respiratory

Posted by rikki whalen on March 24, 2006

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.

John Wiessinger ( March 24, 2006)