Is a snake an animal?

A snake is an animal, and to be more specific, a snake is a carnivorous reptile. This means that a snake is a cold blooded animal that consumes other animals for food.

Snakes are distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. To allow snakes to swallow prey much larger than their heads, most snakes have skulls with highly mobile jaws which can stretch open to accommodate large prey.

Most species of snakes are not venomous, and those that do have venom use it primarily to kill and subdue prey, rather than for self-defence. Although some snakes do possess venom potent enough to cause painful injury or death, snakes do not attack humans without provocation.

A snake is covered in scales, and, contrary to popular belief, is not slimy at all, although their skin may have a slight "damp" feeling. Snakes use their belly scales to be able to travel, by gripping onto surfaces.

Snakes' eyesight varies greatly, with some species only being able to distinguish between light and dark. Generally, snake eyesight are not that great, and allows them mainly to be able to track movement.

Snakes use smell to track their prey, by using their forked tongues to collect airborne particles, and in a sense, to "taste" their prey. Snake are also able to detect vibration.