Snake Facts You May Not Know

1. Most snakes are harmful . False : Most snakes are harmless

2. Snakes can’t smell with their nose. False: They smell with their noses , but the tongue and Jacobson’s organ (an indentation on the roof of their mouth with many nerve endings) are more important to them.

3. Snakes feel slimy . False : Touch one . It’s usually warm and dry.

4. The purpose of scales is to keep snakes warm . False : Scales are watertight . The main purpose is to keep moisture in , so the snake won’t dry out in the heat.

5. Snakes can hypnotize people and animal . False : The myth probably arose because of the way snakes stare without moving , and many animals freeze when a snake stares at them

6. Snake scales are heavy . False : They’re actually as this as paper.

7. Snakes are cold . False : Some snakes can maintain body temperatures of over 100 degrees-higher than humans (who can create their own body heat).

8. Snakes are aggressive and strike whenever possible . False : Most snakes are cowards that prefer to swish away and avoid fight.

9. Snakes don’t have backbones . False : Snakes sometimes have as many as 300 vertebrae-compared to a person who has only 33 or 34.