Snakes

Information about snakes:

Snakes are legs-less animals of the Suborder Serpentes. They are a very successful group of animals, and inhabit many different kinds of environments both terrestrial and marine. The evolution of snakes isn’t very well known, due to the lack of many fossils because the skeletons of snakes are relatively fragile and scatter easily. There are some fossils identified at snakes from about 150 million years ago. Some snakes like boas and pythons have small vestigial hind limbs.

The skin of a snake is covered with scales. Despite popular belief they are not slimy. They must molt in order lose old and worn skin and also to shed parasites like ticks and mites. Snakes do not have eyelids, but rather are covered with clear scales. They have a very sensitive sense of smell, and use it to track their prey. They also are able to use vibrations in the ground to detect when their prey is approaching. Snakes are strictly carnivorous. Many of the snakes use different types of venom to paralyze their prey. Others, like boas, use constriction to kill their prey. Snakes do not have teeth and therefore have to swallow their prey whole. To do this they have jaws that can unhinge from each other, and therefore they can consume very large prey. After feeding, snakes might not to eat for many days or even weeks.