local pet shop.

[enigma200316]

I didn't mean it was an attack! I was just saying how it kinda sounded like it, the way we (myself included) started questioning the idea and stuff...
nothing against any one I just wanted to say sorry for it sounding that way, thats all.....

[drache]

An immunity to snake venom cannot develop in humans, quite the opposite.... numerous 'minor' bites over a period of time actually make us more vulnerable. As Stefan says, the 'trick' is to rip the fangs out, sew the mouth shut and, more recently, to surgically remove (or laser) the venom glands. Nice.

okay
I'm confused
I do remember seeing a documentary that indicated that some of these guys are genuine and do develop tolerance
also there was a guy who milks snakes (venom for anti-venom) and he acquired tolerance for a large number of snake venoms by systematically injecting himself with small doses, starting with a relatively mild venom and adding in others over time
he said that it doesn't give him immunity, but a lesser severity of response when he does get bitten
I wouldn't venture to guess what sort of side effects a regular administration of mixed venoms would have on one's liver and renal system, but he looked pretty healthy

[adamanteus]

I haven't seen that documentary, Rhea. But I'm pretty sure I'm right about this, that we humans cannot build up a resistance to snake venom, and in fact numerous bites actually lower our ability to recover from subsequent bites. I presume this is species specific, as different species produce such widely differing venoms.

[Stefan-A]

I definitely remember hearing somewhere what James is saying here, that we can't build up a resistance. But I tried googling for some answers and it seems indeed to be possible to build up a resistance. Maybe it's more a question of amounts injected. Artificially building up a tolerance seems to happen through injection of very small amounts, and that shouldn't be nearly as big a shock to the body as being injected with the amounts of venom associated with a bite. If somebody has more info, I would definitely like to hear about it.

[Lulu Bennett]

lol Rhea that sounds pretty messed up if you ask me lol
it could have been a false cobra i guess and i have just heared cobra lol sounds like something i would do but i was still pretty chuffed i saw a hog nose lol.
Oh and as james said if i thought i was being bullied i would have bullied back lol as you have probably noticed i can bite back and sometimes just because i have taken it the wrong way lol but i know you guys are just trying to educate me so i am not as gulibule next time lol

[adamanteus]

I would also like to hear more, if this is the case.

If it is true, it begs the question "why use horse serum, which is potentailly as dangerous as the venom itself, if serum could be derived from an animal more closely related to ourselves?"

[Stefan-A]

False cobra.. does it belong to the genus Pseudonaja, James?

[adamanteus]

False cobra.. does it belong to the genus Pseudonaja, James?

Mmmm, sounds likely!

[Stefan-A]

Well at least it sounds logical.

[drache]

I would also like to hear more, if this is the case.

If it is true, it begs the question "why use horse serum, which is potentially as dangerous as the venom itself, if serum could be derived from an animal more closely related to ourselves?"

the animal whose tissues are most closely related to ours would be pig
I'm not sure whether that's true for their serum as well
and as to whether that's safer than horse . . .

I'll try to remember what documentary that was
but I bet when Rick comes back, he'll know all about how it works