Not every snake has fangs. The ones that do also have plenty of ordinary teeth. Fangs are just a pair (or more) of teeth that evolved to help with hunting. They come in three main styles, and knowing them tells you a lot about the snake. Fangs get replaced from time to time, and you can sometimes see a spare set growing in behind the working ones. Since venom is mostly a hunting tool, and it takes energy to make, snakes are stingy with it. Many bites to people are "dry bites," with no venom at all.
This lesson is part of Certified Junior Herpetologist. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 30 hours).
