Snakes are some of the most mysterious and feared creatures in the world. They come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes, and colours and can be found in almost every corner of the globe. Despite their reputation, there are a lot of fascinating facts about snakes that you may not know. Here are the Top 10 Facts about snakes that you should know.
1. Snakes smell with their tongues.
Have you ever wondered why snakes stick their tongues out?
They are probably trying to smell their surroundings as they use their tongue to do this.
At the roof of their mouth they have something called a Jacobson’s or vomeronasal organ.
The smell then goes from the tongue, to the organ in their mouth.
2. Some snakes are venomous!
Some snakes can be very dangerous as they are venomous.
They use their venom to kill their prey.
The venom is made in their salivary glands and then gets pushed out through their fangs and into their prey.
The snakes to look out for are the black mamba, king cobra, inland taipan plus lots more.
There are around 600 venomous snakes.
Find out about the venomous King Cobra…
3. Pit vipers, and some boas and pythons, can sense heat.
Have you ever wondered how a snake can attack its prey in the dark?
They sense the heat of their prey using holes in their face called pits. Pit vipers have one on each side of the face, and many boas and pythons have rows of smaller pits along their lips.
This makes it very hard to hide from a snake!
4. Snakes have hundreds of ribs!
Snakes can grow very long which means they have hundreds of ribs!
That’s much more than humans. We only have 24 ribs.
They need them just like us… to protect their organs!
5. They shed their skin.
Snakes shed their skin between 4 and 12 times a year.
This is because snakes are always growing however their skin doesn’t grow with them.
Their old layer of skin becomes too tight for them and so they have to shed it.
They then have a nice new layer of skin underneath!
6. Snakes hear using vibrations in their jaw bones.
Snakes can’t hear sounds like us.
They use a bone called a quadrate which is attached to their jaw.
This is used to sense vibrations!
7. There are over 3,000 different species of snakes.
Over 3,000 different species of snakes have been found.
That’s a lot of snakes!
8. The black mamba is one of the fastest snakes.
Most snakes move quite slowly, but the black mamba is one of the fastest.
It can slither faster than you can walk.
9. The longest snake is the reticulated python.
Did you know the longest snake is over 6 metres long?!
It’s called a reticulated python.
10. Snakes have flexible jaws.
Snakes have flexible jaws, so they can swallow prey much bigger than their own heads.
They then digest their prey with their strong stomach acid.
π Words to know
- Reptile
- A vertebrate with dry, scaly skin. Most reptiles lay eggs on land.
- Venomous
- Able to inject venom with a bite or sting.
- Prey
- An animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal.
- Shed
- To lose an old layer of skin so a new one can take its place.
β οΈ Watch out!
How much do you know about snakes?
What do snakes use their tongues for?
- Smelling
- Tasting only
- Hearing
- Keeping cool
What is the longest snake in the world?
- Reticulated python
- King cobra
- Black mamba
- Grass snake
Why do snakes shed their skin?
- They have grown too big for it
- To change colour
- To scare predators
- Because it gets wet
Which group?
Snakes are reptiles, like lizards, turtles and crocodiles. They have dry, scaly skin.
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