Micrurus fulvius

AKA	The Coral Snake; The American Coral Snake; The Minute Snake.
COLORATION	Banded with red, white or yellow, and black.
SIZE	2-3 feet
HOME	Tropical areas of the Amazon basin; Florida; the Carolinas; Texas; northern Mexico
HABITAT	Forest areas among decaying logs, leaves, and rocks.
LIFESTYLE	Nocturnal, secretive, solitary except when breeding. Aggressive towards its own species
FOOD	Mostly snakes including members of its own species. Also eats lizards, birds, frogs, fish, and insects.
BREEDING	Takes places from late spring to early summer and from late summer to early autumn. Breeding is often difficult because these snakes are so aggressive toward each other. Fighting may occur instead of mating. If mating does take place, 3-6 eggs will be laid. Young will hatch two months later.
HUNTING TECHNIQUES	Takes its prey by surprise. Uses venom to kill its victim. Must bite prey several times to get adequate venom into the blood due to its short fangs.
DEFENCES	Uses its color to camouflage itself and to warn predators that it is venomous. Will swing its tail in an attempt to mimic head movement, thereby protecting its head.
IN CAPTIVITY	Needs a relatively small, humid, well heated vivarium with many hiding places. Often refuses to eat. Captive breeding is unknown.
LIFESPAN	Longest known is 7 years.
SPECIAL CONCERNS	* Taxonomy of the species within the genus Micrurus is badly confused and debated. * Ten percent of its non-treated bites to humans result in death.