Snakes do drink water but not as often as you would think. A snake gets most of its hydration from meals such as rodents’ blood and the water within the fur.

Snakes drink water in a more unusual method. Their skin folds which as like drain into their mouth. They then use they muscles to press the water down their bodies. On each side of the mouth you can see a snake moving the muscles which move the skin to allow water flow.

Some other species of snake actually use suction to drink their water, as previously they seal the mouth and do a pumping motion with each of the snakes’ cheeks and this creates a vacuum for the water to go into their mouth.

This is extremely clever method and unique to only the snake as they do not have to ability to create a suction in their entire mouth as their breathe hole is located as a pipe at the bottom.

Do All Snakes Drink Water

Some desert snakes do not have to drink water. Due to the very limited supply they have adapted to absorbing enough from their food, though if they come across a water source they will bathe and re-hydrate.

It is possible for these snakes to go through their entire life without ever have a sip of drinking water, if the food is frequent enough.

A common misconception is snake using their tongue to drink water.

This is completely incorrect as a snake forked tongue is primarily for smelling. The tongue is not thick enough to scoop water up. Due to how think their tongue is, using it is a very inefficient method.

When a snake drinks they put their tongue in an area called a “sheath” which is out the way, so the tongue is not an obstruction while drinking water.

How to Check If A Snake Is De-Hydrated

The neck area is a dead give-away for a snake being severely de-hydrated, gently pinching the skin on the neck and letting go is the best method.

The skin should immediately goes back to its original position the skin is healthy. If the skin stays at the pinch point for a short period of time this is an indication of lack of water intake.

If the snake is still eating the best way to trick more water into your snake is to not completely dry the prey before feeding. Keep it as wet as possible and their body will naturally absorb the moisture.

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