My daughter asked "If snakes hold their breath, will their bodies grow more rigid?" Anyone know?
2007-01-06 01:33:46 · 5 answers · asked by hirondelle 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
No Snakes don't have a diaphram as we do so must use muscles along their sides to expand and contract their lungs. Most snakes have only one main, functional lung but it functions much as ours does to obtain oxygen. When a snake is feeding on a large prey item it can also push its trachea (windpipe) off to the side so it can still breathe with a mouth full of food.
The lungs of a snake must fit inside a long cylindrical body; their structure is somewhat different from those of most animals. In most snakes the right lung is usually the largest and extends for over a 1/3 of the body. The left lung is then VERY small or absent. In effect, snakes only have one lung. During feeding, when the mouth may be blocked with food for up to an hour, the snake is able to breathe by extending a muscular extension of its windpipe, called the epiglottis, from the bottom of the mouth. It protrudes from underneath the prey to reach air and allow the snake to breathe. If you watch the snake eat carefully you will see a hole inside the mouth on the bottom lip, this is the windpipe.
2007-01-06 01:43:20 · answer #1 · answered by Albertan 6 · 7⤊ 1⤋
Some snakes have movable windpipes which allows them to breathe during different scenarios such as eating prey, or holding there breath. When snakes hold there it has nothing to do with any defect in its body nor gain a defect. Hope that pretty much covers your question.
2007-01-06 11:16:51 · answer #2 · answered by HerpDude 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Q: How do snakes breathe ?
A: Snakes don't have a diaphram as we do so must use muscles along their sides to expand and contract their lungs. Most snakes have only one main, functional lung but it functions much as ours does to obtain oxygen. When a snake is feeding on a large prey item it can also push its trachea (windpipe) off to the side so it can still breathe with a mouth full of food.
Thanks for asking.
2007-01-06 09:44:10 · answer #3 · answered by dinoslayer33 1 · 0⤊ 5⤋
no some snake like anadondas have a swim bladder which allows them to hold there breath for long periods of time.
2007-01-06 09:36:28 · answer #4 · answered by bnotagain 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Snakes breath through their nostril holes and no.
2007-01-06 12:49:51 · answer #5 · answered by Coolgirl11 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋