How does the Boa eat its prey?
The boa ingests the meal whole, usually staring at the head. The boas use their tongue, which is not poisonous or harmful in any way, to locate the part of the meal to be ingested first. The tongue also functions to help the boa detect potential preys’ scent and to know the temperature of its surroundings. The boa’s jaws are loosely attached to the rest of the skull. This allows the mouth to be stretched, somewhat like a sock, over the head of its prey. The snakes teeth are also curved which helps the snake to pull its mouth slowly over the food. The snake salivates profusely while eating which helps to lubricate the throat as the prey is swallowed. The skin between the scales is also stretched while the food passes down the neck to the stomach. The front part of the windpipe, or glottis, can be protruded out the side of the mouth so that breathing is not obstructed as the prey is consumed.
