|
|
|
|
|
Snakes
are reptiles. Reptiles are cold-blooded, have
skin covered with scales, and lay eggs. (Some
snakes don't actually lay their eggs, but hold
them inside until they hatch.) Snakes have no
legs and no ears. Skilled predators, snakes
help maintain the balance of nature by eating
prey that reproduces frequently, everything
from earthworms to rabbits. Snakes are especially
important in the control of rodents such as
mice and rats.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A
slender snake swallows an animal much bigger
than itself because of the flexibility of
a snakes body and the special construction
of its jaws. A snake's upper and lower jaws
are loosely connected: the lower jaw has two
parts that are joined by flexible tissue.
All these features allow a snake to open its
mouth very wide. Taking a prey animal in headfirst,
a snake swallows it by moving first one side
of its jaws forward and then the other.
Large
amounts of saliva produced in snake's mouth
make the prey go down easier. Small animals
are usually swallowed in a few minutes, but
it may take several hours to consume a large
one. After a snake has eaten a big meal, it
may not hunt again for several weeks. If neccesary,
snakes can go without food for months at a
time.
|
|
|
