Australis: for those of us who don't have access to other pages of that study - what was the results?
I agree snakes probably do not have taste buds – there is no reason for a snake to have taste buds as it is a meat eating animal. Other animals used their taste buds (Taste buds are used for detecting salty, sweat, sour and the like) That been said – snakes have a very well developed sense of smell (They can smell in stereo). The flick of the forked tongue is the snake way of smelling the air – the tongue is then taken into the snakes mouth where it samples what is in the air. Much of the snake’s brain is used for this function.
there is no reason for a snake to have taste buds as it is a meat eating animal.
Cats are NOT strictly meat eaters – they will eat some vegetation (Go to the supermarket and look at the labels. Healthy cats eat a range of foods (Not just meat).
Ferrets also like to eat non-meat products (ie bread soaked in milk)
Dolphins (well whales in general – what do Dugongs eat? What do sea cows (now extinct eat?)
Snakes only eat meat and have only eaten meat – (Who feeds their snake pasta, peas and the like – I know some talk about gut loading of their feed).
Australis has sited scientific studies stating snakes do not have taste buds – I agree with him as I cannot see any reason for them waist valuable brain processing time on taste sensory (taste buds).
Good point arbok! We couldn't get our bredlis to eat rats until we were told to put a mouse in the bag with the rats, basically rub the mouse onto the rats. Problem solved!! Why didn't they like the rats to start with? Is it just that rats smell icky lol?
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