INTRUDER!!!

There was an intruder in the library yesterday evening.  A small slithering creature entered the library unannounced.  We were very upset.  Especially when it was discovered that the intruder was in fact a baby Northern Water Snake.

Do you know what snakes eat?  Birds!  They eat birds!  We were not happy that a snake had entered the library.  Miss Renee told us not to worry - she has to be kidding.  We could have been eaten!  Miss Renee told us that we were exaggerating.  The snake did not come in to eat us, in fact she told us that Northern Water Snakes mainly eat small fish and frogs.  This snake was in fact a baby and he would only eat things like minnows, earthworms and sometimes crickets.  He was too small to eat us.  She said that he probably came in to get warm and maybe read some great snake books, since he was found near the snake  section in the Children's Non-Fiction area.  Finding out that we were bigger than him made us feel a lot better so we decided to check out the library's snake section. It was very interesting and also unnerving - since there are many snakes that eat birds but snakes do some amazing things as well (like shed their skin sort of like we shed our feathers and they smell with their tongue).

We also discovered some information about Northern water snakes on the computer.  Northern water snakes like to live near fresh water in areas where there are places to hide among sticks and stems.  They also like to bask on rocks in the sun.  Being cold blooded they need the sun to make them warm.  We also found out that they aren't venomous but that they do bite.  Miss Renee told us that she had been very careful when she and her friends picked up the snake so nobody was bitten.  She told us that if anyone finds a snake they should leave it alone and tell a grownup.  Don't touch it.  We also learned that northern water snakes don't lay eggs they give birth to live young and that the babies are only about 7-9 inches long.  (Ruler not to actual scale)

Our visitor was in fact a baby as he wasn't longer than 9 inches.  Miss Renee let Miss Chris take care of him temporarily so we could identify him.  Miss Renee did assure us though that he will be going back to his wild home and not be living in the library with us.  We were very happy about that.  While it was very exciting to meet a wild creature,  we like being the center of attention at the library!