A short snake video sent Reddit into detective mode after a user posted a clip of a serpent repeatedly moving its mouth in an unusual way.
The post, shared in r/snakes, showed a 9-second clip of a snake opening and shifting its mouth side-to-side in quick, exaggerated motions. The original poster titled the post with a question: "What is Mr snake doing?! Can someone educate me, please, I'd love to know more!!"
(Click here to view footage if embed does not appear.)
The popular theory was that the snake was simply readjusting its lower jaw, a common behavior among snakes because their jaws are highly flexible and not fused the same way a human jaw is.
One commenter added that snakes "can move each side independently," which helps them swallow prey and sometimes leads to these strange post-meal movements or stretch-like motions.
Users said the animal appeared to be a king cobra, though the species is not technically a cobra.
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"They get the cobra in their name because of how they flare up and act like cobras," one commenter wrote.
Another pointed out that "king" in the name alludes to the king cobra's tendency to eat other snakes.
An unusual clip like this can do more than entertain — it can also inspire people to learn more about snakes and other wildlife. Many people see odd behavior and assume aggression, illness, or an imminent strike, when the animal may just be doing something benign.
In the same discussion, one user said they joined the r/snakes group as a kind of exposure therapy, lightheartedly saying that the clip "cured" them of a common fear that can result in harm to snake species.
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"I'm glad you wouldn't go out of your way to harm them despite your fear. Unfortunately I still see frequent posts of people posting a pics here of snakes they just killed to enquire about an ID," another user responded.
"I totally agree with you. They all deserve respect, even the scaly/scary/weird ones!" the commenter replied.
Still, if the snake really was a king cobra, a venomous species, approaching it casually would have been dangerous.
Keep your distance from any snake you cannot confidently identify, never try to handle a wild one, and contact local animal control or a licensed wildlife professional if a snake is in a risky spot near your home.
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