter, or beneath rotting logs. They are shy soft-bodied small beings and don't like being held for long.  

Who do worm snakes live with?

Worm snake carphophis amoenus live on their own as well as with other snakes like them and people who adopt them as pets.

How long does a worm snake live?

The average lifespan of a worm snake is four years in the wild. This also depends on various other factors like their environment and diet.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding period is from April to May and September to October and lay one to eight eggs usually litter under leaves. The hatchlings are three to four inch in length and hatch in August and September.

What is their conservation status?

The worm snake species are considered as an endangered species by the International Union For Conservation Of Nature (IUCN).

What do worm snakes look like?

Their upper body is light to dark brown and their lower body pink and white below their belly. Their eyes are tiny and are usually black in color. They have a pointed head and a tail in similar size and coloration but pointed in nature. They have scales and a small head, their belly also being brown in color as is their tail.

How cute are they?

Compared to other snake species they are one of the cutest species and an added benefit is that they are harmless beings making them approachable in nature as compared to other venomous snakes. They are extremely shy and tend to slide out of one's hand if held for longer periods.

How do they communicate?

They are largely shy and silent beings however, they tend to communicate to other species of their own kind through the use of signals made by movements in the body a professional in the field is sure to recognize the same.

How big is a worm snake?

A worm snake is 12 in tall which is 20 times bigger than the smallest snake in the world, the Barbados thread snake which is 10 cm tall in size.

How fast can a worm snake move?

They do not move great distances and have been recorded to move about 45 m in a 24-hour window. Their primary diet consists of earthworms hence they utilize more time digging deep however when they don't find earthworms they look for alternate substitutes of insects to feed on.

How much does a worm snake weigh?

An average adult worm snake weighs 0.003 lb.

What are their male and female names of the species?

They are not assigned any particular names and another way to identify their gender is to analyze their reproductive functions. If you're considering adopting it's a good idea to consult a professional in the field to get a better idea.

What would you call a baby worm snake?

A baby worm snake is referred to by the same name and nothing different unless one decides to adopt one in which case one could assign them names.

What do they eat?

They search for their food by burrowing deep into the soil for earthworms and if they dont find that they feed on other insects which they find in the wild. If no option is available they also feed on slugs, and snails as an alternate source of nutrition. When kept as pets they should be fed from time to time.

Are they poisonous?

No, these snakes are not poisonous in nature or harmful, they don't bite humans, however, when held it is common for them to try to escape. They are not the only non-venomous snakes in the snake family kingdom.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, they will make an excellent pet to snake lovers and to first-time owners. Installing a terrarium would be ideal for these pets.  

Did you know...

Blind snake is a name given to snakes who resemble an earthworm and so is the case with worm snakes since and are not harmful compared to other common snakes. Just because they are known as blind snakes does not mean they don't have eyes, rather their eye reduces in size through the fetus's development by the time they hatch from their shell they become blind.

Conversion of habitats into urbanization has led to a massive decline in their population in turn affecting the animals who prey on them in the woodlands, rotting logs and leaf litter.  Since they are considered common species they are given little or no protection except in places like Rhode Island and Georgia.  

Keeping worm snakes

Taking care of them is simple as long as they are given ample space to move around, enough hiding places, as well as their dietary requirements, are taken care of.

Different types of worm snake

There are broadly two types of worm snakes as discussed earlier namely, the eastern worm snake and the other is a carphophis vermis also popularly known as the western worm snake, and are more or less similar but vary in coloration. They are shy, harmless, and unique snakes and a wonderful pet to those who love snakes and are considering adopting a snake for the first time. In their natural habitat they like logs, rocks, soil, and such habitats.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our worm snake coloring pages.