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919 views 12 replies 12 participants last post by  Jeffers3 
#1 ·
Hey was just wondering if anyone could answer a query of mine.
How is it that a snake can remain motionless for hours or days at a time and suddenly spring into action when catching prey. Got asked by a friend the other day and was a bit stumped. Do they release some kind of chemical which stops their muscles from seizing up or is it something else. If anyone can help with an answer or do you know of a decent reptile biology book that may be able to help.
Cheers
 
#4 · (Edited)
Blimey ... not thought about that ! would it be something like .... cos i suppose we think about how we would be staying motionless for hours . our joints would stiffen cos of the ligaments holding the joints in that position. where as a snake uses muscle???? not sure if any of this is right just a educated guess :? although thinking about that .. we produce lactic acid in our muscels when they get over used .. thats why they ache... so maybe snakes dont produce lactic acid ??? or like i said i could just be talking a load of bol***ks
 
#6 ·
My mum asked me the same thing about my boas the other day; "how do they get so strong if they just sit there all day!?". Now with humans there's a certain chemical energy release (can't remember the name of it) that the body produces for quick bursts of a lot of energy. For example more often than not, professional 100 metre sprinters won't breathe for the whole length of the run because they don't need to as they're relying on this phantom energy release.

However I don't know if this would apply to snakes. The build up of muscle would be a genetic thing that applies to all snakes (particularly boas), just like some people are just naturally muscular.
 
#11 ·
My mum asked me the same thing about my boas the other day; "how do they get so strong if they just sit there all day!?". Now with humans there's a certain chemical energy release (can't remember the name of it) that the body produces for quick bursts of a lot of energy. For example more often than not, professional 100 metre sprinters won't breathe for the whole length of the run because they don't need to as they're relying on this phantom energy release.

However I don't know if this would apply to snakes. The build up of muscle would be a genetic thing that applies to all snakes (particularly boas), just like some people are just naturally muscular.

I think youre talking about adrenalin?

Copied from a website:

"The endocrine system is made up of glands that secrete hormones essential to normal body function. Snakes have the same endocrine glands as mammals. A few examples are the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands. The thyroid gland located in the throat area is responsible for proper growth and development, such as normal shedding of the skin. The parathyroid is a paired structure located near the thyroid and helps in the metabolism of calcium. The two adrenal glands are located in the tail region, suspended in a mesentery (membrane sheet attaching organs to the body wall) near the reproductive organs. They secrete the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline) that increases heart and respiratory rates when the animal is in a dangerous situation."
 
#8 ·
Mmm some good theories there, glad somebody else had the similar chemical theory as I did. Ill try an check out the natures giants programme, I think I caught some of it when it was originally on t.v. There is no end to the things you can learn about snakes which is why they are so awesome. Anyone else got any theories?
 
#9 ·
i'm wanting to know the answer to this aswell so i'm watchin the vid as i'm typing this ... but i had to pause it to write this obviously ...

the program has really really :censor: me off just now though :devil:

the woman that earlier that day didnt know how to catch or hold medium a snake is now making judgement on a larger snake. she thinks that a 4.5 mtr python could stretch its skin to swallow her! THE SKIN DINT EVEN FIT ROUND HER BELLY LET ALONE THE REST OF HER BACK!!!!!!!! the bit i'm on about is 18min into the program.

anyway rant over sorry for hijacking your thread :blush: ... ... i just had to rant!
 
#12 ·
Could it not be they're low basal metabolic rate that allows to sit for days on end though i don't know how this would be affected when they strike and constrict. I don't know anything about reptile physiology but they may just have a similar system to the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system which is activated in the presence of prey or danger allowing them to go from 0 to 60 as quickly as they do
 
#13 ·
The ability to move very quickly over a short distance isn't that difficult from a biochemical or even physiological point of view. A sudden release of a trigger chemical can cause a muscle (or muscles) to repond very quickly. The difficult bit is coordinating this, or worse still repeating the same thing loads of times. Strength and speed are very different to stamina.
 
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