The Learning Zone

[ssssnakeluvr]

got me on them!!

[ConcinusMan]

Of course that depends on the size of the snake (volume), the location (venom composition varies geographically), the size and species of mouse (resistance), the age of the snake (venom composition can change) and a bunch of other factors.

I get the feeling that it doesn't matter much. If you weigh as much, less, or even more than 150 mice, it still makes it a very dangerous snake worthy of cautious respect wouldn't you say?

I'd still grab it if I found it and that was the only way to get more encounter time. But maybe that's just me. Wait, crikey! no it isn't.

I still remember my first encounter with a snake. Fascination AND respect. Still had to grab it! with thick leather gloves of course, out of respect. (I was terrified)

Turned out to be a garter snake. He didn't know he wasn't dangerous and neither did I. He sure showed those gloves a thing or two! I guess it turned out to be a mutual respect. He quit biting and became my first pet snake for a few years. Luckily my tender years (8yrs old) first encounters with snakes weren't sickly corn snakes purchased at a pet store. My first and favorite snakes were WC garters. With attitude!

[mustang]

The other night I was watching a DVD called "Deadly Down Under". It was all about the deadly creature in Australia. I highly recommend it.
I was so amazed at one of that facts they quoted that I though a thread about these sort of things would be great. Thank you Stefan for the go ahead.

Here's the first:

A single bite from the Inland Tiapan(Oxyuranus microlepidotus) has enough venom to kill 150,000 mice. That is cool, unless your a mouse
Inland Taipan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I SAW DEADLY DOWN UNDER IN W-GEO class last year!

[mustang]

i thought elpidae was coral snakes and few related species and colubridae snakes were non venomous!?...wow i learn somthn new every day.

[Stefan-A]

i thought elpidae was coral snakes and few related species and colubridae snakes were non venomous!?...wow i learn somthn new every day.

Coral snakes do belong to that family, but so do taipans, kraits, mambas and cobras.

As for the colubrids, the snake with the strongest venom in Africa, is indeed a colubrid. That's Dispholidus typus, the boomslang (Afrikaans for "tree snake"). Its competition in that category consists of various vipers, mambas and cobras, so that should give a some idea.

[mustang]

oh i know why i thought that i read "the snakes of texas" too many times ....in texas the ony venomous snakes are pit vipers(rattle snakes and copper heads and cotton mouths) and elapidae(coral snakes) all the coulibrids are non venomous

[Stefan-A]

oh i know why i thought that i read "the snakes of texas" too many times ....in texas the ony venomous snakes are pit vipers(rattle snakes and copper heads and cotton mouths) and elapidae(coral snakes) all the coulibrids are non venomous

Actually, it seems that most colubrids are in fact venomous, garters included, but it's easier to say that they are non-venomous than to say that they're "not venomous to a degree where a bite would be medically relevant", or "venomous but harmless", which is easily misunderstood.

But there have been clear signs of envenomation even in garter bites.

[MasSalvaje]

Actually, it seems that most colubrids are in fact venomous, garters included, but it's easier to say that they are non-venomous than to say that they're "not venomous to a degree where a bite would be medically relevant", or "venomous but harmless", which is easily misunderstood.

But there have been clear signs of envenomation even in garter bites.

I seem to be one of those that react more to Garter bites than most people. My fingers or hands will swell a bit and itch like mad for awhile; they also seem to have some sort of anticoagulant that increases bleeding.

I had a pretty bad reaction to a bite from a Yellow Bellied Racer, Coluber constrictor mormon in which I had to go to the doctors for an allergy shot. The Doctor compared it to an allergic reaction to a bee sting. It was not quite anaphylactic but they loaded me with antihistamines.

-Thomas

[ConcinusMan]

Actually, it seems that most colubrids are in fact venomous, garters included, but it's easier to say that they are non-venomous than to say that they're "not venomous to a degree where a bite would be medically relevant", or "venomous but harmless", which is easily misunderstood.

But there have been clear signs of envenomation even in garter bites.

I too have (rarely) had reactions to garter bites but I always assumed it was enzymes or bacteria in the saliva that I was reacting to. If so, does it really qualify as venom? I mean, a person can have a skin reaction to his own saliva.

Racer bites always produce some itching for me if the skin is broken.(and it usually is. Shark toothed little devils)

I always thought of venomous snakes as having a pair of specialized glands regardless of the teeth. Clearly those snakes don't use those glands for general salivation. It's clear that some non-venomous colubrids have saliva that is not entirely harmless but to call them venomous would definitely not be appropriate since there are no special glands to produce saliva that is modifed from the normal saliva.

[Stefan-A]

I too have (rarely) had reactions to garter bites but I always assumed it was enzymes or bacteria in the saliva that I was reacting to. If so, does it really qualify as venom? I mean, a person can have a skin reaction to his own saliva.

Racer bites always produce some itching for me if the skin is broken.(and it usually is. Shark toothed little devils)

I always thought of venomous snakes as having a pair of specialized glands regardless of the teeth. Clearly those snakes don't use those glands for general salivation. It's clear that some non-venomous colubrids have saliva that is not entirely harmless but to call them venomous would definitely not be appropriate.

It's not saliva, it's secretions from a separate gland that is used by the snake for the purpose of subduing or killing its prey and possibly to aid in digestion. So it most definitely counts as venom. The gland, called Duvernoy's gland, is homologous to the venom glands that vipers and elapids have. Even monitors have venom glands.

Venoms do consist of enzymes and bacteria can indeed cause reactions.