Snake (Books)

Snakes are reptiles mentioned very briefly in the How to Train Your Dragon Book series.

Description
Snakes are legless reptiles of the Suborder Serpentes. Some lizard species are also legless, but have arrived there through a different evolutionary path separate from snakes. Almost all species skeletally only consist of a spine, ribs, skull, and a hyoid bone. Many snake species have venom for hunting and defense. Venom is modified saliva and contains a complex mix of proteins. The venom is kept in sacs at the back of the snake's head. They are connected to hollow teeth - the fangs - that can inject the venom when prey is bitten. The fangs themselves are usually folded carefully into the mouth when not in use.

Snakes inhabit a wide variety of climates from deserts to the ocean. Sea snakes (Subfamily Hydrophiinae) live entirely in their marine environment, except for a few species. They cannot move well on land. Offspring are live-birthed in all sea snake species except for Genus Laticauda. Generally sea snake bodies are narrower for more streamlined movement through water, and their tails are paddle-like.

Description
Snakes have no function in the Book series except for descriptive purposes.

In actuality, snakes are eaten and kept as pets.

How to Train Your Dragon
As the Hairy Hooligan Tribe and the Meathead Tribe convene to discuss what to do about the Green Death, a Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus that washed ashore on Berk, the crowd shushes Gobber as he is about to read from the book, How to Train Your Dragon.

"Ssssssh," hissed the crowd like sea snakes as Gobber cleared his throat."

- Book 1