Female t hread snakes, certain pythons, and king cobras have been seen protecting their eggs. All snakes are meat eaters and all have developed clever ways to catch and kill other animals. Snakes that eat larger and potentially more dangerous prey must kill it before eating. Many snakes such as boas and pythons kill by squeezing and constricting their prey. When a snake's powerful coils wrap around an animal, its lungs get compressed and it dies.
Some snakes inject venom into an animal to kill it.
Less than one-fourth of all snake species are venomous. Defense Strategies Avoiding an Enemy Snakes are both predator and prey. Many snakes have died at the hands of humans, whether through direct killing or through habitat change. Snakes evade enemies through various strategies. The most common defense is to keep from being seen, since it reduces the need to fight.