I am going to be giving a talk about my snakes to a group of 2nd graders. Now, it was explaned to me that when a snake starts to swallow it's meal, it's jaws "unhinge". From what I read, the jaws do NOT unhinge, the ligaments just stretch. I hate to pass on info that I am unsure of, so please clarify for me.

Thank you,
Angela

I was just watching a snake special on animal planet and they did use the term "unhinge".

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I just saw a great show on it too. The skull is actually partitioned in 4 sections as you described. The sections actually separate and are held together with some sort of ligamant like you suggested.

They even discussed the misnomer of "unhinging". But, I can't seem to find a diagram anywhere.

Come on Google, find it for me.

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Regards,
Dominick
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"Do you watch too much television? Did you do so as a toddler? Evidence tonight that it could be the cause of learning disorders, like attention deficit and hyperact-Ooooh, a kitty!" - Keith Olbermann

I too have always heard it referred to as unhinging.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

After searching the first 5 pages of websites that came up on a search I do not know any more than I knew before. I'ts almost a point of view thing. Kind of like the debate over wether or not the hognose is venomous or toxic.

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Angela try this site. It may help you understand a bit better.
http://reptilis.net/serpentes/eating.html

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Hi all-

I'm sure the skull (at least on the larger snakes) split into 4 sections: L & R on the top and bottom part. I remember the computer simulation well. It was during an explanation of how snakes can eat prey larger than their heads.

I'm not sure about the smaller varieties. Maybe they do just unhinge. I'm searching everywhere!

Can somebody wake up Fran, maybe he knows.

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Regards,
Dominick
_____________________________________________
"Do you watch too much television? Did you do so as a toddler? Evidence tonight that it could be the cause of learning disorders, like attention deficit and hyperact-Ooooh, a kitty!" - Keith Olbermann

AHA!!!!!

Found something.

Snake Skull

Check it out!

***Doing my happy dance!!***

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Regards,
Dominick
_____________________________________________
"Do you watch too much television? Did you do so as a toddler? Evidence tonight that it could be the cause of learning disorders, like attention deficit and hyperact-Ooooh, a kitty!" - Keith Olbermann

Dom you have the right of it. The sides of the jaws stretch out and the upper and lower sections also have an area that becomes disjointed. This enables the right and left side of the upper jaw to move independantly to enable he snak to walk its jaws over the bulk of the prey. The lower jaw has a point in the front part of the jaw that is a release point as well, I have had frantic calls about the snake having broken its lower jaw during eating just because of the separation point allowing the lower jaw to bend and move in weird ways.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

So the correct term would be disjointed not unhinged?

__________________
Answers are great. But I prefer questions!

Visit me at www.jaysreptiles.com