why do snakes want to swallow animals or people bigger size than them?

Answer 1

Snakes have the ability to devour prey that is typically too large for their mouth, if their jaws were designed similarly to most other creatures. However, they have a lower jaw that is comprised mostly of two large bones which are connected in the front by ligaments. In reptiles these bones are rarely fused, whereas in mammals they normally are fused together. A snake takes advantage of the jaw bones not being fused, as well as other anatomical advantages, such as flexible organs, stretchable skin, and a very flexible skeletal system. These all work together to help the snake engorge on significantly large prey and helps to move this meal safely to the stomach.

Most snakes are not necessarily the best hunters, not really. The most highly specialized mammalian hunters are only successful 33% of the time. A snake is not nearly so successful. Many will lie in wait for prey (ambush predators) and a few will actively hunt (search for food). In either case, a lot of time may go by or there might be numerous failed attempts in which the prey escaped or was stolen. Also, most snakes will not eat carrion, so their prey must be alive when discovered. With this in mind, it would be difficult for most predators to survive, especially mammals since they require food everyday or every other day.

So snakes have a much slower metabolism and can afford to "wait" between successful hunts, which could easily be weeks or months. During this lost time, the body does run low on resources and needs food to heal wounds, replace tissue that naturally dies off, and to grow. When a snake finally does catch prey, it's usually best for the prey to be large so that during the "fasting time" the snake's body has ample materials to use.

Snakes evolved the ability to engorge themselves on large but seldom caught prey. The instinct to eat items larger than their head is key to their success and can often times lead them into trouble. Judging the size of prey isn't a snake's strong suit, so mistakes are made.Too large of prey cannot be easily torn apart and are often discarded.

Answer 2

Many snakes will strike at things they cannot eat, depending on temperament and mood.

I like corn snakes (very common and easy to raise) because they are known for a good temperament and, as long as they are handled properly, rarely strike at people. They will strike at hands though, especially if they are hungry, are feeding, or especially if the person has has a rodent smell on them.

Though we attribute anthropomorphic personalities to them, snakes do not think like mammals. Movement, smell, and immediate size can look like food (a human is large but a finger or hand is small) -- Heck, even cats can think that fingers are edible. This is why many people use feeding boxes and do not feed them in there habitats; it sets up a routine. Many people use feeding gloves and tongs, too.

Depending on how you measure it, snakes are also not very smart (no offense to snake lovers out there).
A snake might even try and eat food that is already being swallowed by another snake. Once a snake starts swallowing something it cannot easily stop without hearting itself. Snakes have been known to accidentally eat another snake because it was attached to the end of food that they were both trying to eat! This is why snakes should be fed in separate cages.

Answer 3

Most snakes can not eat a fully grown human, however if a 18 ft anaconda were to come upon a child, it would be easy for them.

Snakes are NOT pets in the same sense that dogs and cats are. They are instinctual creatures. They don't care if you are the one that feeds them and cares for them, if you are small enough for them to eat, and smell like food, you ARE food.

snakes jaws do NOT dislocate and there is NO extra "bone" their lower jaws are not connected together at the front of their face and they are not connected to the upper jaw. They simply have tendons that can stretch really far. They also have extra skin under their throat that allows them to swallow easier.

Next time you see a snake eat, watch it, it will "walk" it's jaws down the animals body.

Answer 4

Because it's the way snakes are. They are cold-blooded animals and they digest slowly. They eat one large meal, then just sit there and conserve energy until they digest their meal, and then go off in search for another meal.

Their jaws don't technically dislocate - they have an extra bone that allows their jaw to expand. Basically, if you put your hands together (like the sides of your index fingers touching) and touch the backs of your hands (like your finger nails) to your forehead. Imagine that your forearms is the lower jaw, and your torso/head is the upper part of the snake's jaw. But, you see how you can expand your arms? Like with your upperarms? Well, that would be like the extra bone.

Anyway, most snakes cannot eat a human. Some have tried, but most accounts are fake. The shoulders of a human are simply too wide for a snake to eat. A large antelope would be easier to eat because the width of it (like the ribs) can be compressed. Not so with humans - snakes rarely manage to get past a person's head when trying to eat a person. Which is rare anymore. Most snakes recognize that their prey is large rodents or whatever, and will not try to eat people.

Answer 5

"Why do snakes want to swallow animals or people bigger size than them?"

Snakes don't *want* to swallow things bigger then them, it's there nature.

Wanting to do something just because you want it is different then doing something because its a part of nature.

Answer 6

when snakes eat, they dis-locate their jaw so they can fit in bigger food. i would want to eat one big thing then a bunch of little things.i'm not sure about people unless its a huge like anaconda thats wild.

Answer 7

In the everglades a burmese python tried to eat an american alligator and well basically it exploded.....yeah I guess they try to eat things that are as big or bigger sometimes.

Answer 8

because they can!!! then dont have to eat again for a long time, very filling wouldnt you say. lol...

Answer 9

they are hungry

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