When snakes stick out there tongue what are they doing?

Question

hmm...

Answer 1

They are doing with their tongue what you do with your ears, eyes, and nose.

The tongue picks up signature odors.  It's how they know what's in their immediate vicinity, and know what is food, and what is a threat.

They live close to the ground (unless they live in the branches, or something inbetween), usually, and don't much rely on sight until prey is very close.  They don't hear.  So, they are reliant on vibrations and scents to know what is happening in the world around them, until something is close enough to be seen.

Each tongue flick carries tiny molecules of information to the snake.  It advances, or retreats, based on the information.

I hope this has been helpful.

Answer 2

The Jacobson's Organ.

Snakes use this organ to sense prey, sticking their tongue out to gather scents and touching it to the opening of the organ when the tongue is retracted.

Answer 3

For smelling, their other senses such as sight and hearing are poor.  

Answer 4

Smelling! and using it as radar...like kitties need their whiskers and like ants use their antennae  

Answer 5

they are tasting the air.

that's their way of smelling.

and the more they do it

the more interested they are

Answer 6

When snakes flick their tongue it's a way of tasting the air. They also use it to get your scent when your holding them so they get to know you. When feeding, their tongue is the most important thing they need. They use their tongue to get to the live/dead mouse your feeding it. If the snake didn't have the tongue it wouldn't be able to find it's food and eventually starve.

Answer 7

They use their tongue to "sniff" the air for predators, prey, etc.

Answer 8

Sensors . Like a cockroach's antenna.

Answer 9

They are smelling what is around them.

Answer 10

theres an organ on the top of their mouth called a jacobson's organ. when they flick their tongue they take the particles in the air then when their tongue goes back in their mouth it touches that organ. that organ tells the snake what kind of particles are in the air

Answer 11

There sniffing.

I have also heard that sometimes when they do that it means there sweating

Answer 12

what's up with the HMM?  hmm?

is that supposed to be an innuendo?

They are checking the air for the scent of food.  That is how they smell.

Good luck