How would you like to play a game of True or False?
Squeaks and I came up with a really fun game where you guess what’s true and what’s
not about one of our favorite kinds of animals --
-- snakes!
Snakes are super interesting, and there are lots of different kinds!
Scientists think there are more than 3,500 different types of snakes in the world!
The smallest is about as thin as a piece of spaghetti, and can curl up comfortably on
a quarter.
But another kind, called a python, can grow to be about ten meters long — which is just
a bit shorter than a school bus!
Some snakes are brightly colored, while others blend in really well to their environments.
But there are a few things that a lot of people -- including kids!
-- tend to think about snakes, and they’re not true!
So, we came up with this awesome game, so you can learn the facts about these amazing
animals!
I’ll say something about snakes, and you and Squeaks can guess if it’s true or false!
Ready?
Alright!
Number one!
Snakes are slimy and squishy.
True or false?
(Squeaks squeaks)
Right, Squeaks, that’s false!
All snakes belong to a group of animals called reptiles.
Like all reptiles, snakes have skin that’s covered with scales to help protect them.
Touch your fingernail.
How does it feel?
Snake scales feel a lot like that!
That’s because scales are made of the same stuff as your fingernails and toenails!
So scales feel hard, and, most of the time, pretty smooth.
Which means that a snake doesn’t feel slimy at all!
It feels dry!
But are snakes squishy, like a worm?
Nope!
All reptiles, including snakes, also have something else—a skeleton made of bones.
In fact, a snake’s skeleton has a lot of the same parts that our skeletons have.
Can you reach around and touch the middle of your back?
If you can, then you should be able to feel hard bumps from the top of your neck all the
way down.
These bumps are caused by the bones that make up your backbone.
Muscles inside your body connect to your backbone, and help you do all kinds of things, like
stand up, bend over, and sit down.
A snake has a backbone, too!
And it does the same job as your backbone.
It works with a snake’s muscles to help it move.
The way a snake moves is really cool—and it has a name that’s kind of fun to say:
slithering.
So, having a backbone means that snakes aren’t soft and squishy like worms.
Even though worms and snakes have a shape that looks kind of the same, they’re not
the same kind of animal.
Worms don’t have a skeleton, or a backbone.
So worms don’t slither, they wriggle, or crawl.
Ok let’s move on to question Number Two in our game: Snakes attack and chase people.
True or false?
(Squeaks squeaks)
You're right, Squeaks!
That's false, too
You might have heared people say that snakes are aggressive, which means they’ll attack
or chase people.
But that’s not true.
Snakes are usually pretty shy, and most of the time, they'll slither away to hide when
people are around.
But they will bite if they are afraid or if they can’t get away to hide.
So, if you do see a snake, you don’t need to run away.
But you should leave them alone, and give them lots of space.
Ok, let's do one more question.
Number Three: Snakes are important.
True or false?
This one is definitely true!
Snakes are very important animals.
Snakes eat other animals, and many of those animals that snakes eat are ones that can
sometimes cause problems.
Snakes might eat baby insects like, like mosquitos…
...or slugs, that can eat the flowers and vegetables that grow in our gardens…
They can even eat mice, rats, and other small animals that sometimes carry disease.
Sorry Squeaks!
But you're safe!
Snakes don’t eat robot rats!
Now, imagine what might happen if snakes weren’t around to eat some of these animals.
There would be more and more of them...and the problems they cause would get bigger too!
So having snakes around helps keep an environment in balance.
And an environment that’s in balance is good for all living things—including people!
So, if you’re lucky enough to see a snake when you’re out and
about— you don’t need to be afraid of it.
In fact, you might want to give it a wave and tell it, “thank you”!
And thank you, as always, for joining me on SciShow Kids!
Do you have a question for us here at the Fort?
Ask a grownup to help you to leave a comment down below, or send us an email to Kids@scishow.com!
Thanks, and we'll see you next time here at the Fort!