9781422283479

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A LONG, COLD NAP Reptiles living in places that have cold winters cannot stay active all year-round. In autumn, they fall into a deathlike state called hibernation. When the weather warms in spring, they are lively again.

Underneath is a new scaly skin. Most reptiles shed their scales either one at a time or in patches. Snakes shed their skin in one piece. All reptiles are “cold- blooded.” This doesn’t mean they are always

cold. It means they can’t make their own heat. Unlike us, they need the Sun’s heat energy to warm their muscles, so they can move around. They change their body temperature by moving between warm and cool places throughout the day.

The scales on the skin of this pit viper protect it from enemies yet allow it to move freely. 8

7 A snake sheds its skin. Its empty skin looks like a ghost snake!

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