Do Snakes Taste?

[KaaismyBaby]

Just out of curiosity, after a snake eats say, a mouse, does it think "Mmm, that was good!" I know that dogs and people both are sensitive to taste, and like the taste of food, but what about snakes? Do they "taste" food in the sense of how people and other mammals do?

[redshepherd]

Since snakes don't have taste buds, they don't "taste" things like we do. But they have a sensory organ on the roof of their mouth, which is what their tongue flicks sends the "scent-taste" signals to. There isn't exactly an equivalent in people.

But you can say that they can taste and smell at the same time, the way they detect scents of prey and whatnot.

[KaaismyBaby]

Since snakes don't have taste buds, they don't "taste" things like we do. But they have a sensory organ on the roof of their mouth, which is what their tongue flicks sends the "scent-taste" signals to. There isn't exactly an equivalent in people.

But you can say that they can taste and smell at the same time, the way they detect scents of prey and whatnot.

I knew about the sensory organ, but I wasn't sure if they had actual taste buds. Sucks to be a snake then.

[Coluber42]

For what it's worth, humans' experience of food goes way beyond our taste buds. Smell is important, but also texture, mouth feel, even the act of swallowing, are all important to how we enjoy our food. Nature programs us to enjoy meals so that we are motivated to seek them out, and rewards us for eating energy-rich food. I have no doubt that a meal is a pleasurable experience for a hungry snake just as it is for us, even if it isn't experienced in the same way.