What kind of jaw does a snake have

In August , scientists documented a boa constrictor eating a howler monkey. In March , an African rock python swallowed a spotted hyena. That same month, a foot-long Burmese python killed and consumed a farmer whole. And a woman in Indonesia befell the same fate in June Reports also document snakes swallowing everything from adult deer to alligators and even cows. So, what enables them to gobble such large entrees? According to urban myth, the ability to dislocate their jaws. Humans have long been fascinated by the ability of snakes to swallow enormous meals.

All the bones, flesh, and organs are digested and used. A lot of scales will pass through, and the teeth, over the two to three weeks after the kill. Things with keratin and enamel aren't digestible, so they'll come back out. All rights reserved. What danger is there to the snake in this scenario? Share Tweet Email. Read This Next Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London. Animals Wild Cities Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London Love them or hate them, there's no denying their growing numbers have added an explosion of color to the city's streets.

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Cats, pigs, and antelope are regular fare for pythons; rarer treats have included a year-old boy, a Burmese jewelry salesman, and an alligator. Unlike a mammalian jaw that is built for brute force, a snake's is rigged with tendons, muscles, and ligaments that give the jaw a gymnast's flexibility.

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