Predators

Coral Snakes

2011-01-09T03:20:00.000-08:00

It’s scientific name is Micrurus fulvius. It is found in Central America, North America and South America. It spends much of its life underground in cracks and crevices. Its maximum length is not more than three feet. It feeds on other snakes, lizards, reptiles and amphibians. It has more than fifty different species. It has big red bands and small yellow and black bands

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Boomslang

2011-01-09T03:05:00.000-08:00

A boomslang is a relatively small, venomous snake native to sub Saharan African. It is currently the only species in its gnus, although several species and subspecies have been described in the past. Its name means "tree snake" in Afrikaans and Dutch ("boom" meaning tree (a cognate of "beam" which means a long and large piece of wood, generally a support in a building), and "slang" meaning snake). In Afrikaans the name is pronounced [bu.omslan]. The snake is thought to be closely related to members of the genera Thelotoronis, Thrasops, Rhmanophis, and Xyelodontophis, with which it forms the tribe Dispholidini

Taipan

2011-01-09T02:53:00.000-08:00

It’s scientific name is Oxyuranus scutellatus. It is found in Australia and New Guinea. It prefers to live under fallen logs and in roots of trees. It has the longest fangs of any Australian snake and has extremely poisonous venom. It grows up to 12 feet in length. It eats bandicoots, birds, rats and mice.

Death Adder

2011-01-09T02:45:00.000-08:00

1.It’s scientific name is Acanthopis antarcticus. It is found everywhere in Australia except for Tasmania and Victoria. It can have up to 20 live offspring. It is a wide, narrow-tailed, brown and reddish-orange snake. It grows up to 1.5 meters in length. Its venom attacks the nerves leading to paralysis.

Rattle Snakes

2011-01-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snake, genera crotalus and sistrirus. They belong to the subfamily of venomous snakes known as Crotaliane (pit vipers).

There are approximately thirty species of rattle snake, with numerous subspecies. They receive their name for the rattle located at the end of their tails. The rattle is used as a warning device when threatened. The scientific name Crotalus derives from the Greek, κρόταλον, meaning "castanet". The name Sistrurus is the Latinized form of the Greek word for "tail rattler" (Σείστρουρος, Seistrouros) and shares its root with the ancient Egyptian musical instrument, the sistrum, a type of rattle. Most rattlesnakes mate in the spring. All species give live birth, rather than laying eggs. The young are self-sufficient from birth. Since they do not need their mother after birth, the mother does not remain with her young. However, at least one captive study has demonstrated that females and their neonates show some level of affinity for each other's company and will cross barriers to reunite if separated.

Contrary to popular myth, rattlesnakes are not deaf. In fact, the structure of their inner ears is very much like that of other reptiles. They do, however, lack external ears. Sound (whether from air or ground vibration) is transmitted to the snake's inner ear via vibrations in other body structures.

Rattlesnakes are native to the Americas, with the large majority of species in the American southwest and Mexico. The state of Arizona in particular has more species than any other state. Four species may be found east of the Mississipi river, and only 2 in South America.

The King Cobra

2011-01-07T07:41:00.000-08:00

The King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the world's longest Venomous snake , with a length up to 5.6 m (18.5 ft). This species is widespread throughout Southeast Asia and parts of India , and is found mostly in forested areas. The king cobra can be fierce, agile, and can deliver a large quantity of highly potent venom in a single bite. It is one of the most dangerous and feared Asiatic snakes.

The king cobra is a large and powerful snake, averaging 3.6–4 m (12–13 feet) in length and typically weighing about 6 kg (13.2 lb). A particularly large specimen was kept captive at the London zoo, and grew to 5.7 m (18.8 ft) before being euthanizedupon the outbreak of World War 2 Despite their large size, king cobras are fast and agile.

Black Mamba

2011-01-07T07:36:00.000-08:00

The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is the longest venomous snake in Africa, averaging around 2.5 meters (8.2 ft), and sometimes growing up to 4.3 meters (14 ft). Its name is derived from the black coloration inside the mouth; the actual color of the skin varies, from dull yellowish-green to a gun-metal gray. It is the fastest snake in the world, capable of moving at 4.5 to 5.4 metres per second (16–20 km/h, 10–12 mph)

Venomous Snake

2011-01-07T07:15:00.003-08:00

A venomous snake is a snake that uses modified saliva, snake venom, usually delivered through highly specialized teeth such as hollow fangs, for the purpose of prey immobilization and self-defense. In contrast, non-venomous species either constrict their prey, or simply overpower it with their jaws.

Venomous snakes include several families of snakes and do not form a single taxonomic group. This has been interpreted to mean that venom in snakes originated more than once as the result of convergent evolution. Evidence has recently been presented for the Toxicfera hypothesis however; venom was present (in small amounts) in the ancestor of all snakes (as well as several lizard families) as 'toxic saliva' and evolved to extremes in those snake families normally classified as venomous by parallel evolution. The Toxicofera hypothesis further implies that 'non venomous' snake lineages have either lost the ability to produce venom (but may still have lingering venom pseudogenes), or actually do produce venom in small quantities, likely sufficient to assist in small prey capture, but cause no harm to humans if bitten.

Venomous snakes are often said to be poisonous, although this is not the correct term, as venoms and poisons are different. Poisons can be absorbed by the body, such as through the skin or digestive system, while venoms must first be introduced directly into tissues or the blood stream (envenomated) through mechanical means. It is, for example, therefore harmless to drink snake venom as long as there are no lacerations inside the mouth or digestive tract. There are however two exceptions: the Raphdhophis snakes (keelback snakes) secrete poison from glands that it gets from the poisonous toads that it preys on; similarly certain garter snakes from Oregon retain toxins in their liver from the newts they eat.

Many other snakes, such as boas and pythons may not be venomous, but their bites should be attended to medically. Their teeth may be long and sharp, capable of inflicting lacerations, with bites often introducing mouth bacteria and shed teeth into the wound