Ten fun facts about Snakes
Fact 1
The thickest snake is the Anaconda, which measures about 44 inches around and the smallest is the Thread snake, which is about 4 inches long.
Fact 2
Snakes lay eggs. They are oviparous though some are ovoviviparous and can give birth to live young ones.
Fact 3
These reptiles do not have ears or eyelids and rely on vibrations for hearing. Their forked tongues constantly move and this helps them to smell and taste chemical composition in the air.
Fact 4
They live in burrows and under rocks. Their metabolic rate is low so they can survive without eating for a long time.
Fact 5
Snakes shed their skin three times a year. This is called molting. Their skin is dry and smooth to the touch.
Fact 6
Of the nearly 2500 species in the world, only 20% are venomous. The venom of a cobra is so potent it can kill an elephant. It is stored in the glands at the back of their heads and released when they kill prey through the hollow fangs.
Fact 7
A snake can live for up to 30 years.
Fact 8
Snakes use their teeth for holding prey and not for chewing. Their teeth are curved backwards and some have as many as 200 teeth.
Fact 9
Some snakes flatten their body into a disc and glide from the branch of one tree to another which appears as if they are flying.
Fact 10
A snake can remain under water for a long time even though it has no gills but it does need to surface occasionally. When they are in the water, they use the oxygen dissolved in the water.
More interesting reads about...
Eels
Are snake-like fish from the order Anguilliformes that occupy both fresh water as well as saltwater habitats.
Komodo Dragons
Are large, powerful, living lizards with long flat heads, round snouts, scaly skin, bowed legs and huge muscular tails.
Platypuses
Is a warm blood mammal that belongs to the monotreme group that lay eggs.
Lizards
Are long bodied, cold-blooded vertebrates that belong to the class Reptilia.
Toads
Are tail-less amphibians with stout bodies and long hind limbs for leaping of the family Bugonidae.
Frogs
Are amphibians with a large head, large eyes and smooth moist skin.
Sharks
Are cartilaginous fish which means that the structure of their animal’s body is formed of cartilage and not bone.
Meerkats
Are found in the semi-arid plains of Botswana and in parts of the Kalahari Desert
Alligators
Are cold blooded reptiles that get their name from a Spanish word El Lagarto, meaning “lizard”.
MORE IN ANIMALS
