The total length of representatives of this genus ranges from 80 cm to 1 m. The head is small, slightly separated from the body, rounded in front, with a convex rostrum. The eyes are small with a vertical pupil. Scales of the body with well-defined ribs. Alarmed snakes wriggle, making friction scales against each other, a kind of rustling sound. Coloring is very diverse, even within the same population, which creates significant difficulties in identifying species.
African Egg Eater (
Dasypeltis scabra )
The way of feeding these snakes leaves a deep imprint on the structure and behavior of these animals. Due to the fact that the need to grab and hold prey disappears, the teeth are greatly reduced. But the bones of the skull are extremely mobile, which allows you to open your mouth very widely and swallow large prey. The lower processes of the cervical vertebrae are elongated and pierce the wall of the esophagus from above, leaving in its lumen. These pointed bones, like a can opener, open the shell of an egg passing through the esophagus. Its liquid contents flow into the stomach, the compressed shell is sprinkled.
They like dry savannahs with light forests . They move well on the ground and climb trees well. Active at night and at dusk. Hiding in termite mounds . They feed exclusively on the eggs of birds .
These are ovipositing snakes. Females lay up to 25 eggs.