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Community News

Eight facts you may not know Snakes - they may not be at 18 feet long, their usual prey would
5. Boa constrictors can grow to
the top of everyone’s favourite
about snakes animal list and instinctively are be rodents, bats, small mammals
Brought to you by the Farm and Zoo Park at Studley Grange natural hunters, but they are often and monkeys, but the larger Boas
misunderstood, complex creatures.
have been known to prey on deer.
In the reptile house at Studley 6. Most snakes lay eggs but the
Grange visitors will find three boa is one of few that actually give
species of snake; The Corn Snake, birth to live young.
The Californian King Snake and the 7. The Californian King snake is
Boa Constrictor. Here's eight facts another constrictor but besides
that you may not know about these feeding off small mammals this
snakes; snake will eat other snakes, even
1. Corn Snakes are native to its own species and are named the
America and are named because King Snake because of this.
farmers used to think that the 8. The Californian King snake
snakes were eating their corn, but is relatively small and averages
as snakes are carnivores they were a length of 4-5 feet. As with all
actually hunting for the mice that snakes Californian King Snakes'
lived in the barns and not the corn. jaws are not fused together and
Manor Garden Centre 2. Corn snakes can grow up to they have hinge joints to allow the
Cheney Manor, Swindon 6ft long and live up to 25 years in head to be very flexible. This allows
01793 526691 captivity. the snake to unhinge its jaw and
Open 7 days a week 3. Corn snakes are a constrictor, swallow prey larger than its head.
who strike their prey and then coil The reptile house at Studley
their body around it. They then Grange is in the Farm Park and Zoo
SHOWBUILDINGS
squeeze the prey to prevent the area and is home to the third largest
CLEARANCE
SALE
Quality TGB blood circulating to the brain, the species of tarantula, cockroaches,
garden buildings prey then falls unconscious and the sun beetles and various species of
for any situation snake will swallow it whole. lizards. Visit them – if you dare!
Bespoke sizes 4. Another constrictor at Studley Butterfly World, Farm Park and
available Grange is the Boa Constrictor, Craft Village at Studley Grange is
these feed in the same way but located just off junction 16 of the
Base laying do not hunt. They lie and wait for M4 and is open seven days a week
& installation their prey to pass and then ambush including bank holidays.
available them. They are nocturnal so will do Visit studleygrange.co.uk for more
their hunting at night. information.

West Swindon and Lydiard Tregoze
Church Partnership

Please join us in worship on Sunday mornings
Westlea Church, Westlea School: 10am
St Mary’s Lydiard Tregoze
- the church in the park: 10am
Holy Trinity, Shaw: 10.30am
Toothill Church: 10.30am
For details of these and our other services
call the Partnership Office on 01793 874221
Email: [email protected] Website: WSwinlyd.org.uk
Anglican • Baptist • Methodist • United Reformed Church

20 swindonlink.com n May 2017

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