▁out ▁of ▁water ; ▁they ▁are ▁adapted ▁to ▁both ▁environments . ▁When ▁they ▁are ▁fright ened , ▁they ▁take ▁to ▁the ▁water ▁or ▁bush es . ▁They ▁do ▁not ▁d ive ▁like ▁water ▁sn akes ; ▁they ▁gli de ▁across ▁the ▁surface ▁of ▁the ▁water , ▁instead . ▁ ▁Diet ▁The ▁rib bon ▁s nake ▁generally ▁e ats ▁small ▁fish , ▁t ad pol es , ▁sal am and ers , ▁small ▁fro gs ▁and ▁to ads , ▁and ▁occasionally ▁insect s . ▁In ▁some ▁cases , ▁the ▁female ▁has ▁been ▁observed ▁e ating ▁her ▁young . ▁The ▁typical ▁time ▁for ▁sn akes ▁to ▁h unt ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁morning ▁or ▁early ▁evening . ▁Once ▁the ▁s nake ▁has ▁sp otted ▁its ▁pre y , ▁it ▁will ▁quickly ▁sl ither ▁to ▁catch ▁its ▁pre y ▁and ▁sw allow ▁it ▁whole . ▁ ▁Re production ▁Re production ▁in ▁eastern ▁rib bon ▁sn akes ▁takes ▁place ▁after ▁they ▁emer ge ▁from ▁hi bern ation ▁in ▁the ▁spring , ▁in ▁April ▁or ▁May . ▁M ating ▁occasionally ▁takes ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁fall , ▁but ▁the ▁female ▁will ▁delay ▁fert il ization ▁and ▁development ▁until ▁the ▁next ▁spring . ▁The ▁average ▁gest ation ▁period ▁is ▁three ▁months . ▁The ▁average ▁number ▁of ▁young ▁is ▁around ▁ 1 2 ▁but ▁can ▁range ▁four ▁to ▁ 2 7 . ▁Fem ales ▁give ▁birth ▁in ▁late ▁summer ▁or ▁the ▁early ▁fall . ▁After ▁birth , ▁no ▁parent al ▁care ▁is ▁involved ; ▁the ▁young ▁are ▁left ▁to ▁f end ▁for