Common egg eater, Egg-eating snake
The Rhombic egg eater (Dasypeltis scabra) is a species of snake native to Africa. It is nonvenomous and is one of only two taxonomic groups of snakes that feed exclusively on eggs. Rhombic egg eaters live in forested or wooded habitats that are also home to numerous species of birds.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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Non-venomousNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withDorsally, the Rhombic egg eater has almost toothless jaws. It has a series of rhomboidal dark brown spots on a lighter background. There is an alternating series of brown spots on each side and a distinct V-shaped mark at the back of the neck. Ventrally it is yellowish, either uniform or with dark dots.
Rhombic egg eaters are found in sub-Saharan Africa, in Saudi Arabia, and in other countries of the Middle East. They can live in various habitats except for closed-canopy forests and true deserts but can occur in most ecosystems between these extremes.
Rhombic egg eaters are nocturnal creatures. They are mainly terrestrial but are very good climbers and can scale rock outcroppings and climb trees to raid birds' nests. When disturbed, the Rhombic egg eater inflates itself, "hisses" by rapidly rubbing together the rough, keeled scales on the side of its body, and strikes with its mouth kept wide open.
Rhombic egg eaters feed only on eggs. The lining of their mouth has small, parallel ridges, very similar to human fingerprints, which aid in grasping the shell of an egg. Once swallowed, the egg is punctured by specialized vertebral hypapophyses which extend into the esophagus, and the shell is then regurgitated in one piece.
Females of this species are oviparous. In summer, they may lay one or two clutches of 6-25 eggs each. The incubation period lasts about 80-90 days and hatchlings are 21-24 cm (8.5-9.5 in) in total length
There are no major threats to this species at present.
According to the IUCN Red List, the Rhombic egg eater is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
