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Snakes Eat Bones… But Do They Poop Them Out
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0:01
Snakes swallow their prey whole, fur,
0:04
bones, claws, and all. But what happens
0:07
next? Do snakes actually poop out the
0:10
bones? Let's slither into the science
0:12
behind one of nature's most fascinating
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digestive systems? Unlike us, snakes
0:18
don't chew, they don't tear. They don't
0:20
nibble. They gulp. Which means
0:22
everything, and we mean everything, goes
0:25
down the hatch in one terrifying bite.
0:27
But just because it goes in doesn't mean
0:29
it all comes out the same way. Once
0:31
swallowed, the prey enters the snake's
0:34
stomach, a highly acidic environment
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where bones, fur, and muscle are broken
0:39
down over several days. Their stomach
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acid is so strong it can dissolve most
0:44
of the skeleton, even skulls in some
0:46
cases. It's slow but incredibly
0:49
efficient. While much of the bone gets
0:51
dissolved and absorbed for nutrients
0:54
like calcium, some tougher pieces don't
0:57
fully break down. And that's where
0:59
things get interesting. Whatever the
1:00
snake can't digest, like some bone
1:03
fragments, fur, feathers, or claws, gets
1:05
packed up and passed out the back end.
1:08
So, yes, snakes do poop out bones, but
1:10
usually not full skeletons. What comes
1:13
out is often a dark, compact mass
1:15
containing indigestible remains,
1:17
sometimes with tiny bone shards inside.
1:20
It's like nature's recycling system. And
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for scientists, snake poop can actually
1:26
tell us what species they've been
1:28
eating. The larger the prey, the tougher
1:30
the job. Some thicker bones, like
1:32
femurss or beaks, may be too much for
1:35
the stomach to break down completely.
1:37
So, out they go. Ever seen a snake poop?
1:40
It's not pretty, but it's proof that
1:42
digestion isn't perfect, even for
1:44
nature's top tier swallowers. So, next
1:47
time you see a snake eating something
1:48
way too big for its body, just remember
1:51
what goes in must come out eventually.
1:54
Thanks for watching. If you found that
1:56
fascinating or a little gross, give it a
1:59
thumbs up and subscribe for more
2:00
slithery science facts. And hey, now you
2:03
know what really happens after the snake
2:05
swallows its dinner hole.
#Pets
#Biological Sciences