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Poisonous & Giant Mammal-Eating Constrictor “Snakes On A Plain”
posted Sunday, 27 August 2006
Poisonous & Giant
Mammal-Eating Constrictor
“Snakes On A Plain”
SNAKES: AN INTRODUCTION
Snakes are found in almost every country in the world. There are a few isolated islands and of course the far north and Antarctica that don't have snakes.
What is a snake? While this is not a simple question its good to think of a snake as a lizard without legs. They are cold-blooded creatures, meaning that their body temperatures are determined by their surroundings. Ok, so that’s the simple answer. For more information on the taxonomy of the snakes and how they fit into the Reptile kingdom see: Snake Taxonomy.
What is the deadliest snake in the world? A lot of nature shows like to tell you what the deadliest snake in the world is. But why do most shows talk about a different snake? The concept is that the deadliest snakes in the world are those that kill the most people, yet most snake bites and deaths for that matter go unrecorded and its hard to determine which snake is responsible. We decided to make a short snake video about this concept.
What happens if I get bit by a venomous snake? If you get bitten by a venomous snake, you should seek medical attention immediately. While not all bites from venomous snakes actually inject venom, it's important to get to a doctor because you may not know if the venom injected cleanly. Some elapid snakes from Australia who have mostly neurotoxic venom, are painless bites. It’s not till later that a victim realizes he is in trouble. For more details about snakebites and to see a short VIDEO of an interview with a doctor see SNAKE BITES.
Which snake is the largest? This is a tricky question. Does largest mean longest or heaviest? Each continent has its giants. There is a category for the largest venomous snake, the longest snake, the longest non-venomous snake and more. Read about it in our pages on GIANT SNAKES.
Information by ROB NELSON
http://www.explorebiodiversity.com/snakes/
For Snake Videos, go to the website above to learn about our legless friends.
Explore Biodiversity and The Wild Classroom
Newsletter
Giant Snakes
There are many big snakes in the world. There is no way to define what a giant snake is except that its bigger than most snakes. Most snakes are never larger than 1.25 meters.
We quickly look at some of the record holders in various categories of snake 'gigantism'.
What is the longest snake ever recorded?
The longest snake ever recorded was an 11.5 meter green anaconda from South America (Oliver 1958 and Gilmore and Murphy 1993). Some biologists dispute this and consider the maximum length to be only bout 9 to 9.5 meters.
The largest Python?
The longest python on record was a reticulated python that reached a length of 10.1 meters. While it was common to find individuals with lengths up to 8 meters in the wild only a few decades ago, few wild creatures today exceed 5 to 6 meters.
Longest snake in Africa?
The African Rock Python is the longest snake in Africa. One individual reached a length of 9.75 meters.
Longest pet snake?
The most popular 'giant' snake is the Indian Python (Python molurus). The longest snake on record reached a length of 5.8 meters. A subspecies of this python is the Burmese python.
Longest Australian snake?
The longest Australian snake is the scrub python (Morelia amethystina) of which reached a length of 8.5 meters.
Information by ROB NELSON
http://www.explorebiodiversity.com/snakes/main/giantsnakes.html
The majority of the snakes at Jungle Eyes were donated or rescued from various circumstances. Some were owned within city limits where they are banned, while others came to us due to their owners moved & could not take them with them. The main reason most of them were taken in was due to them reaching large sizes & not being safe around children or small pets.
Jungle Eyes appreciates these people that cared about their reptiles enough to donate their enclosures with them.
Rub-A-Dub there's snakes in the tub!
These awesome snakes are soaking in their garden tub. Can you count how many there are? Let's see, there is "Moonshine" the Albino Burmese Python, "Goliath" the 14 foot Burmese Python along with his girlfriend "Porscha" & last but not least "Casper" the Columbian Redtail Boa.
We also care for Blood Python's, Ball Python's, Guyanan Boa's, and various native species.
Please be sure to check back with us for additional information. We will have photographs & literature referencing Texas native snakes some of which are venomous!
BURMESE PYTHON'S
(Python molurus bivittatus)
Albino, patternless green, brindle, leopard, Indian/Burmese crosses, hypo, granite, marble and labyrinth are being bred in captivity. Sub-species: Indian Python (Python molurus) is an endangered species and requires a Federal permit to possess. Many Indian pythons in captivity are hybrids. Ceylonese python (P. m. pimbura) another rare subspecies.
Description: Pythons are sometimes found near water, where they hide in foliage or hang from tree branches.
Range/Habitat: Rainforest areas of Southeast Asia from India to China and on some of the islands of the East Indies.
Royal or Ball Python's
(Python regius)
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Boidae
Genus Python
Ethiopian: The Ball Python is found in the grasslands of the Sudanese subprovidence (West of the Nile); in Southern Sudan in the Bahrel Ghazal and in the region of the Nuba Mountain and in West Africa.
They range in length from 3 to 6 feet. Ball or Royal Python's vary considerably in their color and pattern. They can be tan, brown, reddish, light yellow or orangish-yellow. The patterns of these snakes vary from spotted, to stripes and can be a combination of spotted and striped.
Ball Python's main diet consists of rodents. Breeding occurs when temperatures drop to the low 70's or lower and they stop feeding. They only breed every two or three years. Males have a retractable hemipenis that everts during mating. Females are fertilized internally. After mating and fertilization, the female lays between 4 to 10 eggs. Following laying, the female python stays with the eggs and wraps her coils around them. By loosening or tightening the coils she can protect them and also provide insulation. The female does not eat during this period, which can last up to three months until the hatchlings finally emerge from their eggs. The hatchlings are independent from the female from the time they hatch out. It is common for them to come back to the egg for a day or so after they are hatched to feed from it.
BOA CONSTRICTOR'S
Constrictor Constrictor
Some Boa constrictors are from the same subspecies, but have distinct patterns making them easy to identify such as the Surinam Redtail Boa and Guyana Redtail Boa (Boa constrictor). There are Boa Constrictors that have there own subspecies like the South Brazilian Redtail Boa, which is considered (Boa constrictor amarali).
Female boa constrictors do not lay eggs. Their young are born alive. They may give birth to 50 young snakes at one time.
Below are a few Boas that you may be familiar with:
Common Boa - Boa constrictor
Surinam Redtail Boa - Boa constrictor constrictor
Guyana Redtail Boa - Boa constrictor constrictor
North Brazilian Redtail Boa - Boa constrictor constrictor
South Brazilian Redtail Boa - Boa constrictor amarali
Hogg Island Boa - Boa constrictor ssp
Clouded boa - Boa constrictor nebulosus
Albino Boa - Boa constrictor constrictor
The Top Ten Beginner's Snakes
All of the snakes listed in this section are known as gentle & easy to care for. Experienced adult supervision is highly recommended when handling any snake.
1 Corn Snakes - (Elaphe Guttata)
2 Rat Snakes - (Elaphe species)
3 King Snakes - (Lampropeltus Getulus)
4 Milk Snakes - (Lampropeltus Triangulum)
5 Garter Snakes - (Thamnophis Sirtalis)
6 Pine Snakes - (Pituophis Melanoleucus)
7 Ball Python - (Python Regius)
8 Rosy Boa - (Lichanura trivirgatai)
9 Rainbow Boa - (Epicrates species)
10 Red Tailed Boa - (Boa Constrictor)
-------------------------------------------------------
The Top Ten Worst Snakes
All of the snakes listed in this section are for the experts only!
1 Any Venomous Snake
2 Any Wild Caught Snake
3 Reticulated Python - (Python Reticulatus)
4 Burmese Python - (Python Molurus Bivittatusi)
5 Anaconda - (Eunectes Murinus)
6 Green Snakes - (Opheodrys species)
7 Hog-nosed Snakes - (Heterodon species)
8 Water Snakes - (Nerodia species)
9 Ringneck Snakes - (Diadophis Punctatusi)
10 Racer Snakes - (Coluber Constrictor)
--------------------------------------------------------
Learn About Snake Classifications
Kingdom Animalia All living organisms except plants and bacteria.
Phylum Chordata Animals with the nerve cord of the central nervous system located above the digestive system.
Class Reptilia Cold-blooded vertebrates that breathe through lungs, not gills, and usually have scales and claws.
Order Squamata The lizards and snakes. Defined on internal characters of the skull and skeleton.
Suborder Serpentes Only snakes; no external usable legs; no eyelids or external ear opening.
Families: (Listed below. Snake families are defined by characters of the soft anatomy and skeleton, and their technical definition is often difficult.)
1. Typhlopidae, 2. Leptotyphlopidae, 3. Anomalepididae: All three of these related families are harmless burrowers confined mainly to tropical regions. Comprised of well over 200 species, they are very shy, have dot-like eyes, and do not do well when kept in captivity.
4. Aniliidae: South American pipesnakes; primitive burrowers with patterns like coral snakes, red and black bands.
5. Uropeltidae
6. Xenopeltidae: Two related groups commonly referred to as sheildtails and sunbeam snakes respectively. Both are burrowers from southern Asia. The sheildtails are noted for an enlarged scale or shield at the end of their tail. The sunbeam snakes are characterized by their shiny coloration and are considered by many to be related to either the colubrid or boid families.
7. Boidae: This family includes the popular boas, pythons, and anacondas. Size varies from about a foot to over 30 feet. Males usually have spurs near the vent. Many herpetologists recognize three or four families for these snakes.
8. Acorochordidae: A small family found from Asia to Australia near the coasts. They are noted for their large tubercles, hence the common name, wart snakes. The skin is exceedingly loose. They are considered by some to be a subfamily of the colubrids. Thoroughly aquatic, they lack the wide ventral scutes of typical colubrids and seem to do well in captivity.
9. Colubridae: This family represents about 3/4 of all know snakes. They usually have large scales on top of their heads. Few poisonous members are found in this family, but those that are venomous have the fangs at the back of the upper jaws. This family is almost impossible to define technically, and its many members may not all be closely related.
10. Elapidae: Included in this family are the infamous cobras, mambas, and kraits. These snakes have a chiefly neurotoxic venom, are mostly nocturnal, and have fixed hollow fangs at the front of the mouth.
11. Hydrophiidae: This venomous family is known as sea snakes. Most species rarely exceed two feet. They live and breed in the water, bearing live young (with one exceptional genus that lays eggs on land). Most have strongly flattened rudder-like tails.
12. Viperidae: Both the Old World vipers and the New World vipers (with the "facial pit") make up this familiar family. All are known for their stout build and their toxicity. The fangs are movable. This highly evolved family contains the rattlesnakes, copperhead, tree vipers, and many other species.
http://jungledomain.org/slither.htm
http://www.worldwide-reptiles.com/inventory.htm
These are the reptiles that we are currently breeding and distributing. We update this page regularly. Please, contact us with any questions before you decide to purchase any reptiles. We hope that you find what you are looking for, if not we'll find it for you.
Terms And Conditions
* lone females add 25% to the listed price
* Add 100% to listed price for pairs (a savings of 25% on the female)
* Discounts may apply for multiple animals purchased
Colubrids
Boas
Pythons
Venomous Snakes
Cobras
Geckos
Chameleons
Crocodilians, Monitors, Tegus
Other Lizards
Land Turtles
Water Turtles
Frogs
Toads
Salamanders
Worldwide Reptile Dealers
IF WE DON’T HAVE A PARTICULAR SNAKE WE’LL FIND IT!
If you want any Reptile, including poisonous snakes or constrictors, go to the website above, or alternately, next time you see Samuel L. Jackson boarding a plane, join him.
Eastern Diamondback Rattler
Snakes are long, limbless reptiles belonging to the class Reptilia, subclass Lepidosauria, order Squamata, and suborder Serpentes. There are about 2500 to 3000 living species of snakes worldwide. They can found throughout the world, from the tropics to arid deserts to shallow seas to the cold regions of Scandinavia and Siberia. In fact, the only habitats snakes aren't found in are the deep sea and regions covered by snow year-round.
The smallest snakes are the slender blind snakes of the family Leptotyphlopidae that may be only 13 centimeters (5 inches) long. The world's largest snake is reportedly the Asiatic reticulated python (Python reticulatus) with a length of 10 meters (33 feet). Other reports indicate that the South American anaconda (Eunectes murinus) may exceed 11 meters (36 feet) in length.
Snakes are further divided into three groups. The infraorder Scolecophidia contains the most primitive snakes with cylindrical bodies, short tails, and a multilobed liver. It includes families of small burrowing snakes (blind snakes). The infraorder Henophidia includes some of the world's largest snakes (pythons, boas, anacondas). The infraorder Caenophidia are the most advanced snake species and the group, which most snakes belong to. They include extremely venomous snakes (cobras, kraits, mambas) with fangs.
Characteristics
Since snakes lack internal mechanisms for maintaining body heat, their body temperatures depend on the conditions of its surroundings. Because of this, snakes are said to be cold-blooded. Metabolism varies greatly with body temperature. Low winter temperatures force snakes to hibernate underground. They remain inactive, living on stored fat, until more favorable conditions return.
One of the snake's most distinctive features is the skull. The skull is diapsid, which means that it has two openings on each side behind the eye sockets. Due to evolution, those openings are no longer apparent. Instead, the skull has become incredibly elastic so that snakes can swallow large food whole. Elastic ligaments join together most bones of the skull as well as the teeth. The two halves of the jaw can be rotated or moved apart because of these ligaments.
A snake's primary protective structure is its skin. It guards against physical injury and the loss of body moisture. The skin is periodically shed and replaced with a new and larger one. The snake accomplishes this task by loosening the skin around its lips and crawling out of the old skin.
A snake's eyes are rounded and with lenses adjustable for distance vision. With the exception of the blind snakes, the eyes of a snake are permanently covered and protected by a transparent lower eyelid (called a spectable or brille). The fusion of the eyelids does not allow a snake to blink or close their eyes. Since the snake lacks external ear openings and eardrums, they hear by using their head to pick up vibrations and sounds from the ground. Experiments have shown that snakes can hear airborne sounds as well, although not well.
FEEDING
Snakes are carnivores. Their food habits are highly specialized, with some preying only on snails or eggs. They can also feed on earthworms, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles (including other snakes), birds, or small mammals. Snakes find food by sight or by smell and by heat-sensitive pits, when present. Most snakes only hunt during the day or during the night, but there are species that are active throughout the day.
Snakes can use the methods of constriction and envenomation to hunt their prey. Constriction is when the snakes suffocate their prey by squeezing the prey with their jaws or with their body. The prey, however, is not crushed. Cold-blooded prey, such as lizards, take longer to suffocate then smaller animals, so these animals are often swallowed alive. Snakes may also wrap around their prey with their long body.
Envenomation is when snakes use their powerful digestive enzymes (proteins) to break down parts of their prey. Snakes, which use this method, are called venomous (poisonous) snakes. The saliva containing the enzymes can kill an animal in a short period of time. Venom (the enzyme) usually enters the prey through bitings. Less than one-third of the snakes are poisonous. Less than 300 species may be fatal to humans. The classification of venomous and non-venomous snakes is sometimes difficult though since many of the non-venomous snakes have the toxic enzyme in their saliva.
http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/reptiles/snakes.htm
Poisonous Snakes
VIPERS
* Vipers are venomous snakes. They have teeth that are hollow and are normally carried folded down along the roof of the mouth. When preparing to bite, a viper erects these fangs. Most vipers are terrestrial, but some have become adapted to life in the trees and are bright green.
* An adder is one of many venomous snakes of the viper family mostly found in Europe. It feeds on lizards and small mammals, but its bite is rarely fatal to humans. The young are born live. The death adder is a large venomous snake in the Cobra family. It is found in Australia and New Guinea and looks like a viper.
* Pit vipers are different from the true vipers because they have heat-sensitive pits. They use them to detect warm-bodied prey.
* Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes with movable front fangs with a heat-sensing pit on each side of the face. There are about 28 species of rattlesnakes with 2 species in U.S. These pit organs allow them to strike in total darkness. Rattlesnakes range in size from sidewinders, pygmy rattlesnake, and the ridge-nosed rattlesnakes, which are all usually less than 2 feet to 3-6 feet for the diamondback, known to be 8 ft. A diamondback rattler is most recognized by the end of its tail. When frightened it vibrates the rattles. This snake is really shy and will avoid confrontations. The fact is, more people will die during the year from dog bites or rabid animal attacks than from a rattlesnake. All rattlesnakes give birth to 8-15 live young at a time.
* Copperhead-The copperhead is a venomous Pit Viper. It has a reddish brown head and copper-colored bands. It bears from two to eight living young during the fall. Copperheads are found in the eastern United States from Massachusetts to Illinois, south through the southern states, and to west Texas. Adults are usually less than 3ft long.
* Sea snakes are venomous snakes. They are found in warm tropical oceans of Australia and New Guinea. Sea snakes have long bodies, oarlike tails, and salt glands. They eat fish and eels. The Japanese smoke the sea snake and eat it with soy sauce.
* The Coral snake's venom is highly toxic, but the snakes are not aggressive and have very short fangs. They are pretty with bright rings of red, yellow, and black that most species possess. Forty species of coral snakes are tropical, but two species occur in the United States. It actually reaches an adult length 30 inches. All coral snakes lay eggs and prey mostly on reptiles, especially other snakes. They are not often seen, but they may be active day or night.
* Mambas are venomous African snakes in the same family as the cobras. The black mamba is the largest poisonous snake in Africa reaching 14 feet. They may be found on low-lying branches and can move rapidly. They have extremely potent venom.
Non Poisonous Snakes
* Pythons are nonvenomous snakes, which include the boas and other large snakes. The best member of the subfamily is the boa. Some Pythons have reached lengths of more than 33 ft. and weights of approximately 300 lbs. Pythons differ from most other snakes because they have well-developed lungs. All pythons lay eggs, the eggs usually hatch in 60 to 80 days. Pythons feed primarily on mammals, which they kill by constriction. Death by constriction is due to suffocation rather than crushing.
* Boa is the common name for about 50-species of Snakes. They are closely related to pythons. The typical boa are ground or tree dwellers of tropical America. The sand boas are burrowing snakes in the deserts of northern Africa and south Asia. All boas are nonpoisonous and kill their prey by constriction. They are active at night. The average length of the adult boa is 10 to 11 feet long. The longest one found is 14 feet. Stories may confuse this snake with the Anaconda or the Pythons of Asia. The boa is reddish gray with long pointed head, curved front teeth, and dark stripes.
* The Anaconda is a very large South American snake that crushes its prey. (Anacondas can eat an alligator). It is known as the water boa. The young are born alive. Anacondas are not venomous, but defend themselves with severe bites and constrict their prey. Anacondas live in tropical forests and rivers. The anaconda is the largest boa in the Western Hemisphere. They grow to 25 feet, but sometimes can grow to 40 feet. They belong to the same family as the boa.
http://library.thinkquest.org/5409/specificsnakes.html
The Boa Constrictor is a large, solitary snake from Central and South American rainforests, savannas, and semi-arid areas. Boas are kept as house-snakes in parts of South America, where the boas help by catching and suffocating rats. The Boa Constrictor is related to the larger Anaconda. Boas give birth to live young; up to 64 2-ft (60-cm) long baby snakes are born at one time. All species of boas are either endangered or protected.
Hunting and Diet: Boa Constrictors are carnivores (meat-eaters). They mainly hunt at night (they are generally nocturnal). Boas kill by constricting (squeezing) the prey until it can no longer breathe. Sometimes they drown the prey. Like all snakes, they swallow the prey whole, head first. The boa's top and bottom jaws are attached to each other with stretchy ligaments, which let the snake swallow animals wider than itself. Snakes don't chew their food; they digest it with very strong acids in the snake's stomach.
Boa Constrictors eat birds, small mammals (like monkeys, peccaries, and rodents), and some reptiles (including iguanas, young crocodilians and lizards) After eating a large animal, the snake needs no food for a long time, and rests for weeks.
Anatomy: Like all snakes, Boa Constrictors are cold-blooded; they are the same temperature as the environment. They continue to grow all their lives, getting bigger and bigger each year. Adult Boa Constrictors average about 6 to 10 feet (1.8-3 m) long and weigh over 60 pounds (27 kg). The largest boa constrictor ever found was 18.5 feet (5.5 m) long. Boa Constrictors have coloration that camouflages them; they have varying patterns of cream, brown, tan, gray, and black with ovals and diamonds. The scaly skin glistens but is dry is to the touch. It has no fangs. The forked tongue senses odors. There are heat sensors under the upper lip; these help the snake locate warm-blooded prey, like mammals and birds.
Classification: Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Reptilia, Order Squamata (lizards and snakes), Suborder Serpentes, Family Boidae (constrictors), Genus Boa, Species constrictor.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/reptiles/snakes/Boa.shtml
Those who think it is a good idea to put a living rat in the boa enclosure during the night should take a look at these photos...
This pic shows the numerous Rat has gnawed deep
spots on which the boa has been wounds on snake’s body.
gnawed by the rat. Boa is not very sensitive to
body wounds.
When they are not hungry, boas with a calm disposition are ignoring the prey items in spite of their intrusive behaviour.
In such cases the hunter becomes the prey...
It is doubtful whether the boa will survive. The danger of a serious infection and the prolonged recovery from such large wounds give a bad prognosis.
http://www.boa-constrictors.com/com/News/News.htm
Introduction
Since Adam and Eve, snakes have long been portrayed as evil creatures to be feared. Our history is long, and myths and phobias are hard to break. Built into their religious practice, Pentecostal Movement preachers in the hills of Tennessee handle rattlesnakes. They now struggle with local law enforcement since rattlesnakes are protected in many states. Aboriginal groups in Australia hold the snake in high esteem, and it is a symbol of fertility. Native Americans felt that snakes symbolized life cycles and truth.
There are widespread myths regarding snakes:
1. Snakes hold their tails in their mouths to create a circle and will chase you.
2. When you kill a snake, another one will chase you (ironically, what IS true is excessive killing of snakes leads to the overpopulation of rodents and more disease states).
Snake Bite Facts
1. In the United States, only about 12 people a year die from snakebites.
2. The estimated chances of dying from a snakebite in the outdoors is approximately 1:10 million.
3. Victims of snakebites in North America usually have two common denominators, tattoos and alcohol intake.
4. There are approximately 23 different subspecies of rattlesnakes in the United States including the coral snake, copperhead and cottonmouth (or water moccasin), which comprise the venomous snakes indigenous to the United States. We emphasize indigenous to the United States in that due to the Internet, more and more exotic/foreign snakes are being brought into the United States illegally. This is an extremely dangerous practice, posing enormous diagnostic and treatment risk for emergency rooms across the United States. Every month, there are incidents that occur where someone is tired of their exotic and most likely illegally owned pet and releases it, or possibly it escapes. Example: A few months ago, a friend of Survive Outdoors from Indiana was helping someone move when he found a king cobra in the bushes outside of the home. The cobra was poised and ready to strike; luckily no one was bitten.
There are two types of venomous snakes, falling into two separate categories, the pit vipers that include the rattlesnakes, copperheads and coppermouths, and the elapids, which are coral snakes.
Pit Viper
The pit viper has thermoreceptors, or “pits,” on their heads. These organs help the snake locate prey and adjust the amount of venom used according to the size of their prey. The glands, or venom sacks are connected to the fangs, which act like hollow hypodermic needles. These fangs are voluntarily controlled by the snake. They can raise either one or both fangs, or neither. When fangs break off, there is usually another fang below, or there may be one next to it. Therefore, snakebites can present as one puncture wound, two, three or even four (see photo of timber rattlesnake for example of multiple fangs).
The pit viper can strike about 50% of its body length, and has been recorded to strike at about 7 feet per second. The forked tongue is equivalent to our nose. The snake senses chemicals in the air with their tongue, aiding in the location of prey. Their pupils are elliptical, and all pit vipers in the United States have elliptical pupils, as opposed to non-venomous snakes, which have round pupils.
The age of a rattlesnake cannot be determined by the number of rattles. Rattles frequently break off, and therefore is an unreliable method to determine age.
Elapids
Elapids in the United States consist only of the coral snake. They have red, yellow and black bands around their bodies. King snakes are very similar in color. However there is a slight difference in band sequence. Mnemonics have been created to aid in remembering the differences, such as “red on yellow, kill a fellow, red on black, venom lack,” or “red on yellow, kill a fellow, red on black, friend of Jack.”
It is best not to pick up any snake, thereby greatly reducing your chance of being bitten.
Elapid fangs are fixed as opposed to the retractable fangs of the pit viper, and are much smaller. A coral snake must chew on its victim to inject enough venom to cause damage.
Small children are bitten by handling the snake, and due to its attractive coloring, it becomes a visual “draw” for the child, who wants to pick up the “sparkling gemstone.”
Venoms
Venoms of the pit viper contain peptides and proteins. The venom leads to damage of vascular cells and red blood cells. Proteolytic enzymes damage muscle and are responsible for tissue death. There is also a histamine release by the body after the bite.
Juvenile rattlesnakes do have more toxic venom; however, they do not inject the large amount of venom as adult rattlesnakes do.
Coral Snake Bite Symptoms
Coral snake venom is different than pit viper venom. As per Auerback, it is thought that adult coral snakes carry enough venom to kill 4-5 adults. The coral snake venom is primarily a neurotoxin. Fang marks are rarely seen. Swelling is rare. Symptoms may not occur until 10-14 hours later. Symptoms may begin as nausea, vomiting and sweating. Neurological symptoms may include lethargy, difficulty speaking, hard to swallow, drooping eyelids, and in severe cases, respiratory depression or arrest.
Dry Bites
Dry bites are referred to as “misses,” no venom injected due to the lack of venom, a glancing blow, or penetration could not occur because of the clothing worn by the individual. Dry bites account for about 20-30% of all snakebites.
Pit Viper Bite Symptoms
There are many symptoms associated with the bite of a pit viper. Fang marks are always present, followed by swelling, pain, and black and blue marks on the skin. Sweating, chills and muscle twitching are commonly seen. Some feel numbness on the tongue, and reports of a metallic taste are not uncommon.
Snakebite Treatment for Pit Vipers
1. General support/reassurance; keep the victim calm; move the individual away from the snake, if possible; do not try to kill the snake—two people being bitten is worse and you cannot aid the first victim (note: amputated snake heads can still bite as a reflex).
2. Minimize all activity.
3. All jewelry, rings, bracelets and watches should be removed immediately.
4. Do not incise the wound as this causes more tissue damage.
5. Do not use electrical shock at the bite site as that has been shown not to work.
6. Sawyer extractor kits are controversial. Studies on pigs have shown little to no effect, while others recommend to only use the suction device if you can reach the victim in the first 3 minutes.
7. Do not suction with your mouth, as the bacterial in your mouth will most likely cause more harm.
8. Apply cool compresses, not ice.
9. Australian Wrap Technique The Australian wrap method has proven benefit. Please see diagram. Do not wrap too tightly, but similar to wrapping a sprain.
10. Splint is very important. Immobilize the extremity, maintain the extremity at heart level, do not elevate above heart level.
11. Do not use Anti-venom in the outdoors. Many have anaphylactic type reactions from the anti-venom.
12. Transport, transport, transport.
13. Call ahead if possible to the ER. Many emergency rooms do not stock anti-venom and they may need to fly anti-venom in.
14. Anti-venom is very, very expensive. When traveling into the outdoors for an extended period of time, check into search and rescue insurance. Many times anti-venom is covered. It is as cheap as $12-20 for a weekend, and is well worth it if something unfortunate should occur.
Snakebite Treatment for Coral Snakes
1. Remember, bite symptoms from this snake are usually delayed.
2. In this situation, if possible, it could be very helpful to capture the snake for identification purposes since it does mimic the king snake.
3. The Australian wrap method is highly touted for this bite.
4. Transport, transport, transport.
5. All other treatment for the coral snake should be the same as for the pit viper.
Summary
Snakes, like sharks, have a bad reputation, as the media love to sensationalize these critters. Fear sells. If you see a snake, please do not kill it! It does a tremendous amount of good, compared to any harm done. Understand reality and not fall prey to your fears and phobias.
http://www.surviveoutdoors.com/reference/snakes/snake-bites.asp
Snake bite on finger
Large constrictors have killed people on rare occasions. The details of the deaths generally remain unknown. After all, the only witnesses are the victim and the snake. Ramona and Desmond Morris recount one exception to this in their book, Men and Snakes (1965, p. 116). A large python encountered a passed-out drunk and began to eat his left leg. It got as far as his torso and then simply stopped. When he woke up in the morning, he called for help and the snake was removed from his leg. Unfortunately, the leg was already partially digested and had to be amputated. Anything’s possible, but most herpetologists discount these sorts of stories as tall tales.
About eight more or less confirmed cases of death by constrictor have occurred in North America in the past twenty or so years. Philippe de Vosjoli (1993) reviews the potential danger of and precautions to be taken with large boas and pythons in The Vivarium 4(4). Reticulated, Burmese, and African rock pythons primarily are responsible for human deaths from constrictors. An unconfirmed case involving a green anaconda also exists.
An escaped 8-foot python smothered a seven-month old girl in her crib in Dallas, Texas in November 1980.
McCarty et al. (1989) reviewed this 1982 death in The Journal of Forensic Science 34(1):
A 21-month-old male was found dead in his crib. An escaped pet python snake (Python reticulatus) was found near the child on a cribside shelf. Autopsy findings included petechiae associated with asphyxial death plus puncture wounds consistent with the reptile's teeth. This report details this 1982 death of a child in Reno, Nevada, and includes illustration of the reptile's bite marks plus description of snake jaw mechanics in swallowing.
An unidentified pet python “strangled” a twenty-eight year old man in Brampton, Ontario in 1992.
An 11-foot pet Burmese python by the name of Sally killed a 15-year-old boy in his bed in Commerce City, Colorado in 1993. The snake bit the boy on the right foot and apparently suffocated him. The fact that the boy’s fingers also were punctured and bleeding suggests that he tried to remove the snake from his foot. The snake weighed much less than the boy (24 vs. 43 kg) and showed how strong these constrictors can be.
A man died in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana in 1993 after a fight with his pet 16-foot reticulated python named Ebanezer. The man was not constricted but may have died of a heart attack. He suffered from hypertension. The man had snakebites on his arm and the snake had several knife wounds. A veterinarian treated the retic, which probably went to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans.
A 13-foot 20 kg Burmese python killed a 19-year-old man in The Bronx, New York in 1996. A neighbor found him in a hallway outside his apartment with the snake wrapped around him.
A 7 1/2-foot African rock python suffocated a 3-year-old boy in Centralia, Illinois in 1999. The boy had compression marks around his chest and bite marks on his neck and ears. No evidence of struggle was apparent. He was sleeping with an aunt and uncle near the snake’s aquarium at the time.
Just recently, a 10-foot Burmese python strangled an 8-year-old girl in Irwin, Pennsylvania in August 2001. She fell into a coma and was declared brain-dead two days later.
In none of the above cases did the snakes attempt to eat their victims. It can be easy to underestimate the strength of large constrictors. One fact that many snake owners may not realize is that when a constricting snake compromises your blood circulation, any extra exertion such as simply standing up, can cause one to pass out. People may first pass out before they are actually killed by constriction. The pictures below are not that alarming, but do show how instances of large constrictors with obvious meals have been manipulated.
In 1981's 'Body Heat', Kathleen Turner said, "Knowledge is power".
T.A.B.A.C.C.O. (Truth About Business And Congressional Crimes Organization)
Mammal-Eating Constrictor
“Snakes On A Plain”
SNAKES: AN INTRODUCTION
Snakes are found in almost every country in the world. There are a few isolated islands and of course the far north and Antarctica that don't have snakes.
What is a snake? While this is not a simple question its good to think of a snake as a lizard without legs. They are cold-blooded creatures, meaning that their body temperatures are determined by their surroundings. Ok, so that’s the simple answer. For more information on the taxonomy of the snakes and how they fit into the Reptile kingdom see: Snake Taxonomy.
What is the deadliest snake in the world? A lot of nature shows like to tell you what the deadliest snake in the world is. But why do most shows talk about a different snake? The concept is that the deadliest snakes in the world are those that kill the most people, yet most snake bites and deaths for that matter go unrecorded and its hard to determine which snake is responsible. We decided to make a short snake video about this concept.
What happens if I get bit by a venomous snake? If you get bitten by a venomous snake, you should seek medical attention immediately. While not all bites from venomous snakes actually inject venom, it's important to get to a doctor because you may not know if the venom injected cleanly. Some elapid snakes from Australia who have mostly neurotoxic venom, are painless bites. It’s not till later that a victim realizes he is in trouble. For more details about snakebites and to see a short VIDEO of an interview with a doctor see SNAKE BITES.
Which snake is the largest? This is a tricky question. Does largest mean longest or heaviest? Each continent has its giants. There is a category for the largest venomous snake, the longest snake, the longest non-venomous snake and more. Read about it in our pages on GIANT SNAKES.
Information by ROB NELSON
http://www.explorebiodiversity.com/snakes/
For Snake Videos, go to the website above to learn about our legless friends.
Explore Biodiversity and The Wild Classroom
Newsletter
Giant Snakes
There are many big snakes in the world. There is no way to define what a giant snake is except that its bigger than most snakes. Most snakes are never larger than 1.25 meters.
We quickly look at some of the record holders in various categories of snake 'gigantism'.
What is the longest snake ever recorded?
The longest snake ever recorded was an 11.5 meter green anaconda from South America (Oliver 1958 and Gilmore and Murphy 1993). Some biologists dispute this and consider the maximum length to be only bout 9 to 9.5 meters.
The largest Python?
The longest python on record was a reticulated python that reached a length of 10.1 meters. While it was common to find individuals with lengths up to 8 meters in the wild only a few decades ago, few wild creatures today exceed 5 to 6 meters.
Longest snake in Africa?
The African Rock Python is the longest snake in Africa. One individual reached a length of 9.75 meters.
Longest pet snake?
The most popular 'giant' snake is the Indian Python (Python molurus). The longest snake on record reached a length of 5.8 meters. A subspecies of this python is the Burmese python.
Longest Australian snake?
The longest Australian snake is the scrub python (Morelia amethystina) of which reached a length of 8.5 meters.
Information by ROB NELSON
http://www.explorebiodiversity.com/snakes/main/giantsnakes.html
Exotic Snake Rescues & Facts!
The majority of the snakes at Jungle Eyes were donated or rescued from various circumstances. Some were owned within city limits where they are banned, while others came to us due to their owners moved & could not take them with them. The main reason most of them were taken in was due to them reaching large sizes & not being safe around children or small pets.
Jungle Eyes appreciates these people that cared about their reptiles enough to donate their enclosures with them.
Rub-A-Dub there's snakes in the tub!
These awesome snakes are soaking in their garden tub. Can you count how many there are? Let's see, there is "Moonshine" the Albino Burmese Python, "Goliath" the 14 foot Burmese Python along with his girlfriend "Porscha" & last but not least "Casper" the Columbian Redtail Boa.
We also care for Blood Python's, Ball Python's, Guyanan Boa's, and various native species.
Please be sure to check back with us for additional information. We will have photographs & literature referencing Texas native snakes some of which are venomous!
BURMESE PYTHON'S
(Python molurus bivittatus)
Albino, patternless green, brindle, leopard, Indian/Burmese crosses, hypo, granite, marble and labyrinth are being bred in captivity. Sub-species: Indian Python (Python molurus) is an endangered species and requires a Federal permit to possess. Many Indian pythons in captivity are hybrids. Ceylonese python (P. m. pimbura) another rare subspecies.
Description: Pythons are sometimes found near water, where they hide in foliage or hang from tree branches.
Range/Habitat: Rainforest areas of Southeast Asia from India to China and on some of the islands of the East Indies.
Royal or Ball Python's
(Python regius)
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Boidae
Genus Python
Ethiopian: The Ball Python is found in the grasslands of the Sudanese subprovidence (West of the Nile); in Southern Sudan in the Bahrel Ghazal and in the region of the Nuba Mountain and in West Africa.
They range in length from 3 to 6 feet. Ball or Royal Python's vary considerably in their color and pattern. They can be tan, brown, reddish, light yellow or orangish-yellow. The patterns of these snakes vary from spotted, to stripes and can be a combination of spotted and striped.
Ball Python's main diet consists of rodents. Breeding occurs when temperatures drop to the low 70's or lower and they stop feeding. They only breed every two or three years. Males have a retractable hemipenis that everts during mating. Females are fertilized internally. After mating and fertilization, the female lays between 4 to 10 eggs. Following laying, the female python stays with the eggs and wraps her coils around them. By loosening or tightening the coils she can protect them and also provide insulation. The female does not eat during this period, which can last up to three months until the hatchlings finally emerge from their eggs. The hatchlings are independent from the female from the time they hatch out. It is common for them to come back to the egg for a day or so after they are hatched to feed from it.
BOA CONSTRICTOR'S
Constrictor Constrictor
Some Boa constrictors are from the same subspecies, but have distinct patterns making them easy to identify such as the Surinam Redtail Boa and Guyana Redtail Boa (Boa constrictor). There are Boa Constrictors that have there own subspecies like the South Brazilian Redtail Boa, which is considered (Boa constrictor amarali).
Female boa constrictors do not lay eggs. Their young are born alive. They may give birth to 50 young snakes at one time.
Below are a few Boas that you may be familiar with:
Common Boa - Boa constrictor
Surinam Redtail Boa - Boa constrictor constrictor
Guyana Redtail Boa - Boa constrictor constrictor
North Brazilian Redtail Boa - Boa constrictor constrictor
South Brazilian Redtail Boa - Boa constrictor amarali
Hogg Island Boa - Boa constrictor ssp
Clouded boa - Boa constrictor nebulosus
Albino Boa - Boa constrictor constrictor
The Top Ten Beginner's Snakes
All of the snakes listed in this section are known as gentle & easy to care for. Experienced adult supervision is highly recommended when handling any snake.
1 Corn Snakes - (Elaphe Guttata)
2 Rat Snakes - (Elaphe species)
3 King Snakes - (Lampropeltus Getulus)
4 Milk Snakes - (Lampropeltus Triangulum)
5 Garter Snakes - (Thamnophis Sirtalis)
6 Pine Snakes - (Pituophis Melanoleucus)
7 Ball Python - (Python Regius)
8 Rosy Boa - (Lichanura trivirgatai)
9 Rainbow Boa - (Epicrates species)
10 Red Tailed Boa - (Boa Constrictor)
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The Top Ten Worst Snakes
All of the snakes listed in this section are for the experts only!
1 Any Venomous Snake
2 Any Wild Caught Snake
3 Reticulated Python - (Python Reticulatus)
4 Burmese Python - (Python Molurus Bivittatusi)
5 Anaconda - (Eunectes Murinus)
6 Green Snakes - (Opheodrys species)
7 Hog-nosed Snakes - (Heterodon species)
8 Water Snakes - (Nerodia species)
9 Ringneck Snakes - (Diadophis Punctatusi)
10 Racer Snakes - (Coluber Constrictor)
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Learn About Snake Classifications
Kingdom Animalia All living organisms except plants and bacteria.
Phylum Chordata Animals with the nerve cord of the central nervous system located above the digestive system.
Class Reptilia Cold-blooded vertebrates that breathe through lungs, not gills, and usually have scales and claws.
Order Squamata The lizards and snakes. Defined on internal characters of the skull and skeleton.
Suborder Serpentes Only snakes; no external usable legs; no eyelids or external ear opening.
Families: (Listed below. Snake families are defined by characters of the soft anatomy and skeleton, and their technical definition is often difficult.)
1. Typhlopidae, 2. Leptotyphlopidae, 3. Anomalepididae: All three of these related families are harmless burrowers confined mainly to tropical regions. Comprised of well over 200 species, they are very shy, have dot-like eyes, and do not do well when kept in captivity.
4. Aniliidae: South American pipesnakes; primitive burrowers with patterns like coral snakes, red and black bands.
5. Uropeltidae
6. Xenopeltidae: Two related groups commonly referred to as sheildtails and sunbeam snakes respectively. Both are burrowers from southern Asia. The sheildtails are noted for an enlarged scale or shield at the end of their tail. The sunbeam snakes are characterized by their shiny coloration and are considered by many to be related to either the colubrid or boid families.
7. Boidae: This family includes the popular boas, pythons, and anacondas. Size varies from about a foot to over 30 feet. Males usually have spurs near the vent. Many herpetologists recognize three or four families for these snakes.
8. Acorochordidae: A small family found from Asia to Australia near the coasts. They are noted for their large tubercles, hence the common name, wart snakes. The skin is exceedingly loose. They are considered by some to be a subfamily of the colubrids. Thoroughly aquatic, they lack the wide ventral scutes of typical colubrids and seem to do well in captivity.
9. Colubridae: This family represents about 3/4 of all know snakes. They usually have large scales on top of their heads. Few poisonous members are found in this family, but those that are venomous have the fangs at the back of the upper jaws. This family is almost impossible to define technically, and its many members may not all be closely related.
10. Elapidae: Included in this family are the infamous cobras, mambas, and kraits. These snakes have a chiefly neurotoxic venom, are mostly nocturnal, and have fixed hollow fangs at the front of the mouth.
11. Hydrophiidae: This venomous family is known as sea snakes. Most species rarely exceed two feet. They live and breed in the water, bearing live young (with one exceptional genus that lays eggs on land). Most have strongly flattened rudder-like tails.
12. Viperidae: Both the Old World vipers and the New World vipers (with the "facial pit") make up this familiar family. All are known for their stout build and their toxicity. The fangs are movable. This highly evolved family contains the rattlesnakes, copperhead, tree vipers, and many other species.
http://jungledomain.org/slither.htm
http://www.worldwide-reptiles.com/inventory.htm
These are the reptiles that we are currently breeding and distributing. We update this page regularly. Please, contact us with any questions before you decide to purchase any reptiles. We hope that you find what you are looking for, if not we'll find it for you.
Terms And Conditions
* lone females add 25% to the listed price
* Add 100% to listed price for pairs (a savings of 25% on the female)
* Discounts may apply for multiple animals purchased
Colubrids
Boas
Pythons
Venomous Snakes
Cobras
Geckos
Chameleons
Crocodilians, Monitors, Tegus
Other Lizards
Land Turtles
Water Turtles
Frogs
Toads
Salamanders
Worldwide Reptile Dealers
IF WE DON’T HAVE A PARTICULAR SNAKE WE’LL FIND IT!
If you want any Reptile, including poisonous snakes or constrictors, go to the website above, or alternately, next time you see Samuel L. Jackson boarding a plane, join him.
snake
Eastern Diamondback Rattler
Snakes are long, limbless reptiles belonging to the class Reptilia, subclass Lepidosauria, order Squamata, and suborder Serpentes. There are about 2500 to 3000 living species of snakes worldwide. They can found throughout the world, from the tropics to arid deserts to shallow seas to the cold regions of Scandinavia and Siberia. In fact, the only habitats snakes aren't found in are the deep sea and regions covered by snow year-round.
The smallest snakes are the slender blind snakes of the family Leptotyphlopidae that may be only 13 centimeters (5 inches) long. The world's largest snake is reportedly the Asiatic reticulated python (Python reticulatus) with a length of 10 meters (33 feet). Other reports indicate that the South American anaconda (Eunectes murinus) may exceed 11 meters (36 feet) in length.
Snakes are further divided into three groups. The infraorder Scolecophidia contains the most primitive snakes with cylindrical bodies, short tails, and a multilobed liver. It includes families of small burrowing snakes (blind snakes). The infraorder Henophidia includes some of the world's largest snakes (pythons, boas, anacondas). The infraorder Caenophidia are the most advanced snake species and the group, which most snakes belong to. They include extremely venomous snakes (cobras, kraits, mambas) with fangs.
Characteristics
Since snakes lack internal mechanisms for maintaining body heat, their body temperatures depend on the conditions of its surroundings. Because of this, snakes are said to be cold-blooded. Metabolism varies greatly with body temperature. Low winter temperatures force snakes to hibernate underground. They remain inactive, living on stored fat, until more favorable conditions return.
One of the snake's most distinctive features is the skull. The skull is diapsid, which means that it has two openings on each side behind the eye sockets. Due to evolution, those openings are no longer apparent. Instead, the skull has become incredibly elastic so that snakes can swallow large food whole. Elastic ligaments join together most bones of the skull as well as the teeth. The two halves of the jaw can be rotated or moved apart because of these ligaments.
A snake's primary protective structure is its skin. It guards against physical injury and the loss of body moisture. The skin is periodically shed and replaced with a new and larger one. The snake accomplishes this task by loosening the skin around its lips and crawling out of the old skin.
A snake's eyes are rounded and with lenses adjustable for distance vision. With the exception of the blind snakes, the eyes of a snake are permanently covered and protected by a transparent lower eyelid (called a spectable or brille). The fusion of the eyelids does not allow a snake to blink or close their eyes. Since the snake lacks external ear openings and eardrums, they hear by using their head to pick up vibrations and sounds from the ground. Experiments have shown that snakes can hear airborne sounds as well, although not well.
FEEDING
Snakes are carnivores. Their food habits are highly specialized, with some preying only on snails or eggs. They can also feed on earthworms, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles (including other snakes), birds, or small mammals. Snakes find food by sight or by smell and by heat-sensitive pits, when present. Most snakes only hunt during the day or during the night, but there are species that are active throughout the day.
Snakes can use the methods of constriction and envenomation to hunt their prey. Constriction is when the snakes suffocate their prey by squeezing the prey with their jaws or with their body. The prey, however, is not crushed. Cold-blooded prey, such as lizards, take longer to suffocate then smaller animals, so these animals are often swallowed alive. Snakes may also wrap around their prey with their long body.
Envenomation is when snakes use their powerful digestive enzymes (proteins) to break down parts of their prey. Snakes, which use this method, are called venomous (poisonous) snakes. The saliva containing the enzymes can kill an animal in a short period of time. Venom (the enzyme) usually enters the prey through bitings. Less than one-third of the snakes are poisonous. Less than 300 species may be fatal to humans. The classification of venomous and non-venomous snakes is sometimes difficult though since many of the non-venomous snakes have the toxic enzyme in their saliva.
http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/reptiles/snakes.htm
Specific Snakes
Poisonous Snakes
VIPERS
* Vipers are venomous snakes. They have teeth that are hollow and are normally carried folded down along the roof of the mouth. When preparing to bite, a viper erects these fangs. Most vipers are terrestrial, but some have become adapted to life in the trees and are bright green.
* An adder is one of many venomous snakes of the viper family mostly found in Europe. It feeds on lizards and small mammals, but its bite is rarely fatal to humans. The young are born live. The death adder is a large venomous snake in the Cobra family. It is found in Australia and New Guinea and looks like a viper.
* Pit vipers are different from the true vipers because they have heat-sensitive pits. They use them to detect warm-bodied prey.
* Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes with movable front fangs with a heat-sensing pit on each side of the face. There are about 28 species of rattlesnakes with 2 species in U.S. These pit organs allow them to strike in total darkness. Rattlesnakes range in size from sidewinders, pygmy rattlesnake, and the ridge-nosed rattlesnakes, which are all usually less than 2 feet to 3-6 feet for the diamondback, known to be 8 ft. A diamondback rattler is most recognized by the end of its tail. When frightened it vibrates the rattles. This snake is really shy and will avoid confrontations. The fact is, more people will die during the year from dog bites or rabid animal attacks than from a rattlesnake. All rattlesnakes give birth to 8-15 live young at a time.
* Copperhead-The copperhead is a venomous Pit Viper. It has a reddish brown head and copper-colored bands. It bears from two to eight living young during the fall. Copperheads are found in the eastern United States from Massachusetts to Illinois, south through the southern states, and to west Texas. Adults are usually less than 3ft long.
* Sea snakes are venomous snakes. They are found in warm tropical oceans of Australia and New Guinea. Sea snakes have long bodies, oarlike tails, and salt glands. They eat fish and eels. The Japanese smoke the sea snake and eat it with soy sauce.
* The Coral snake's venom is highly toxic, but the snakes are not aggressive and have very short fangs. They are pretty with bright rings of red, yellow, and black that most species possess. Forty species of coral snakes are tropical, but two species occur in the United States. It actually reaches an adult length 30 inches. All coral snakes lay eggs and prey mostly on reptiles, especially other snakes. They are not often seen, but they may be active day or night.
* Mambas are venomous African snakes in the same family as the cobras. The black mamba is the largest poisonous snake in Africa reaching 14 feet. They may be found on low-lying branches and can move rapidly. They have extremely potent venom.
Non Poisonous Snakes
* Pythons are nonvenomous snakes, which include the boas and other large snakes. The best member of the subfamily is the boa. Some Pythons have reached lengths of more than 33 ft. and weights of approximately 300 lbs. Pythons differ from most other snakes because they have well-developed lungs. All pythons lay eggs, the eggs usually hatch in 60 to 80 days. Pythons feed primarily on mammals, which they kill by constriction. Death by constriction is due to suffocation rather than crushing.
* Boa is the common name for about 50-species of Snakes. They are closely related to pythons. The typical boa are ground or tree dwellers of tropical America. The sand boas are burrowing snakes in the deserts of northern Africa and south Asia. All boas are nonpoisonous and kill their prey by constriction. They are active at night. The average length of the adult boa is 10 to 11 feet long. The longest one found is 14 feet. Stories may confuse this snake with the Anaconda or the Pythons of Asia. The boa is reddish gray with long pointed head, curved front teeth, and dark stripes.
* The Anaconda is a very large South American snake that crushes its prey. (Anacondas can eat an alligator). It is known as the water boa. The young are born alive. Anacondas are not venomous, but defend themselves with severe bites and constrict their prey. Anacondas live in tropical forests and rivers. The anaconda is the largest boa in the Western Hemisphere. They grow to 25 feet, but sometimes can grow to 40 feet. They belong to the same family as the boa.
http://library.thinkquest.org/5409/specificsnakes.html
The Boa Constrictor is a large, solitary snake from Central and South American rainforests, savannas, and semi-arid areas. Boas are kept as house-snakes in parts of South America, where the boas help by catching and suffocating rats. The Boa Constrictor is related to the larger Anaconda. Boas give birth to live young; up to 64 2-ft (60-cm) long baby snakes are born at one time. All species of boas are either endangered or protected.
Hunting and Diet: Boa Constrictors are carnivores (meat-eaters). They mainly hunt at night (they are generally nocturnal). Boas kill by constricting (squeezing) the prey until it can no longer breathe. Sometimes they drown the prey. Like all snakes, they swallow the prey whole, head first. The boa's top and bottom jaws are attached to each other with stretchy ligaments, which let the snake swallow animals wider than itself. Snakes don't chew their food; they digest it with very strong acids in the snake's stomach.
Boa Constrictors eat birds, small mammals (like monkeys, peccaries, and rodents), and some reptiles (including iguanas, young crocodilians and lizards) After eating a large animal, the snake needs no food for a long time, and rests for weeks.
Anatomy: Like all snakes, Boa Constrictors are cold-blooded; they are the same temperature as the environment. They continue to grow all their lives, getting bigger and bigger each year. Adult Boa Constrictors average about 6 to 10 feet (1.8-3 m) long and weigh over 60 pounds (27 kg). The largest boa constrictor ever found was 18.5 feet (5.5 m) long. Boa Constrictors have coloration that camouflages them; they have varying patterns of cream, brown, tan, gray, and black with ovals and diamonds. The scaly skin glistens but is dry is to the touch. It has no fangs. The forked tongue senses odors. There are heat sensors under the upper lip; these help the snake locate warm-blooded prey, like mammals and birds.
Classification: Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Reptilia, Order Squamata (lizards and snakes), Suborder Serpentes, Family Boidae (constrictors), Genus Boa, Species constrictor.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/reptiles/snakes/Boa.shtml
Those who think it is a good idea to put a living rat in the boa enclosure during the night should take a look at these photos...
This pic shows the numerous Rat has gnawed deep
spots on which the boa has been wounds on snake’s body.
gnawed by the rat. Boa is not very sensitive to
body wounds.
When they are not hungry, boas with a calm disposition are ignoring the prey items in spite of their intrusive behaviour.
In such cases the hunter becomes the prey...
It is doubtful whether the boa will survive. The danger of a serious infection and the prolonged recovery from such large wounds give a bad prognosis.
http://www.boa-constrictors.com/com/News/News.htm
Venomous Snake Bites
Introduction
Since Adam and Eve, snakes have long been portrayed as evil creatures to be feared. Our history is long, and myths and phobias are hard to break. Built into their religious practice, Pentecostal Movement preachers in the hills of Tennessee handle rattlesnakes. They now struggle with local law enforcement since rattlesnakes are protected in many states. Aboriginal groups in Australia hold the snake in high esteem, and it is a symbol of fertility. Native Americans felt that snakes symbolized life cycles and truth.
There are widespread myths regarding snakes:
1. Snakes hold their tails in their mouths to create a circle and will chase you.
2. When you kill a snake, another one will chase you (ironically, what IS true is excessive killing of snakes leads to the overpopulation of rodents and more disease states).
Snake Bite Facts
1. In the United States, only about 12 people a year die from snakebites.
2. The estimated chances of dying from a snakebite in the outdoors is approximately 1:10 million.
3. Victims of snakebites in North America usually have two common denominators, tattoos and alcohol intake.
4. There are approximately 23 different subspecies of rattlesnakes in the United States including the coral snake, copperhead and cottonmouth (or water moccasin), which comprise the venomous snakes indigenous to the United States. We emphasize indigenous to the United States in that due to the Internet, more and more exotic/foreign snakes are being brought into the United States illegally. This is an extremely dangerous practice, posing enormous diagnostic and treatment risk for emergency rooms across the United States. Every month, there are incidents that occur where someone is tired of their exotic and most likely illegally owned pet and releases it, or possibly it escapes. Example: A few months ago, a friend of Survive Outdoors from Indiana was helping someone move when he found a king cobra in the bushes outside of the home. The cobra was poised and ready to strike; luckily no one was bitten.
There are two types of venomous snakes, falling into two separate categories, the pit vipers that include the rattlesnakes, copperheads and coppermouths, and the elapids, which are coral snakes.
Pit Viper
The pit viper has thermoreceptors, or “pits,” on their heads. These organs help the snake locate prey and adjust the amount of venom used according to the size of their prey. The glands, or venom sacks are connected to the fangs, which act like hollow hypodermic needles. These fangs are voluntarily controlled by the snake. They can raise either one or both fangs, or neither. When fangs break off, there is usually another fang below, or there may be one next to it. Therefore, snakebites can present as one puncture wound, two, three or even four (see photo of timber rattlesnake for example of multiple fangs).
The pit viper can strike about 50% of its body length, and has been recorded to strike at about 7 feet per second. The forked tongue is equivalent to our nose. The snake senses chemicals in the air with their tongue, aiding in the location of prey. Their pupils are elliptical, and all pit vipers in the United States have elliptical pupils, as opposed to non-venomous snakes, which have round pupils.
The age of a rattlesnake cannot be determined by the number of rattles. Rattles frequently break off, and therefore is an unreliable method to determine age.
Elapids
Elapids in the United States consist only of the coral snake. They have red, yellow and black bands around their bodies. King snakes are very similar in color. However there is a slight difference in band sequence. Mnemonics have been created to aid in remembering the differences, such as “red on yellow, kill a fellow, red on black, venom lack,” or “red on yellow, kill a fellow, red on black, friend of Jack.”
It is best not to pick up any snake, thereby greatly reducing your chance of being bitten.
Elapid fangs are fixed as opposed to the retractable fangs of the pit viper, and are much smaller. A coral snake must chew on its victim to inject enough venom to cause damage.
Small children are bitten by handling the snake, and due to its attractive coloring, it becomes a visual “draw” for the child, who wants to pick up the “sparkling gemstone.”
Venoms
Venoms of the pit viper contain peptides and proteins. The venom leads to damage of vascular cells and red blood cells. Proteolytic enzymes damage muscle and are responsible for tissue death. There is also a histamine release by the body after the bite.
Juvenile rattlesnakes do have more toxic venom; however, they do not inject the large amount of venom as adult rattlesnakes do.
Coral Snake Bite Symptoms
Coral snake venom is different than pit viper venom. As per Auerback, it is thought that adult coral snakes carry enough venom to kill 4-5 adults. The coral snake venom is primarily a neurotoxin. Fang marks are rarely seen. Swelling is rare. Symptoms may not occur until 10-14 hours later. Symptoms may begin as nausea, vomiting and sweating. Neurological symptoms may include lethargy, difficulty speaking, hard to swallow, drooping eyelids, and in severe cases, respiratory depression or arrest.
Dry Bites
Dry bites are referred to as “misses,” no venom injected due to the lack of venom, a glancing blow, or penetration could not occur because of the clothing worn by the individual. Dry bites account for about 20-30% of all snakebites.
Pit Viper Bite Symptoms
There are many symptoms associated with the bite of a pit viper. Fang marks are always present, followed by swelling, pain, and black and blue marks on the skin. Sweating, chills and muscle twitching are commonly seen. Some feel numbness on the tongue, and reports of a metallic taste are not uncommon.
Snakebite Treatment for Pit Vipers
1. General support/reassurance; keep the victim calm; move the individual away from the snake, if possible; do not try to kill the snake—two people being bitten is worse and you cannot aid the first victim (note: amputated snake heads can still bite as a reflex).
2. Minimize all activity.
3. All jewelry, rings, bracelets and watches should be removed immediately.
4. Do not incise the wound as this causes more tissue damage.
5. Do not use electrical shock at the bite site as that has been shown not to work.
6. Sawyer extractor kits are controversial. Studies on pigs have shown little to no effect, while others recommend to only use the suction device if you can reach the victim in the first 3 minutes.
7. Do not suction with your mouth, as the bacterial in your mouth will most likely cause more harm.
8. Apply cool compresses, not ice.
9. Australian Wrap Technique The Australian wrap method has proven benefit. Please see diagram. Do not wrap too tightly, but similar to wrapping a sprain.
10. Splint is very important. Immobilize the extremity, maintain the extremity at heart level, do not elevate above heart level.
11. Do not use Anti-venom in the outdoors. Many have anaphylactic type reactions from the anti-venom.
12. Transport, transport, transport.
13. Call ahead if possible to the ER. Many emergency rooms do not stock anti-venom and they may need to fly anti-venom in.
14. Anti-venom is very, very expensive. When traveling into the outdoors for an extended period of time, check into search and rescue insurance. Many times anti-venom is covered. It is as cheap as $12-20 for a weekend, and is well worth it if something unfortunate should occur.
Snakebite Treatment for Coral Snakes
1. Remember, bite symptoms from this snake are usually delayed.
2. In this situation, if possible, it could be very helpful to capture the snake for identification purposes since it does mimic the king snake.
3. The Australian wrap method is highly touted for this bite.
4. Transport, transport, transport.
5. All other treatment for the coral snake should be the same as for the pit viper.
Summary
Snakes, like sharks, have a bad reputation, as the media love to sensationalize these critters. Fear sells. If you see a snake, please do not kill it! It does a tremendous amount of good, compared to any harm done. Understand reality and not fall prey to your fears and phobias.
http://www.surviveoutdoors.com/reference/snakes/snake-bites.asp
Venomous Snake Bites
Snake bite on finger
Man-Eating Snakes
Not for the Squeamish – Some of the Pictures are Very Graphic!
Large constrictors have killed people on rare occasions. The details of the deaths generally remain unknown. After all, the only witnesses are the victim and the snake. Ramona and Desmond Morris recount one exception to this in their book, Men and Snakes (1965, p. 116). A large python encountered a passed-out drunk and began to eat his left leg. It got as far as his torso and then simply stopped. When he woke up in the morning, he called for help and the snake was removed from his leg. Unfortunately, the leg was already partially digested and had to be amputated. Anything’s possible, but most herpetologists discount these sorts of stories as tall tales.
About eight more or less confirmed cases of death by constrictor have occurred in North America in the past twenty or so years. Philippe de Vosjoli (1993) reviews the potential danger of and precautions to be taken with large boas and pythons in The Vivarium 4(4). Reticulated, Burmese, and African rock pythons primarily are responsible for human deaths from constrictors. An unconfirmed case involving a green anaconda also exists.
An escaped 8-foot python smothered a seven-month old girl in her crib in Dallas, Texas in November 1980.
McCarty et al. (1989) reviewed this 1982 death in The Journal of Forensic Science 34(1):
A 21-month-old male was found dead in his crib. An escaped pet python snake (Python reticulatus) was found near the child on a cribside shelf. Autopsy findings included petechiae associated with asphyxial death plus puncture wounds consistent with the reptile's teeth. This report details this 1982 death of a child in Reno, Nevada, and includes illustration of the reptile's bite marks plus description of snake jaw mechanics in swallowing.
An unidentified pet python “strangled” a twenty-eight year old man in Brampton, Ontario in 1992.
An 11-foot pet Burmese python by the name of Sally killed a 15-year-old boy in his bed in Commerce City, Colorado in 1993. The snake bit the boy on the right foot and apparently suffocated him. The fact that the boy’s fingers also were punctured and bleeding suggests that he tried to remove the snake from his foot. The snake weighed much less than the boy (24 vs. 43 kg) and showed how strong these constrictors can be.
A man died in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana in 1993 after a fight with his pet 16-foot reticulated python named Ebanezer. The man was not constricted but may have died of a heart attack. He suffered from hypertension. The man had snakebites on his arm and the snake had several knife wounds. A veterinarian treated the retic, which probably went to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans.
A 13-foot 20 kg Burmese python killed a 19-year-old man in The Bronx, New York in 1996. A neighbor found him in a hallway outside his apartment with the snake wrapped around him.
A 7 1/2-foot African rock python suffocated a 3-year-old boy in Centralia, Illinois in 1999. The boy had compression marks around his chest and bite marks on his neck and ears. No evidence of struggle was apparent. He was sleeping with an aunt and uncle near the snake’s aquarium at the time.
Just recently, a 10-foot Burmese python strangled an 8-year-old girl in Irwin, Pennsylvania in August 2001. She fell into a coma and was declared brain-dead two days later.
In none of the above cases did the snakes attempt to eat their victims. It can be easy to underestimate the strength of large constrictors. One fact that many snake owners may not realize is that when a constricting snake compromises your blood circulation, any extra exertion such as simply standing up, can cause one to pass out. People may first pass out before they are actually killed by constriction. The pictures below are not that alarming, but do show how instances of large constrictors with obvious meals have been manipulated.
BON APPETIT
In 1981's 'Body Heat', Kathleen Turner said, "Knowledge is power".
T.A.B.A.C.C.O. (Truth About Business And Congressional Crimes Organization)
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