Which snake has the longest fangs?

If you're talking fang size, the Gaboon viper is the best-endowed snake on the planet—with fangs that can reach up to 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) in length! The fangs fold back against the roof of the snake's mouth…then snap out in an instant to strike.




How do snakes swallow prey bigger than their heads?

A snake's jaws work much like the loose hinge on a pair of pliers, allowing the snake to spread its jaws over its meal. Then, the snake's jaws "walk" the meal deeper until it's devoured.




Do spitting cobras really "spit" venom?

Technically, no, they spray it. A muscular contraction pushes venom from the bottom of the cobra's fangs, while air expelled from the cobra's lung blows or sprays the venom at its intended victim.



Why do snakes shed their skin?

Because they outgrow it. A snake's body continues to grow most of its life, but its skin, which consists of thousands of scales, never grows. When the skin becomes too tight, the snake "molts" or sheds it, making room for a new, larger skin that has developed under the old one. The snake removes the old skin by rubbing against a rough surface like a rock or a tree.




Do all snakes lay eggs?

No. Only 70 percent of the world's snakes lay eggs. The rest give birth to live young. Oviparous—or egg-laying—snakes tend to live in warmer climates, which helps incubate their eggs. Viviparous—or live-birthing—snakes tend to live in cooler regions, where the ground is too cold for the eggs to develop on their own.




Why do snakes stick out their tongues?

For one thing, so they can tell prey from predator. The tongue actually works more like a human nose. The snake sticks out its tongue to pick up scent particles. When the snake returns its tongue back into its mouth, the two forked tips deposit the molecules into ducts where they pass into the "Jacobson's Organ." The Jacobson's Organ then processes the scents, in this case, determining whether they're from a delicious meal or a deadly intruder.




How do snakes defend themselves?

In addition to biting, snakes employ a wide range of behaviors to ward off potential predators. Rattlesnakes give warning with sound…cobras makes themselves appear more formidable by spreading their infamous hoods…water moccasins and black mambas display their menacing mouths…and eastern hognose snakes go so far as to play dead! But remember, all snakes can bite, so heed their warnings and leave them alone!




Which snake has the most toxic venom?

While Australia's eastern brown snake and the Dubois sea snake are strong contenders, drop for drop, the venom of western Australia's inland Taipan takes the prize. Just one milligram (0.001 grams)—about a pinhead-sized drop—would be capable of killing 1,000 mice.




What's the fastest snake in the world?

The deadly black mamba of eastern Africa can cruise at a speed up to 7 miles per hour (11.27 kilometers per hour) in short bursts. That's fast enough to catch up to a human on foot.




Which snake causes the most human deaths?

It's a toss-up between the Russell's viper and the Spectacled cobra, both found in South Asia. Their venom is deadly, but it's their close proximity to people that makes them the world's leading killers.