Another New Book

[adamanteus]

Hi All,

I bought another new book today...not Garters but snakes in general, particularly venomous types.

It's entitled "The Subtle Beast..... Snakes, From Myth To Medicine." by Andre Menez. ISBN 0-415-28498=8

The first couple of chapters are the usual predictable stuff...how they move, eat, slough etc. But then the latter two thirds of the book is a treatise on snake venom, really in-depth scientific stuff, but written in plain English. I would recommend it to anyone with more than a passing interest in snake venom and envenomation. I have a lot of reptile books (about 300) but this one still caught my interest.

[CrazyHedgehog]

I have a lot of reptile books (about 300) but this one still caught my interest.

Just one or two then James!!!

[adamanteus]

I'm a bit of a collector when it comes to books on herpetology. Obviously only a tiny percentage of my collection is relevent to Garters. I probably average one new book per month now. I have stacks of scientific papers too, which I jealously guard!

[CrazyHedgehog]

What do you do? or are you just a rich madman with a reptile passion?

[adamanteus]

I'm a very impoverished madman, with a passion for reptiles and books!

[CrazyHedgehog]

Oh I can sympathise there...never got any money...that is until there is a garter snake for sale, find something to sell to pay for it and sneak it into the house!

Maf (hubby) has gone from, "NO REPTILES IN MY HOUSE....EVER!!!"
....
22 snakes later and 2 geckos......
.....
to
"NO MORE REPTILES........PLEASE!"

A womans persuasion is brilliant!!

[adamanteus]

I know...I sold my children on the internet to finance my obsession...oh, the shame of it!

[Cazador]

Let us know if you come upon any good tidbits about garter venom in there, okay?

Rick

[adamanteus]

That was the first thing I looked for, Rick! Garters don't get a mention specifically, they're just lumped together with....

"..other colubrids having aglyphous dentition with no grooved fangs. In some a duct emerges from the Duvernoys gland onto the external face of the maxillary bone, opening near simple, solid and ungrooved teeth. This is not an effective venom apparatus, and any toxic secretions enter the preys' body as it is chewed during swallowing."

Personally, Rick, I can't see how Garters can ever be grouped amongst the Opistoglyphous snakes.

[sschind]

I know...I sold my children on the internet to finance my obsession...oh, the shame of it!

And they were quite a bargain I must say. They have adjusted to their new homes very well. The youngest one hardly cries for you at all any more, and just the other day the oldest one said "oh, that James" I'll send some pictures.