Leah Androski
reporter@greenepublishing.com
Gunner Shrum visited the Lee Public Library on Thursday, May 25, and showed six different live, nonvenomous snakes, native to Florida, to the Lee Elementary School fourth-grade class and other children present.
He brought the snakes out one by one and shared their habitat, characteristics, and some interesting facts about each of the species. The six species shown to the children were: the Scarlet Kingsnake, Oak snake, Corn snake, Apalachicola King snake, Eastern Hognose snake, and the Florida Pine snake. The species that caught everyone's eye was the Eastern Hognose Snake. Shrum showed everyone this snake's special defensive behavior. This snake is known for “death feigning” or playing dead when it feels like it's being threatened. The Hognose snake will fake being dead by flopping on its back and convulsing. The snake will remain motionless with its belly up, mouth open, and tongue hanging out. It will remain like this for several minutes before turning over and slithering away.
Shrum showed snake skins from venomous native Floridian snakes and presented facts about them. He showed them a Timber Rattlesnake skin and explained how this snake has a different kind of venom than other snakes, neurotoxic venom. Most snakes have hemotoxic venom, which affects the circulatory system and muscle tissue. A snake with neurotoxic venom affects the nervous system.
Shrum also explained rules that one can follow to avoid running into any kind of snake, venomous or nonvenomous. While some of the rules change depending on the species, there is one rule that Shrum says works 100 percent of the time. “If you see it don't touch it. Snakes aren't looking to bite anyone.”
Shrum has written a book titled, “All About Reptiles: All About the Reptiles in North America”.