The exclamation “Snakes alive!” is often used to express astonishment. This phrase has a curious journey through language, and the lives of snakes themselves hold equally surprising realities, revealing remarkable behaviors and adaptations.
The Origin of the Exclamation
The phrase “Snakes alive!” is an example of language evolution, particularly through euphemisms. It likely originated as a “minced oath,” a softened version of an exclamation once considered profane. This linguistic shift aimed to avoid directly invoking sacred names, beginning with expressions like “for God’s sake” or “saints alive!”.
Over time, “saints alive” morphed into “sakes alive,” a less direct, emphatic exclamation. The word “snakes” was then introduced as a colorful, whimsical substitute for “sakes.” This substitution adds a vivid, unexpected image to the expression of astonishment, reflecting a historical fascination with snakes.
When a Snake Only Appears Dead
When faced with a threat, some snakes employ a defense mechanism known as thanatosis, or playing dead. The hognose snake, for instance, is known for this behavior. If initial intimidation displays like hissing and flattening its neck fail, the snake will writhe violently before flipping onto its back.
Once inverted, the hognose snake goes completely limp, mouth open and tongue dangling, mimicking a deceased animal. To enhance this illusion of decay, it may regurgitate its last meal or emit a foul-smelling musk from its cloaca. This performance aims to deter predators who prefer live prey or are put off by the scent of carrion, causing them to lose interest.
Surprising Snake Survival Feats
Beyond playing dead, snakes possess other remarkable survival capabilities. Their incredibly slow metabolism allows them to endure extended periods without food. Many species can go weeks or months without eating, with larger constrictors surviving up to two years. During fasting, snakes can reduce their metabolic rates by up to 72 percent, conserving energy by shutting down bodily functions and utilizing stored fat.
Snakes also exhibit surprising resilience to injuries that would typically be fatal to other animals. They can survive the loss of body parts, such as tail sections lost during predator encounters. While severe head or extensive internal organ damage is unsurvivable, snakes can often recover from significant external wounds, sometimes regrowing tissues and muscles.
Many snakes, such as pit vipers, boas, and pythons, possess specialized heat-sensing pits, which are distinct from their eyes. These organs, located between the eyes and nostrils (pit vipers) or on labial scales (boas and pythons), detect infrared radiation emitted by warm-blooded prey. A sensitive membrane within the pit converts thermal signals into nerve impulses, allowing the snake’s brain to construct a “thermal image” of its environment, even in darkness.