How Do Snakes Know Where to Bite?

Snakes have special eyes and a cool kind of skin called heat sensors that help them find their prey. When they see something move or feel the heat from it, they know exactly where to bite, like having a superpower for hunting!

How It Works Snakes use both sight and [infrared sensors](/search?q=infrared%20sensors), which can detect heat. This means even in total [darkness](/search?q=darkness), snakes can still hit their target with a perfect bite.

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Examples

A snake sees a mouse under the grass and bites it right on the back.
In the dark, a snake feels the heat of a rat and strikes exactly where it is.
The snake's nose detects the warm body of its prey, so it knows to bite there.

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Categories: Biology · snakes,sensory systems,reptiles