Nutrition in snakes. Snakes: interesting facts. About snakes, their way of life, nutrition. The most unusual snakes What does a snake eat?

What do snakes eat?

The snake's jaws have an unusual structure. They are very weakly connected to other bones of the skull. Tiny teeth grow along the edge of the jaws, and some snakes also have two additional rows of teeth growing on the roof of their mouth. All these teeth are connected to bones, which are driven by special muscles.

Having captured the prey, the snake holds it with the teeth of the lower jaw, and pushes it into the mouth with the upper jaw. When the food has already passed halfway into the mouth, the lower jaw also begins to help the upper jaw move the food deeper into the esophagus.

Thanks to the special structure of the jaw, the snake can swallow large animals. For example, pythons sometimes swallow leopards and deer! But, of course, small individuals eat small animals. Most snakes still feed on medium-sized living creatures: grasshoppers, frogs, fish, mice, rats and birds. Some tiny blind snakes only eat termites. There are also snakes that hunt their own kind.

When it comes to food, these reptiles are very picky. Thus, a green snake eats spiders, fish, birds, caterpillars, but will not touch lizards and mice, and a water snake is partial to fish and frogs, but will ignore insects and mice.

Anacondas eat a variety of foods.

These amazing reptiles have always aroused both delight and fear in humans. It is simply impossible to be indifferent to snakes! School textbooks on zoology tell how they feed, reproduce, where they live and why they are dangerous to people. But there are many interesting facts related to snakes that not everyone knows. In our article you will find a selection of the most fascinating information about these representatives of the animal kingdom.

Snake physiology

What do you know about snakes, except that, unlike most animals, they do not have legs? Let's look at how these creatures work and get acquainted with some interesting facts.

• Snakes have a huge number of ribs - up to 250 pairs. The girdle of the upper limbs is absent, but the remains of the pelvis in some species are preserved, although not functional. Pythons even have tiny vestigial remains of legs. There are no snakes with front or back legs.

• Snakes' teeth grow throughout their lives.
• Molting also occurs throughout life.
• The internal organs are not arranged compactly, like in humans, but in a row one after another. The left lung is larger in all snakes, and in many species the right lung is completely absent.
• When prey is swallowed, the heart can become significantly displaced.
• All snakes have eyelids that are always closed. They are transparent films that do not interfere with vision. However, snakes' vision is not very good. But they can distinguish between warm objects, like a thermal imager.

Let us add that the opinions of scientists regarding the hearing of reptiles vary greatly. It is generally accepted that snakes are practically deaf, but some studies refute this theory.

Giants and babies

The reticulated python is considered the largest living snake. Not much behind him green anaconda. Representatives of these species have a mass of about a hundredweight and a length of about ten meters.

The largest of all snakes living in the territory former USSR, is the viper. The maximum length of representatives of this species is 2 m.

Let's look at a couple more interesting facts.

• Giant snakes include two more types of pythons: light tiger and dark tiger.
• A female dark tiger python named Baby, who grew up in a US zoo, is the heaviest living. This beauty weighs 183 kg (on average, representatives of the species weigh 75 kg).
• The light tiger python reaches a length of six meters, but does not pose a danger to any animal larger than a cat.
• The king cobra is also among the five largest.

The smallest is the Barbados narrow-mouthed snake. It does not grow even up to ten cm. Among the poisonous representatives of the class we can mention the dwarf viper, which can grow to a maximum of thirty centimeters.

Superkillers

When answering the question about the most dangerous reptile, many will mention the black mamba, because it is considered the most poisonous snake. Interesting fact: the color of this creature is not black, but grayish or brownish. There are many superstitions associated with this snake. Residents of the regions in which it lives never even say its name out loud, fearing that the insidious snake will hear and come to visit. The black mamba is also the fastest, because it can move at a speed of 20 km/h.

But the terrible mamba has an even more dangerous competitor - the taipan. It lives in Australia, has extremely aggressive behavior and an impressive length of several meters. Taipan venom paralyzes the heart muscle and acts instantly. When you meet him, just run.

The Philippine Cobra is a professional sniper. She kills by spitting poison. Even a distance of 3 meters is not safe. But, like other cobras, the Philippine snake rarely attacks first. The traveler should carefully look at his feet so as not to step on it.

The ribbon krait lives in India, where it is called the shy snake. Kraits are not aggressive unless their offspring are disturbed. But the venom of one snake is enough to send a dozen people to the next world.

The amount of poison contained in the glands of one king cobra, will be enough to deal with twenty-three adults. There may simply not be time to administer an antidote. The bite of a king cobra is fatal even to an elephant. Usually a cobra kills because the cubs are in danger. Yes, yes, one of the most dangerous reptiles on the planet is a caring mother.

Among not poisonous snakes There are also natural born killers. Until recently, pythons were considered harmless to humans, but last years In Southeast Asia, several cases of python attacks on people have already been recorded. Scientists believe that a python, which cannot chew and swallows food whole, is, as they say, too tough for a person (the pelvic bones of the victim will not fit into the predator’s mouth). But people of small build should not trust pythons.

Pseudo snake

Let's pay attention to one funny creature, which also looks very much like a snake, but is not one at all. In fact, this is a yellow-bellied lizard. In the process of evolution, limbs were lost as unnecessary.

Pay attention to the structure of the head. The yellowtail's eye has movable leathery eyelids. Predators take this lizard for a snake and do not touch it.

There is also an antipode to the yellow-bellied skink, which is called a snake with legs. But there was no sensation here, the skink is not a snake, it is also a lizard.

What's on the snake's menu?

Let's look at a few unusual facts about snake nutrition.

• All snakes are predators.
• Most of them cannot chew and use their teeth only to grab and tear food into pieces.
• The digestion process can take up to several weeks. For example, a python eats only twice a month (those who decide to get an exotic pet should remember this).

• Some snakes are unable to feel full and may die from overeating.

Hell and heaven for those who are afraid of snakes

Australia and New Zealand... Fabulous countries at the ends of the earth. When planning a trip to those distant places, don't forget about snakes. Australia is home to 21 of the 25 most venomous snake species. But in neighboring New Zealand there are no snakes at all! The exceptions are two species of aquatic reptiles, which are harmless in water.

Or maybe, on the contrary, you love these reptiles and want to watch them in their natural environment? Or would you like to tell children about interesting facts related to snakes? Well, there are also harmless reptiles in Australia. But you must go on an excursion accompanied by an experienced guide.

As a pet

Anyone planning to set up a terrarium at home needs to familiarize themselves with the most interesting facts in advance. Snakes have a number of characteristics, their keeping is not difficult, but a novice breeder needs to learn a lot.

Study the material about temperature and drinking conditions, read the feeding rules. Don't skimp on your snake house equipment. Be sure to find out in advance whether your locality a veterinarian who works with reptiles. With proper housing arrangement and compliance with all necessary standards, a snake can live in captivity even longer than in nature. This beautiful creature can become not only a delight for the eyes, but also a true friend. Of course, if the owner is caring, kind and sincerely loves snakes.

Snakes are easier to feed as pets than other reptiles. While an anaconda may need a fairly large deer and a python a plump pig every few weeks, your snake has a more modest appetite. In most cases, she only needs a few rats or mice (for larger specimens, rabbits).

However, for each specific type of snake, it is necessary to know in advance the diet it needs. For example, some swamp snakes only eat lobsters, while others only eat snails or fish, which must be fed several times a week. Some snakes eat insects and require three meals a week.

Snake menu. In nature, snakes often travel long distances in search of prey. Depending on the variety, these may be insects, bird eggs, frogs, small or large mammals. In captivity, the snake's main diet will consist of young frozen or live mice. Choose the size of your mice based on the size of your snake's head to avoid stressing it when ingesting food.

Should you give your snake live prey? Although many snake lovers believe that it is better to feed a snake with live food, a bite from a live rodent, if not immediately swallowed or incorrectly handled by the snake, can injure or even kill the reptile. Therefore, it is better not to give live prey to the snake.

How much should you feed your snake? One feeding per week is usually sufficient. How much food to give at this feeding depends on the size of your snake. One adult snake may need two small mice a week, another one a large mouse or rat a week, a third a two-pound rabbit every two to three weeks, and a fourth a dozen earthworms a week. If you feed your snake too much food, it will become fat.

Like all reptiles, a snake's body temperature and metabolism depend on the temperature of its environment. Changes in environment, especially in temperature and lighting, is directly related to changes in appetite. Snakes caught in wildlife, may be affected by the changing seasons for several years after they are caught.

How do you know if a snake is hungry? Snakes tell you when they are hungry. They begin to fuss, clicking their tongue often and loudly.

What's the best way to feed a snake? Lower the food into the terrarium using tongs. Remember that even docile snakes can behave poorly in the hands of their owner if they smell food. Snakes can also be aggressive when moving around them, so use caution when changing water and other manipulations in the terrarium.

If you have multiple snakes, feed them separately in different tanks to prevent fights between them. Snakes have curved teeth that prevent them from releasing prey, so a larger snake may try to swallow a smaller one.

Should you give your snake water? Keep a small container with fresh water in the terrarium. Tree snakes should be sprayed daily.

Why doesn't the snake want to eat? Snakes caught in the wild that are not yet accustomed to life in captivity or to new food, susceptible high risk get anorexia. Some snakes that have changed owners or moved to a new enclosure may also refuse to eat for a while.

The snake's appetite also depends on molting. At this time, they become vulnerable and irritable, often refusing to eat. After molting, the appetite returns. A female snake about to lay eggs, as well as a male (during the breeding season), can temporarily refuse food. In other cases, it is not typical for a snake to refuse food for more than one to two months.

It is very important to correctly determine what is causing this forced hunger strike and whether it is harmful to the health of the reptile. First, you should weigh your snake regularly. If her ridge becomes noticeable, she is probably too thin. Snakes that refuse food run the risk of dehydration. This can be easily determined by slightly squeezing the skin: dehydrated skin will wrinkle and will very slowly smooth out to its normal state. In this case you will need urgent help veterinarian

Secondly, you should immediately check the temperature and lighting in the terrarium. In snakes living in temperate climate, in autumn with decreasing intensity sunlight appetite also decreases. In this case, provide the snake with optimal lighting during the day. For tropical snakes, 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night are recommended. For snakes temperate zone(North America or Europe) - 10 pm and 2 pm in winter and 2 pm and 10 pm in summer.

If the snake is healthy, you can reduce the amount of food during the cooler months.

If your snake is healthy and doing well, but is still refusing food, try the following. Tease the snake: take food with tongs and twirl it in front of the reptile’s nose, you can even touch it. Sometimes this prompts the snake to grab the prey and swallow it. Provide some kind of shelter for the snake so that it can eat in peace. Place food in this hiding place so the snake can "find" its prey. Try to diversify the menu, for example, instead of a mouse, offer a chicken or hamster as a reptile.

Force feeding is used as a last resort and only by an experienced specialist.

One can talk endlessly about such an amazing creature as a snake. Everything about her is interesting - from sharp teeth to the tip of her tail. All snakes are born hunters and predators. Thanks to their movable jaws with elastic ligaments, they are able to push into their stomach prey that is several times larger than themselves. Moreover, gastric juice can easily digest bones, horns, and hooves.

First you need to catch the prey

Before starting a meal, the snake needs to go hunting and catch prey. A predator can sit for hours in a secluded place, waiting for an opportunity. As soon as the desired object approaches the shelter, the snake sharply throws its body forward and inflicts a fatal bite.

Non-poisonous individuals independently find prey, crawling into secluded places, nests, and rodent burrows. At any opportunity, the snake rushes at its prey, wrapping its body around it in a spiral, with rings. The muscles of the predator's body are so strong that they can easily strangle someone who falls into its deadly embrace.

How does a snake eat

After the prey is caught, the snake swallows it whole. The lower jaw of a predator consists of 2 halves, which are extremely mobile and connected by elastic ligaments. First, the right side of the jaw is pulled over the victim, while the left side fixes the position of the body with the help of teeth. After this, the left half of the jaw is pulled over the prey, and the right side fixes the process.

With the help of simple back-and-forth movements, the victim is gradually pushed into the throat, esophagus, and stomach. Depending on the size of the prey, the absorption process takes several minutes or hours. After this, the digestion process begins, and in a caustic gastric juice all solid parts of the captured object dissolve.

What does a snake eat

Small species of snakes prey on other invertebrates, ants, insects, and beetles. Land species eat eggs, birds, larvae, and rodents. Predators that live near ponds and swamps catch frogs, fish, and animals that live in the water. There are snakes in nature that happily feast on snails, mollusks, and slugs.

Large representatives of the snake kingdom eat antelopes, wild boars, and other artiodactyls. There are varieties of snakes that eat only their own kind. For example, these are copperheads living in Russia that feed on lizards and other snakes. Or an ordinary snake, which, on occasion, will not refuse to feast on a viper.

The king cobra and other aspid snakes hunt other representatives of their class, happily turning them into prey. From time immemorial, the Mussurana from Central America has been feasting on pit vipers, which are dangerous to humans. Anaconda and reticulated python prefer large prey. History even knows of cases of predators attacking humans.

Nutrition in snakes

All known species of snakes consume food only of animal origin. In most cases, they eat the prey alive or kill it immediately before absorption. The diet of snakes of different species includes animals of the most diverse systematic groups: worms, mollusks, insects, fish, amphibians and reptiles, birds and small animals become victims of snakes.

Since snakes do not have limbs with which they could hold their prey and tear it apart, they have to swallow it whole. Most snakes, when approaching, pounce on the victim and swallow him alive. This is what pythons, boas, snakes, snakes and a number of other snakes do. Prey is captured by jaws armed with numerous sharp teeth. Snakes' teeth are short, but very sharp and curved back. Thanks to them, the reptile securely holds its prey while swallowing. The jaw apparatus is designed in such a way that it allows the mouth to open wide and swallow prey that exceeds the width of the snake. The jaws consist of separate parts that are connected to each other by elastic ligaments. When a snake swallows large prey, the ligaments are stretched, and individual parts of the jaw apparatus move widely apart.

Snakes do not have a chest, so the ribs can diverge to the sides, which makes it easier for the victim to move through the digestive tract. Thus, a seven-meter boa constrictor can swallow a medium-sized deer or a small pig. There are known cases of boa constrictors swallowing crocodiles. Thus, in the Moscow Zoo, a boa constrictor that escaped from a terrarium entered its neighbor’s crocodile and swallowed it.
If the prey is very large and strongly resists, then the snake first strangles its victim before swallowing it. The snake holds it with its jaws and coils around it. Gradually reducing the diameter of these rings, the snake suffocates its victim and then calmly begins to swallow it.

About 15% of snake species use venom to kill their prey. Reptile venom is multifunctional; it is a powerful means of defense, obtaining food, and even digesting it. Snakes have special apparatus, allowing the introduction of poison into the body of the victim. It consists of a venom gland, gland ducts and a pair of venomous teeth. Poisonous teeth, as a rule, are significantly larger in size than other teeth. They have a groove with a hole near the sharp tip, through which the poison flows into the body of the victim. Among venomous snakes, there are those that do not have a developed venomous apparatus, and whose saliva has a toxic effect. Among these snakes are the colorful snake, the tiger snake, and the common copperhead.

In nature, it is not uncommon for some snakes to eat others. Some of them have completely switched to feeding on their fellows; the menu of such snake-catchers can consist of both small harmless snakes and dangerous poisonous snakes large sizes. The black-headed python lives in Australia, reaching a length of about three meters. The menu of these pythons is different kinds snakes, including poisonous ones, such as the tiger snake, which can reach two meters in length. The venom of these snakes does not affect the black-headed python, so their bites are not terrible for it.