Essentially, a snake is a lizard that has adapted to hunting mice and rats in burrows and dense thickets of grass. Legs in such conditions are only a hindrance. The bones of the snake's skull are movably connected to each other. This allows the mouth to open wide, and when the snake swallows large prey whole, the jaws “spread” to the sides. In addition, the snake has special shock absorbers in its skull that protect the brain from shocks and blows from the captured mouth and the prey trying to escape. Poison is also an adaptation to hunting large, moving game. Most snakes (not just boa constrictors) strangle their prey with body coils. However, the most progressive snakes - vipers, rattlers and adders - have acquired powerful “chemical weapons” that allow them to kill the victim quickly, surely and with minimal risk.

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