How can a snake swallow something bigger than itself?

Some snakes can eat prey which seems for bigger than themselves. A snake is a long, thin animal with a fairly narrow head, and yet some species eat birds’ eggs and other animals which are far broader than their own bodies. They can do this because their jaws are not rigidly fixed together, but are merely connected by ligaments which can stretch, allowing the snake to force its mouth right over the bulkiest of prey.

A snake’s stomach can also stretch enormously, allowing the prey to be swallowed whole. A snake which has just eaten a big meal looks very strange indeed. Its head and neck are the normal size, then there is a huge bulge where the prey is located, before the body tapers to its usual size towards the tail.

Snakes that swallow eggs whole have a unique way of breaking them open once they are inside their bodies. They have special bones in their throats which they squeeze against the egg until it breaks.