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Why can a boa swallow an animal that is much larger than the size of the snakes head?
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
A snakes jaw is not one solid piece of bone like ours is. Their upper jaw is made up of six pieces, and the lower jaw is in two pieces--all connected by ligaments and muscle tissue. The snake simply stretches it's jaws over the mouse or whatever it's swallowing. Afterwards, the jawbones realign themselves.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoA snakes jaw is not fixed like ours. Their top jaw is made up of around six pieces joined by muscles, the lower jaw is in two pieces, joined at the front by muscles.
When a snake swallows it's meal, the muscles in the jaws stretch to accomodate the prey. They return to a relaxed state after the food is swallowed (usually by the snake yawning to re-align the bones).
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoIt can swallow its prey by opening their jaw. It is because they bite the head first and then swallow it.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agotheir necks expend so large things can pass down.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoAll of them. It is possible for snakes to swallow prey up to seven times the diameter of their own head.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoIts jaw can expand...
Wiki User
∙ 12y agothey can because they can
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoIt can unhinge its' jaw.
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How can a snake eat animals bigger than it's head?
Snakes are able to unhinge their jaws, which allows them to swallow animals much larger than their heads. After they swallow the animal, their jaw hinge goes back into place.
Why can a boa constrictor swallow an animal much larger then its head?
The boa is able to dislocate/unhinge its jaw to get it around an animal that would appear to be bigger than its head when the jaw is connected. Once it does that, it can stretch its mouth around the animal and start pulling it in for digestion.
How do king cobras eat there prey?
They swallow it whole, head first. All snakes are carnivorous. With venomous snakes such as cobra the digestive process is started as soon as the venom is injected.
Which air breathing animal can only swallow when its head is under water?
Blue Whale
How does a snake eat?
Snakes eat their food whole. Usually head first. The lower jaw on snakes can unhinge enabling the snake to eat much larger prey than their head. The snakes body muscles then push the meal down inside the snakes stomach.
Does a snake usually bite the head of its prey to kill it instantly?
its easy for snakes to crush all the prey's bones first then gobble them up EDIT: The reason snakes swallow their prey head first - is that the limbs of the 'victim' fold flat against the body - making it easier to swallow. (Snakester1962)
What do you get a guy you just met for his birthday?
Give him head and swallow!! Give him head and swallow!!
Why does she have snakes on her head?
somebody cheesed her to have snakes on her head and tern them in to stone
When does a rattlesnake kill its prey?
The snakes remain in hiding and ambushes any potential prey that passes by. When a prey gets close enough the snake will strike out and inject venom. They quickly release the animal and wait for the venom to take affect. Then they use the scent trail left by the dying prey to locate it. Once they find it they swallow the animal head first.
Do snakes have heads?
Yes snakes do have a head.
What special adaptations do snakes have for eating?
The main adaptation - is the fact that snakes don't have a solid jaw (like most animals). The bottom jaw is split in two at the front - connected by strong muscles. The top jaw is split into six pieces - again connect by strong muscles. The snake can control the muscles individually, enabling it to stretch its jaw wider than the circumference of its skull. This enables the snake to swallow prey that is much larger than it head.
How does snakes take its food more details?
Snakes swallow their food whole - Take as an example a corn snake swallowing a mouse... The snake finds the mouse's head, opens it's mouth and grabs the mouse's nose. It pushes forward, stretching its jaws as it goes, until the head of the mouse is in the snakes mouth. Once the mouse's head is in the snakes throat, it's muscles grip the mouse preventing it from sliding backwards, while the snake 'walks' its jaws forward over the mouse's body. This process is repeated until the whole mouse is in the snakes throat, then muscles contract and push the mouse down to the snakes stomach.
