118 Cheek Pouches

Cheek pouches are very weird to think about. They are expandable pockets inside the mouth that can sometimes extend pass the shoulders.

Did you know that platypuses have cheek pouches? They use the space to grind up their meals as they don't have any teeth. Whilst scooping up worms and snails, they also scoop up gravel which will then smash the food.

Hamster cheek pouches extend halfway down their bodies. They are sometimes mistaken for tumors as they will appear as massive bulges. A hamster can fit a whole peanut in its cheek. Hamsters also like to use their cheek pouches to transfer their babies or bedding material.

Only ground squirrels have cheek pouches and they can use their cheek pouches to transfer loads as big as themselves.

Pocket gophers on the other hand are just different. Whilst other animals keep their teeth inside their mouths, they don't. Even their pouches are outside their cheeks. Their pouches are like pockets on the bottom of their faces where they can stuff things in.