Respiratory System For Snakes:
Every animal needs to take in oxygen, it is part of their cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is a way that cells obtain energy. What happens in this process is that the cells burn glucose (sugar) to make ATP (stored energy). ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate. In order to get the energy stored the bond between the second and third phosphate needs to break. It then is ADP and the bond gets restored by glucose to then go on the same cycle again.
Snakes respiratory system is pretty cool. They have an opening behind the tongue called the glottis, that leads into their trachea. Unlike most mammals, snakes glottis is closed. Because of this a slit appears unless they take a breathe. Snakes can move aside their glottis for when they are eating large prey so that they can continue to breathe at the same time. Their trachea is really long and has rings in the shapes of O's and C's around it that are made of cartilage. Their trachea ends right infront of their heart and it splits up into two bronchi which then lead into either their left or right lung depending on which bronchus you are looking at. Snakes breathe by contracting the muscles in between their ribs because they dont have a diaphragm like other mammals do. This particular snake breathes oxygen in the form of air.
FUN FACT!
There is a piece of cartilage inside the glottis that vibrates when their breath is exerted form their lungs which creates their hissing sound.
Snakes respiratory system is pretty cool. They have an opening behind the tongue called the glottis, that leads into their trachea. Unlike most mammals, snakes glottis is closed. Because of this a slit appears unless they take a breathe. Snakes can move aside their glottis for when they are eating large prey so that they can continue to breathe at the same time. Their trachea is really long and has rings in the shapes of O's and C's around it that are made of cartilage. Their trachea ends right infront of their heart and it splits up into two bronchi which then lead into either their left or right lung depending on which bronchus you are looking at. Snakes breathe by contracting the muscles in between their ribs because they dont have a diaphragm like other mammals do. This particular snake breathes oxygen in the form of air.
FUN FACT!
There is a piece of cartilage inside the glottis that vibrates when their breath is exerted form their lungs which creates their hissing sound.