The question may arise that how Python and Anaconda swallow such large animals. We all know that snakes do not have arms and legs and that is why their eating habits are not like those with arms and legs. And for this, snakes have a lot of trouble collecting food.
Some snakes catch their prey and immediately pour out their venom. Again, some snakes twist and kill the prey. Like the non-venomous snake python, the anaconda does.
Both pythons and anacondas are large, powerful constrictor snakes that kill their prey by squeezing them to death.Here's how they accomplish this:
Ambush: Both pythons and anacondas are ambush predators that lie in wait for their prey. They use their camouflage and patience to remain hidden until their prey comes within striking range.
Constriction: Once the snake has seized its prey, it begins to constrict it by coiling its body around the animal and squeezing tightly. This can prevent the prey from breathing and can also cause damage to internal organs.
Adaptations: Pythons and anacondas have several adaptations that enable them to constrict their prey effectively. Their muscles are incredibly strong, allowing them to exert tremendous pressure on their prey. They also have specialized ribs that can move independently, enabling them to expand their bodies around their prey and exert even more pressure.
Swallowing: Once the prey is dead, the snake will begin to swallow it whole. As I mentioned earlier, the snake's jaws can stretch open very wide, enabling it to consume prey that is much larger than its own head.
However, after the death of the victim, all snakes have to face a common problem. And that is how the prey can be eaten now.
 |
| Python is swallowing its prey |
Due to the lack of adequate limbs, pythons, anacondas and any other snakes cannot eat their prey like other animals. Therefore, they are never able to tear the meat of the prey. What they do is force the whole prey into their mouths. However, the body of the snake is specially adapted for this.
When the python catches the prey of the anaconda snake, it first coils and kills the prey. Then he puts the prey's head in his mouth and gently pushes his long body towards the prey.
 |
| Python has swalloed its whole prey |
Almost all types of snakes start swallowing from the head of the prey. This makes it easier to swallow other organs. At first, the snake opens its jaw and swallows the prey. The jaw then slowly expands and at one point it swallows the entire prey. In this case, the jaw and neck muscles of the snake are useful. And the tiny teeth in the mouths of pythons and anacondas help push their prey into their stomachs. The saliva in their mouths soaks up the prey, making it easier for them to swallow. Such feeding techniques are found only in snakes in the animal kingdom.
But how does this process work? How can a snake several times the size of a large prey effortlessly swallow? And why can their jaws be so wide? For this, let's know the anatomy of the snake.
Python and anaconda snakes are able to swallow large prey due to their unique anatomy and behavior. Here are some of the ways that they are able to accomplish this:
Stretchy jaws: The jaws of pythons and anacondas are not fused together, allowing them to stretch open very wide. This enables them to swallow prey that is much larger than their own heads.
Flexible skull: The skulls of these snakes are also able to flex and expand to accommodate large prey. The bones of the skull are loosely connected and can move independently, allowing the snake to create a wider opening when swallowing.
Powerful muscles: Once the snake has seized its prey and begun to swallow it, it uses powerful muscles to move the food down its throat. The muscles of the snake's esophagus and stomach can contract and expand to help move the prey down into its digestive system.
Digestive adaptations: Pythons and anacondas have digestive systems that are specially adapted to handle large prey. They have large, expandable stomachs that can accommodate the bulk of the prey, and they produce powerful stomach acids that can break down even tough materials like bone and fur.
Jaw
Other four-limbed animals have strong jaws and attached mandibles that allow them to bite. But in the case of snakes, it is an exception. They do not have attached jaws. As a result, they can't bite anything hard. They have expanding jaws.
A closer look at the skulls of mammals and reptiles reveals that the skulls of reptiles have many tiny holes (fenestrae). These holes help the large muscles in the jaw to stick and stretch. They also keep the scalp light in weight.
In the case of lizards, their jaws are missing, leaving their quadrate bones free, allowing them to expand their jaws. They can also swallow quite large food. In the case of snakes, the jugal and upper temporal bones are completely absent. Another particularly noticeable thing is that their mandibles are not connected. And snakes can move them freely. Their mandibles are connected only by ligaments and they can stretch quite well. And this is why snakes can expand their jaws at will.
 |
| Skull of a Snake |
With each mandible moving back and forth, the python, anaconda snake, swallows its prey. And slowly they start pushing their body. In this way, the prey is also carried in the stomach of the snake.
Other auxiliary structures:
In addition to the extraordinary skull structure of any snake, including pythons and anacondas, their sternum and girdle bones are missing. As a result, the ribs of their chest become dilated and huge prey can be easily swallowed.
Snakes have only one lung. As a result, they do not have to suffocate to swallow large prey. Another thing to note is that the trachea of snakes is located in front of their mouths. As a result, their respiratory tract is clearer when swallowing prey.
Lastly, there is another specialty in snakes, including pythons and anacondas, for which they can easily swallow large prey, and that is their skin is extremely elastic. Overall, pythons and anacondas are able to swallow large prey through a combination of specialized anatomy and behavior. However, this ability is also one of the reasons that these snakes can be dangerous to humans and other animals, and they should be treated with caution and respect in the wild.