2006-09-14 22:23:16 · 11 answers · asked by Veronica W 2 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
they unhinge their jaw to be able to swallow the whole animal
2006-09-14 22:24:48 · answer #1 · answered by Spaceman 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They can unhinge their jaws to accomodate large prey and swallow it whole. There are muscles in their throats and along their bodies that push the animal down, sometimes they'll wiggle around to help the process. Some snakes have backwards-pointing teeth that stop the animal from escaping once it has started to be swallowed. Some snakes will even eat eggs, break the shell within their bodies, and then regurgitate the shell.
2006-09-15 08:47:14 · answer #2 · answered by Dzee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They actually don't unhinge their jaws per se, but they are very flexible. The bottom jaw is actually in 2 parts to allow greater flexibility and maneuverability. They basically grab the prey (usually head first, but not always) and inch it down using their jaw and neck/body muscles. They can swallow something many times the size of their head, and their skin is very elastic to allow the food to pass through. Their windpipe also extends to the front of their mouth so they can take their time eating without blocking their airway.
2006-09-15 03:22:09 · answer #3 · answered by snake_girl85 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
by un hingeing its jaw. it then works its mouth around its prey(much like stuffing yourself into a very tight pair of jeans-lol) this ability allows the reptile to swallow prey alot larger than itself. that and the elasticity of its skin
2006-09-14 22:38:00 · answer #4 · answered by silvercat2me 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Their jaw unlocks and their mouth can expand to swallow their pray, then they kind of gulp it down and the muscle in their body pulls it through. Quite fascinating to watch
2006-09-14 22:27:07 · answer #5 · answered by sparkleythings_4you 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Head first , this makes the arms and legs lay by the victims sides .
2006-09-15 08:27:28 · answer #6 · answered by rocknrod04 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It gets it into It1s mouth and then slowly puts more and more into I`ts mouth and then it just goes down into It`s body.
2006-09-15 09:28:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The muscles in it's body keep constricting until it's all gone.
2006-09-14 22:26:15 · answer #8 · answered by starrynight1 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it swallows it whole
2006-09-15 11:06:12 · answer #9 · answered by Bdazzeling 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
un-lock his/her lower jaw and sloowly pull it down its throat
2006-09-14 22:27:06 · answer #10 · answered by k dog 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋