Posts Tagged ‘snakes’
Snake Facts
There are more than 2,700 snakes varieties spread all over the world in temperate and warm climates; the only part of the globe where snakes cannot live is Antarctica. The diversity of the 2,700 snakes species is relevant in the size differences too: there are some only a few centimeters long while others reach the impressive length of nine meters like the anacondas or the pythons. Venomous snakes are a minority in this huge reptile family, but venom they inject in prey is so powerful that it could cause the death of a human being within a few minutes. Chronological research indicates that, the history and origins of snakes are lost in the Cretaceous period, some 150 million years ago, when it appears that snakes evolved from a lizard and changed their living environment.
Some modern species still carry primitive distinctive marks, this is the case with pythons and boas that still have vestiges of hind limbs, which only point to a past when snakes resembled lizards a lot more. Snakes or serpents making the subject of symbolic creations and being widely represented in the arts. Worshiped or hunted down as evil creatures, snakes surely have a fascination on human mind; yet, modern attitudes are partly different towards snakes particularly under the emphasis of the ecological movements that stress out the importance of these creatures for the balance of ecosystems. And they couldn’t be more right.
Fascinating details in the lives of snakes indicate that not everything has been discovered about the many existing species. Thus, it is interesting to study how the patterns on the body of snakes differentiate between individuals even within the same species. Then, snakes’ sensitivity to vibrations, the superior sense of smell and even the reception of low frequency sounds indicate the fact that snakes are fascinating. The same amount of scientific respect is due in terms of anatomical programing by the presence of the infrared sensitive receptors that allow pit vipers for instance to detect the warmth of the prey’s body.
Common habitats for humans and snakes are a reality, and people from areas with a higher variety of snake species and sub-species develop skills to distinguish between the hazardous or harmless varieties, and thus avoid them accordingly. Non-venomous snakes could also bite and injure one seriously when threatened, therefore, a healthy attitude towards such animals will save you a lot of trouble. Do not try to catch, hunt or kill snakes: they only feed and defend themselves as they cannot hold grudge and follow you just for the sake of biting.
Snake Repellant
Getting rid of snakes is quite of challenge in globe areas where people die because of snake bites. Presently, ingenious inventors have come up with special snake repellant systems, yet, besides the ready made items, there are common sense things that you can turn to so as eliminate the chances of snakes choosing your garden to make their den. First of all, bushes, shrubs and ponds are great snake habitats, as they provide a great hiding corner to stalk on prey; moreover, in a bushy garden, snakes can move freely from one spot to another without difficulty. Therefore, a first snake repellant solution is to keep thick vegetation away from the house.
Then, mowing the lawn regularly makes another great snake repellant method since too high grass can camouflage snakes pretty well. Moreover, such a lawn is the perfect environment for some of the favorite meals in the menu of a snake: locusts, small rodents, mice, crickets and even frogs. A short lawn will be avoided by snakes as an unsafe space that makes them vulnerable to the attack of other predatory species like owls or hawks. Any cluttered area around the house can cause just as much trouble, becoming nests for venomous or non-venomous snakes. Hence, eliminate wood stacks, open sheds and compost heaps from the yard.
In African wilderness, local people knit camel or goat hair ropes for snake protection and snake repellant purposes: snakes do not slither over such rough surfaces. Aborigines will often surround their bed location with such ropes to themselves against the deadly bites of some of the African poisonous snakes. Modern tent design takes this snake repellant issue very seriously, thus there are usually nets that have to be zipped up in order to prevent snakes and other insects from entering. Make sure you do not forget to zip the tent when entering or getting out, or you may have unwelcome guests joining you.
Snake repellant solutions do exist in other forms too and they include special foams, nets and all sorts of protections for window sills for instance. Many such equipments are considered controversial according to animal rights protection. Consequently, it would be wise to focus on harmless snake repellant ways. If by any chance you suspect lethal snakes nesting in your garden, do not attempt to destroy or chase them away, as they will attack when threatened. Ask for some pest control service and have the animals safely relocated in a wild area, and no harm will be done to either party.
Pet Snakes
Do reptile make good pets? Though they will not reward you with tail wagging or lap purring, snakes, spiders or amphibians are considered very exotic and popular pets; such preferences are relevant for the big number of pet snakes for sale present in pet shops or online. Low maintenance is the first advantage of buying snakes for pets since they require very little time to look after. The tranquil nature of snakes and their beautiful patterns often influence their choice over fish, for example by home owners who try to add new members to the family. The pet snakes for sale may prove a mismatch for a certain buyer, therefore make sure to analyze the situation carefully before the purchase.
If the decision of getting a pet snake is final, there are a few things you should be familiar with in order to create a healthy and safe environment for both your family and the pet. The best pet snakes for sale are young ones since they make transportation and handling piece of cake, plus, if you get to grow your pet, the connection you establish with it is going to be special. Adult pet snakes for sale are usually given away by their owners because they lack the means to support them or because they are moving and can’t take the snake with them. Poisonous snakes are out of the question as pets, and no pet shop will sell you such specimens.
Before selecting from various pet snakes for sale, learn about the breed specificity, ask how big they grow, how they mate and which is the most convenient way to keep them. Prepare the tank to meet your new friend before bringing it home, so that it may feel comfortable from the beginning. There are many places where to find pet snakes for sale. A good example here is the case of animal rescue organizations and shelters that have to give animals for adoption if their release in the wild is not an option. Pet owners who are looking for reptiles are not that common given the fact that so many people suffer from snake phobia, and few snakes find new homes under the circumstances.
Pet snakes for sale are also available with reptile breeders; these business owners usually advertise in classifieds and on personal web pages. Forum members could help you locate a reptile breeder close to your home, but you need to have a thorough look online. Really great purchases can be made from pet owners who have given time and patience to grow their pet. Such pet owners can give you all the details you need about the personality of the pet and its habits.
Pet Snakes For Sale
Do reptile make good pets? People consider snakes, spiders and amphibians as very exotic pets even if they are unable to offer the fun and beauty of a lap purring, chirruping or tail wagging; such preferences are relevant for the large number of pet snakes for sale available in pet shops or on the Internet. Low maintenance is the first advantage of buying snakes for pets since they require very little time to look after. The calm disposition of snakes and their great-looking patterns often have a word to say in their choice over fish, for example by home owners who want to bring a new and unique element to their family. Not all pet snakes for sale make a good match for anybody.
If the decision of getting a pet snake is final, there are a few elements you should know in order for the animal to be happy and healthy too. Go for younger pet snakes for sale since they make transportation and handling piece of cake, plus, if you get to grow your pet, the connection between you is going to be special. In case you want to purchase an adult, such pet snakes for sale are usually given away by their owners because of the scarcity of means to look after them when relocating or in a new residence. Poisonous snakes are out of the question as pets, and you won’t find any shop to sell you such species.
Before selecting from various pet snakes for sale, inquire about the breed specificity, ask how large they grow, how they mate and which is the most convenient way to keep them. The preparation of the tank for your new friend has to be seen to some time before bringing the animal home so that it doesn’t have to change environments several times. There are many places where to find pet snakes for sale. There are also rescue shelters or humane societies that will give snakes for adoption for free as sometimes they cannot release the specimens back in the wild. Preferences for reptile pets are not that frequent given the fact that snakes are not considered enjoyable company, and few snakes find new homes under the circumstances.
Pet snakes for sale are also available with reptile breeders; you can find such business owners in the classifieds or on the Internet. Online forum users could give you some links to sections that may help you locate a breeder in your vicinity. The best deals with pet snakes for sale are those when you get the animal from someone who has really cared for it. Such pet owners can give you all the details you need about the personality of the pet and its habits.
Florida Snakes
Florida snakes together with the many turtles, lizards, alligators and other reptiles are part of a complex wildlife that plays an incredible role in Florida’s ecosystem maintenance. Florida snakes are surely many: there are actually forty four species with highly varied habitats, from salt marshes to fresh water mars and dry uplands or coastal mangroves and residential areas. Six Florida snakes require attention in particular due to their potent venom, and they are coexisting with the non-poisonous, venturing in urban areas too. The best way to stay out of trouble is to care enough to learn about their morphology and thus become able to distinguish among these Florida snakes. A relaxed attitude of avoidance is the wisest thing a human being could show in relation to snakes.
The poisonous Florida snakes count corals and pit vipers, they can be identified by a wide range of characteristics. The cottonmouth, the rattlesnake and the copperhead are pit vipers, they all have elliptical eye pupils, a v-shaped head and some facial pits one between eyes and nostrils and the others on each side of the head. These Florida snakes are haemotoxic as the toxin in the venom attacks the red blood cells, and causes unstoppable hemorrhage by the destruction of the blood vessel walls. The venom of coral snakes is neurotoxic, meaning that it affects the function of the nerves and induces paralysis.
Most of the snakebites reported in the United States every year are caused by Florida snakes, by rattlesnakes to be more precise. As their venom is very rapidly spreading in the body system, without immediate antivenin administration, the victim will die within less than half an hour. A major exception in the family of Florida snakes comes from copperheads, which have a weaker venom that doesn’t always require the use of antidotes. Their toxins are the least potent and they are therefore considered the most gentle poisonous Florida snakes.
Even if poisonous snakes raise the biggest concern by the threat they pose, the most widespread of Florida snakes is the black racer, a non-venomous variety that relies on very sharp fangs to put down its prey. Although the main tendency of home owners is to remove snakes from their properties, specialists insist on the fact that in the absence of snakes, rodents would breed out of control pestering us even more. Snakes should be left alone, particularly if we are talking about the non-venomous species, as you will hardly ever see them around the house.
Types Of Snakes
There are about 2,700 snake species and the majority of them fall in the nonvenomous category. Types of snake varieties live everywhere in the world in temperate and warm climates with the exception of several isolated islands, Ireland and New Zealand. Similarly to the way species differentiate from each other, the same thing becomes apparent for the types of snake wounds, with the mention that the most dangerous and actually lethal bites come from very venomous varieties. The anacondas, the pythons and the boas with the constrictor variety represent the most popular nonvenomous types of snake species as they are also the largest and most impressive by size.
Pit vipers are rated as having the most dangerous types of snake bites, and they include those of the water moccasin, the rattlesnake, the bushmaster or the copperhead. Besides the pit vipers, the real vipers like the black mamba or the cobra outclass all other land snakes in terms of venom intensity. Yet, we should give some credit to sea snakes that also rely on very powerful venom to get food, as the toxins they send in the body of the prey will paralyze it within seconds. Snakes are also a source of food. Lots of snake dishes are found in Asian restaurants, while in other parts of the globe, snakes are valued for their skin.
The snake is also a symbol not just an animal people feel afraid of. The graphical stylizations of snakes in our arts and cultures go back to the ancient mythical cults. On the one hand, serpents are part of ecosystems, with a major function in the evolution of certain species, and secondly they are figurative spokesmen of deep meanings. Their hunting mice and rats keeps pest under control and prevents the over-breeding of these rodents. Yet, in the ancient traditions, types of snake worshiping did exist, with the serpent representing deities, or the immutable cycle of life and death or wisdom.
All types of snake-related beliefs have been identified everywhere in the world: for the old Greeks the snake was the symbol of fertility; Mesopotamians and Semites considered this animal immortal because it shed its skin and it rejuvenated its appearance periodically; Indians, Siamese and Burmese considered the snake the embodiment of a demon that is not entirely bad. According to the latter cultures the king of all snakes is the cobra, but the Chinese on the other hand upgraded the snake at the level of the dragon that is revered as a protective and fascinating manifestation of the divinity.
Water Snakes
All snakes can swim, their anatomy allows them to hunt both on land and in water, and there are species which surely prefer water as their main life environment. Fresh water snakes are usually waiting for their prey under tree branches fallen in water or underneath overhanging trees. Hence, when on a fishing expedition, you need to take the same precaution measures as when you go in the wild on land and do your best to stay away from snakes. Some species cling to tree branches and once movement is spotted, they instantly drop; this is rather dangerous if you get one of these poisonous species into your boat. Dealing with a frightened snake in the crammed space of the boat can be scary for anybody.
Some water snakes are harmless to humans while others become a ticking bomb when in danger. Sea water snakes are considered among the most dangerous and venomous creatures on the planet. The toxic composition of the venom has been adapted to the water environment: they have to strike fast and kill as fast or they lose the prey that flees or drops on the bottom of the ocean. Nevertheless, there are less chances of becoming the victim of sea water snakes than coming across a water moccasin. A good deal of the info provided by survival guides consequently refers to the ways to protect yourself against fresh water snakes that hunt in rivers, lakes or wetlands.
When you go boating don’t forget to get a handled reptile grip to in the boat if you cannot avoid overhanging branches. Try to grip some hose pieces as a form of practice before you launch the canoe, so as to be ready for the least friendly of encounters. If you spot water snakes swimming, these are not a threat to you, as there is no way for them to get in the boat by jumping. In case you get bitten, try to stay cool and identify the poisonous snake as this detail could save your life when the doctors have to administrate the antivenin.
The bite of nonvenomous water snakes usually looks like a horse shoe-shaped area of tiny punctures that may be bleeding or not. In case you get only two punctured wounds, then you must have been bitten by a venomous snake and an emergency medical intervention is immediately necessary. Include a venom removal pump in the first aid kit in the boat as a means of delaying the spreading of the toxin in the blood and thus buy some extra time before the administration of the antidote.
Garden Snakes
Finding hiding places is part of snakes’ nature, they are pretty independent creatures that do not harm anyone unless they sense danger. For instance, many house owners have heard of garden snakes but they have actually never seen any. If you take gardening as a hobby it is possible to discover the skins they leave behind, otherwise they are well hidden in living environment and keep their distance from humans that chances to see them are pretty rare. Garden snakes are dull colored, either in tans and shades of brown, pale yellow, khaki or green, both humans and large animals like pets will scare them. The only issue is when the garden snakes are venomous, then the risk of getting bitten is higher, and most often, professional assistance is necessary to capture and relocate them in wilderness.
The Gartner snake is the best known garden snakes species, and it is found mainly in the Americas in almost all climates. The favorite habitats for garden snakes count ponds, yards, fields and forests, which is why a garden makes a perfect location for such snakes. They can be recognized by three yellow horizontal lines along the body; they are small-sized and slender, living on fish, frogs and earthworms. In turn garden snakes become prey for other animals like raccoons and owls. Avoid contact with garden snakes no matter the species as their bite could be pretty nasty.
North American garden snakes hibernate in large nests together with other individuals, and it is during this period that many people collect them as pets. In certain parts of the continent a decline in the garden snakes number has been signaled, not only because collector’s abuse but also because of an imbalance in the habitat caused by pollution in aquatic areas. As for the subspecies diversity identified as garden snakes, gardening guides often present incomplete information. Even researchers do not agree in all points of view concerning the risk or safety of these snakes in human proximity.
For people who’d like to keep garden snakes away from their house premises, there are all sorts of repellents available in stores. The risk exists when you live in an area where both poisonous and non-poisonous snakes live and a distinction between the species is pretty difficult if not impossible to make. Even so, the attempt of limiting the snakes’ presence in the garden is not 100% successful since garden snakes have the possibility to hide and camouflage very well. Most experts advise that you leave them alone unless you come across them on a very frequent basis.
Cobra Snake
Studies reveal that people are more familiar with the cobra snake family than with any other species or subspecies in the venomous or non-venomous serpent categories. Tropical lands and desert areas make the favorite habitat for the cobra snake, which explains why this snake is regularly found in the arid lands of Asia and Africa. The element to have rendered them so famous is the threatening body posture they assume when sensing danger: a cobra snake, which has a regular symmetrical head otherwise, will flatten the head and push it towards the back in a menacing way when seeing a possible attack coming. Another thing the cobra snake remains famous for is the performance of cobra charming tricks by Indian snake masters.
The spitting cobra snake is one of the most peculiar variety as it not only has a deadly bite but it also sprays venom in the eyes of prey and aggressors alike. The eye contact with the venom toxins can cause not just pain but blindness too, therefore, in case your eyes get exposed to cobra snake venom, washing with plenty of water could be the only way to stop permanent damage. The King cobra snake also stands apart in this large serpent family by its feeding specificity, since it eats almost only other snakes, with mice and small birds also falling prey to its venom.
The King cobra snake sets another record in terms of size: it can get up to seventeen feet long, which makes it the the biggest poisonous snake in the world. The most recent discovery of a cobra snake species was made in 2003, when a strange cobra snake was identified at a London Zoo as belonging to an illegal transport of exotic pets. According to DNA studies this new species is similar to the red spitting cobra snake but shows major differences in the genetic structure. It seems to come from the region between Sudan and Egypt, and it was given the name of Nubian spitting cobra.
Though highly dangerous when it senses a threat, a cobra snake will not attack if you let it be. If compared to the strike of a rattlesnake, the cobra isn’t too fast when attacking, and many bites prove blank without envenomation. A study conducted on Malaysian cobra snake victims indicates that only 55% of the bites involved venom release too. Yet, the same report indicates a 10% risk of death for people bitten by a cobra snake, as the toxins sent in the blood of the prey are devastating the nerves and inducing respiratory failure half an hour after being bitten.
Poisonous Snakes
Poisonous snakes can surely cause fear and some of the most negative feelings towards some this crawling part of the animal world. The toxic secretion of poisonous snakes has such a lethal impact that it can induce paralysis and death in less than thirty minutes, not to mention the chances of losing eye sight if venom gets into your eyes. Despite the risk of getting bitten in close encounters, poisonous snakes are creatures like all others but rely on their venom to survive: no snake will bite unless in defense or to hunt its meal . The rest of the negative feelings towards snakes comes from an incorrect perception triggered by ancient myths.
The venom structure complexity is amazing: there is mainly a combination of proteins and toxins that when spread in the prey’s body paralyze and eventually kill it. The toxin weakens the muscles, the lungs and the heart, and starting from this way of action scientists have classified poisonous snakes into species that destroy the walls of the blood vessels and start an unstoppable hemorrhage, venomous species that paralyze the heart and, last but not least, others that inflict terrible muscle pain. Corals and cobras would thus occupy the first positions in a top of the most poisonous snakes.
The complex structure of the snake venom still fascinates scientists, and lots of tests are still conducted on it. The only treatment for poisonous snakes bites is the emergency antivenin administration. Certain elements do increase or decrease the victim’s chances of survival: thus, knowing the type of snake that caused the bite and its exact location prove crucial. If there is too much time between the moment of the bite and the antidote injection, the victim will suffer extensive health damage or even die. Furthermore, Sometimes patients showed allergic reactions to both the venom and the antidote, increasing the lethal exposure even more.
Rattlesnakes cause most of the bites in the United States, yet lethal outcomes of such incidents have become a rarity these days since medical help is not a problem anymore. The water moccasin, the copperhead and the cottonmouth belong to the same poisonous family as the rattlesnake; they are highly poisonous snakes too that would surely mark the days of anyone who gets bitten. Snake phobia could thus be developed because of a dangerous encounter with some poisonous snakes or this excessive fear can have roots in sociological ancestral traditions that are present even with people who have never felt threatened by a snake.