Snakes are amazing

Hi all, just wanted to share with you what happened last night. My husband and I came into the room where Sienna's tank is. She was just becoming active. As we watched, she "climbed" the glass side of her tank. She was checking out the top of the tank. Her entire body was suction-cupped vertically onto the side of the tank. We watched her move around for a while and then just "hang out" for a while, all with no means of support. I know many of you have probably seen your snakes do this, but it was a first for us. Snakes are so cool! I'd love to know the biology behind how they are able to do that. I've read that corn and rat snakes can climb trees by forcing their belly scutes into the cracks in the bark, but how do they hang onto glass like that? When I taught nature programs, I used to tell the kids to imagine being able to climb a tree with no arms or legs. I can't figure out why more people don't love snakes.

Originally Posted by Karoni

Hi all, just wanted to share with you what happened last night. My husband and I came into the room where Sienna's tank is. She was just becoming active. As we watched, she "climbed" the glass side of her tank. She was checking out the top of the tank. Her entire body was suction-cupped vertically onto the side of the tank. We watched her move around for a while and then just "hang out" for a while, all with no means of support. I know many of you have probably seen your snakes do this, but it was a first for us. Snakes are so cool! I'd love to know the biology behind how they are able to do that. I've read that corn and rat snakes can climb trees by forcing their belly scutes into the cracks in the bark, but how do they hang onto glass like that? When I taught nature programs, I used to tell the kids to imagine being able to climb a tree with no arms or legs. I can't figure out why more people don't love snakes.

I know, right? mine has done it too but i don't get how they can