Snakes are reptiles found on every continent except Antarctica. They have no legs and no eyelids. There are over 3,400 snake species that vary greatly in size, from 10 cm to 9 meters long. Snakes use their forked tongue to smell and track prey. Some snakes can see infrared radiation to detect warm-blooded animals. Snakes are covered in scales and shed their skin periodically. They are carnivorous, eating small animals, birds, eggs or insects. Venomous snakes use venom to paralyze prey, while constrictors kill by coiling around their victim. In colder climates, snakes brumate or become inactive during winter instead of hibernating.

1. THE SNAKE

2. THE SNAKE
 They are reptiles, legless (without legs) and
carnivorous (meat eaters).
 They don’t have eyelids and external ears (like
lizards)
 Covered by scales.
 3.400 species
 Found on every continent (except Antartica)

3. Biology
Size: There are some 10 cm long and others of 9
meters (pythons and anacondas)

4. Smell: Snakes use smell to track their
prey. They use their tongue (fork
tongue).

5. Infrared sensitivity
Pit vipers, pythons, and some boas can “see” the
heat. Snakes have cold blood but they can see
warm animals (like a mouse).

6. Skin
The skin is covered in SCALES. And it is dry. They
change their skin many times like taking out a
sock.

7. Skeleton

8. Diet
 Some species like cobras and coral snakes, use
venom to paralyze or kill their prey before
eating it. The venom is modified saliva
 Others kill by constriction
 They eat small animals including lizards, other
snakes, small mammals, birds, eggs, fish,
snails or insects

9. Kill by constriction

10. Winter dormancy
 In regions where winters are colder than
snakes can tolerate, local species will
brumate. Unlike hibernation, in which
mammals are actually asleep, brumating
reptiles are awake but inactive.
 Individual snakes may brumate under rock
piles, or inside fallen trees, or snakes may
aggregate in large numbers.

11. Feeding
 All snakes are carnivorous but they cannot bite or
tear their food to pieces, they must swallow prey
whole. The body size of a snake has a major
influence on its eating habits. Smaller snakes eat
smaller prey. Juvenile pythons might start out
feeding on lizards or mice and graduate to small deer
or antelope as an adult, for example.

12. Bite
 Snakes do not normally prey on humans.
Most snakes prefer to avoid contact and will
not attack humans. With the exception of
large constrictors, nonvenomous snakes are
not a threat to humans. The bite of a
nonvenomous snake is usually harmless; their
teeth are not designed for tearing but rather
grabbing and holding. The possibility of
infection is present in the bite of a
nonvenomous snake.

14. THANKS FOR WATCHING
By: Juana Sturla.