The Advantages of Snake Senses

Like most animals on the planet, snakes have theTongue - The snakes tongue is the most interesting
five normal senses. Those would be sight, touch,part of their anatomy. Everyone knows the typical
smell, hearing and taste. Some features of theaction for the tongue; flicking. Snakes flick out their
senses are limited, while others are extended beyondtongue, and either wave it in the air, or touch the
the norm.ground with it. This is one of their touch sensors. It is
Eyes - The range of sensitivity of the eyes varyalso used to find or detect chemical scents. Molecules
greatly from snake to snake. Most snakes see theof any chemical are collected by the tongue, brought
actual movement of objects clearer than the objectback into their mouth, and analyzed by the
itself. Snakes that are active during the day normallyJacobson's organ. Using this method, a snake can
see in this fashion. On the other end of themore effectively find and follow its prey.
spectrum, some snakes, such as the blind snakes,Some snakes can detect infrared heat rays. Some
see shades of light and dark. Snakes do not havespecies of snakes have small holed, or pits, on their
eyelids in the traditional sense. They cover their eyesfaces, including; pit vipers, boas, pythons. This pit
with a clear membrane, called the brille.allows them to distinguish minute changes in
Ears - Snakes lack an external ear opening. Their eartemperature in the direction they are pointed. Hunting
bone is attached to their jaw bone. They can onlyprey is made simple by picking out warmer
hear very low sounds.temperatures in front of them.