1. Serpentine Movement

This S-shape movement, also known as
undulatory locomotion, is used by most snakes on land and in water. Starting at the neck, a snake contracts its muscles, thrusting its body from side to side, creating a series of curves. In water, this motion easily propels a snake forward because each contraction pushes against the water. On land, a snake usually finds resistance points in the surface -- such as rocks, branches or dents -- and uses its scales to push on the points all at once, thrusting the snake forward. When thinking snake movement most of us instinctively remember this type of motion.

2. Caterpillar Movement

The caterpillar movement also known as rectilinear movement consists of a slow, straight movement.
Snakes use their wide ventral scales located on their belly to grip the ground, while using other scales to push forward. It's still a wavy movement but instead of side to side like in serpentine movement, the snake body forms small, up and down curves.

The rippling effect observed in the snake body when using this type of movement resembles that of a caterpillar, hence the name, caterpillar movement. The caterpillar movement is also the most used by larger snake species to move around, like the massive green anaconda.

By contracting their muscles and pushing off only 2 contact points, they launch their body throwing the head forward and the rest of body follows moving side ways. Hence the name sidewinding movement. This snake movement creates a very distinct and easily identifiable pattern of parallel tracks on the soil.​​ The
sidewinder rattlesnake like its name implies uses this movement very often.

4. Concertina Movement

Even tough all other snake movement types serpentine, caterpillar and sidewinding work very well on most types of horizontal surfaces, snakes can climb. But how do they climb or move in tight spaces? When snakes need to climb or move in tight spaces, they will use a motion type called the concertina movement.

The previous methods work well for horizontal surfaces, but snakes climb using the concertina technique. The snake extends its head and the front of its body along the vertical surface and then finds a place to grip with its ventral scales. To get a good hold, it bunches up the middle of its body into tight curves that grip the surface while it pulls its back end up; it then springs forward again to find a new place to grip with its scales. But can they go a step further?

Can Snakes Fly?

Maybe you're thinking of Snakes on a Plane , but there are real flying snakes in the rainforests of South and Southeast Asia. There are 5 types of flying snakes that move mostly by flying or gliding from one tree to another.

Technically, these snakes aren't really flying, they are gliding, since they are always falling to the ground. To do this the snake flattens out its body and launches itself from a higher spots gliding or parachuting to a lower spot, much like flying squirrels do. The snake flattens its ribs, and to stay airborne it whips the body in a fast and rhythmic S-shape.

These snakes can actually make turns in the air and go as far as 330 feet (100 meters) in one "jump".
If these snakes can slither like all other why would they “fly”? Well probably because jumping from tree to tree is much faster than slithering and climbing.