If a boa constrictor is swallowing a deer, how can the snake breath?

Question

If a boa constrictor is swallowing a deer, how can the snake breath?

Answer 1

it can put its windpipe outside of its mouth

http://www.blognow.com.au/uploads/r/rept...

and to 'anv' - snakes swallow their food whole, not piece by piece

Answer 2

When a snake swallows it can dislocate its jaw to accomidate the size of the prey.  As the prey is swallowed the reptile breathes through its nose and/or its windpipe which has the opening toward the front, bottom, of the snake's mouth, not deep back into the throat, and this allows the animal to breath while swallowing.

Answer 3

boas kill it by tangling it so the bloods circualtion wont circulate then they eat it piece by piece

when they eat it poece by piece they have fangs so they bite a piece off of the deer and swallow the piece whole

swalloing and biting r 2 different things

Answer 4

First of all, the only deer which share the habitat of the boa constrictor and which it is capable of swallowing are quite small. All snakes swallow their food whole - they are able to do this because their lower jaw is connected to the upper by an elastic ligament which enables them to open their mouths very wide. The segments of the skull are also only loosely connected to each other and can separate to a degree - the lower jaw is not joined at the chin and can spread apart sideways, for example. The snake's skin and stomach are also stretchy, allowing it to ingest food items considerably larger than its own head. Whilst the mouth and throat are full with the prey, the snake is able to breathe because its glottis protrudes from the mouth.