Slanger kan sluge et bytte, der har lige så stor omkreds, som de selv har. Det kræver nogle tilpasninger for at klemme et så stort bytte ned. Slanger har derfor ikke noget kæbeled. Kæberne holdes i stedet sammen af elastiske ledbånd, hvilket betyder, at slanger kan åbne munden 180 grader. Byttet skal også gennem halsen og kroppen på sin vej ned i mavesækken. Der er rygrad og ribben i kroppen på en slange, men til forskel fra os har slanger ingen brystben. Det betyder, at brystkassen kan udvide sig, når byttet passerer.

Slanger er vekselvarme ligesom andre krybdyr. Det betyder, at de får deres kropsvarme fra omgivelserne. Hvis en slange bliver anbragt ved 15 grader, vil dens kropstemperatur efter et stykke tid være 15 grader. Hvor hurtigt nedkølningen eller opvarmningen går, afhænger af flere ting blandt andet dyrets størrelse. I naturen vil dyrene typisk lægge sig i solen for at blive varmet op. De fleste krybdyr fungerer bedst ved en kropstemperatur på omkring 30 grader.
Terrarier er typisk indrettet med en "kold" og en "varm" ende så dyret dermed kan regulere sin varmen.

 

Snakes can swallow a prey, that is the same size in circumference, as the snak it self. It require some adjustments to squeeze that large a prey into the snake. That is why a snake dont have a jaw joints. Their jaw joints are held together by elastic ligaments, which means that a snake is able to open its mouth 180 degrees. The prey has to go through the neck and the body on its way down into the stomach. There are spine and ribs in the body of a snake, but unlike us, has snakes no breastbone. This means that the chest can expand as the prey passes by.

 

Snakes are ectothermic, like other reptiles. This means that they get their body heat from their surroundings. If a snake is located at 15 degrees, its body temperature after some time be 15 degrees. How fast the cooling or warming goes, depends on several things including the animals size. In nature, animals will typically lie in the sun to warm up. Most reptiles function best at a body temperature of about 30 degrees. Terrariums are typically designed with a "cold" and a "hot" end, this allows the animal to regulate its body heat.