Quick Take
- Many snakes are known for being able to open their jaws extremely wide, at nearly 180 degrees.
- Snakes have evolved this ability in order to swallow large prey whole.
- The Amazon tree boa in the Instagram video is opening its mouth in a sort of “yawn” like behavior, despite the fact it is not currently eating
- The boa is actually recalibrating its jaw to align its ligaments after a big meal.
Snakes are famous for their wide jaws, which can swallow prey larger than their heads. The Amazon tree boa is no exception, with a jaw that can open nearly 180 degrees. An Instagram post by @treeboa.ink shows this incredible ability, featuring a boa opening its jaw, almost like it’s yawning or stretching. Read here to learn more about what the snake is most likely doing.
The Amazon tree boa has a wide jaw to swallow prey larger than its head.
©Amazon Tree Boa/Shutterstock.com
Amazon Tree Boa Jaw
Amazon tree boas have incredibly flexible jaws that they use to eat prey larger than their own head. Capable of opening their jaw almost 180 degrees, they prey on birds, lizards, rodents, and other small mammals. To help swallow prey whole, the snakes have elastic ligaments and loosely connected jaw bones that enable them to open their mouths extremely wide, as seen in the video. They can also move the right and left sides of their lower jaw forward, which helps them ‘walk’ their mouth over large prey to swallow it whole. So why might the snake in the video be exposing its jaw like that?
Do Amazon Tree Boas Yawn?
The snake in the video looks like it’s yawning, and in a way, it is. When a snake opens its mouth like this outside of eating, it’s most likely stretching or resetting its jaw. Because of the multiple bones and ligaments in their jaws, snakes must ensure these structures are aligned, keeping them in tip-top shape. If not, they’ll have a difficult time eating their prey. Snakes may engage in this stretching behavior directly after eating a large prey item, as a way to recalibrate, in a sense. Another reason for this “yawn” is to clear their airways. After swallowing such large animals, they must clear the passage to the lungs. By opening their jaws widely, they are able to do so.
While the yawn-like behavior may seem threatening, it has a purely practical purpose. You should only be concerned if the wide jaw is accompanied by hissing or a warning strike. Otherwise, the reptile is simply resetting its anatomy so it can continue swallowing super-sized meals.
