a venomous constrictor???

[mark129er]

those are some sweet snakes. I love the vine snake

[JD@reptiles]

thanks. i think a few of us on the site like the things with the F*#*&%# up noses

[Simon Sansom]

JD,
Let's not forget the Mussuranas (Clelia) which are famous rear-fanged "constrictors".

Great pic, as usual, by the way!

Simon

[Linds]

LOL I'm never gonna get sick of that pic, it's one of my favourites!

[Matt]

nice shot jordan!

[JD@reptiles]

Thanks guys. I'm glad you guys liked the pics. Hey Matt, I haven't been able to get through to you. Can you Email me? There are some awesome snakes out there. I forgot about the Mussurana being constrictors. I was told that snakes are either venomous, or they are constrictors by a pretty knowledgeable person. It shows that you need more than one person’s opinion.

[Vanan]

Let's not forget all the other venomous colubrids who are known to be constrictors. Ask Dr Fry.

[Dr. Bryan Fry]

Constriction and venom are not mutally exclusive, just ask the Australian brown snakes (Pseudonaja genus) which are most certainly venomous (lead the way in snakebite deaths in Oz) but use constriction to help restrain the prey, thus aiding getting the fangs in. So, constriction can either be used in prey capture in more than one way.

Within the 'colubrids', the snakes run the full suite from all venom/no-constriction (Psammophis, Dispholidus for example) to constriction to help restrain the prey while envenomating (e.g. Boiga) to powerful constriction as the primary prey kill technique, with venom secondary (eg Gonyosoma) to powerful constriction and no venom (e.g. the North American ratsnakes and such (Lampropeltis/Pantherophis/Pituophis etc.).

Cheers
B

[MouseKilla]

What are the common names of those venomous colubrids? I have never heard of any of those.

[Dr. Bryan Fry]

Go to my site, to the publications section and then download the LC/MS paper. We looked at a good array of 'colubrids' and we included the common names in addition to the scientific names in the species table.

Cheers
B

[MouseKilla]

Thanks Doc, I checked out your site when you first posted the link. There's some funny stories on there but most of what is being discussed is a little (and when I say a little I mean A MILE) over my head. I'll read it all through and see what little I can absorb though.
Sounds like a cool way to make a living, if you don't mind the occasional envenomation, which I wouldn't if it meant retiring from my current field of grunt and donkey work. I have to wonder though if everyone in Australia is either a snake hunter or croc wrangler. It seems that is the only representation of Aussies we see in the media in Canada ( that, 1 episode of the Simpsons and the occasional match of a whacky football game I will never understand yet strangely watch anyway). I wanted to move down there at one time to make a living as a dingo hunter and to abandon my snow shovel , never ever clear snow from a driveway again for the remaining years of my life. My wife vetoed the plan citing concerns that killing wild dogs all day long may be psychologically poisonous to me.
Did you hear about the guy that got caught trying to smuggle cobras into Australia by taping them to his legs? Appearently he looked nervous when lining up to board the plane. lol! Ever hear what happened to that guy?

[shmotz666]

just flicking through the pages here to get a good look at other snakes. i have never ever seen a snake like that before! its crazy! i love it haha. whats the temprement like?

[JD@reptiles]

the temperment is actually really good. it has never showed any "agression" towards me. they seem as good as a corn snake. but i dont freehandle i dont risk anything....

[Cruciform]

Dr Fry, or anyone who can answer

Is there a growing market for antivenin production, what with humans encroaching on habitats more and more each year?

Seeing as I've always been a fan of snakes, and my girlfriend had a goat as a child and wants more, I was thinking of setting up a small farm dedicated to producing antivenin using the goats as little factories.

I've heard of people doing it but have no idea if they have to have doctorates in anything to do so, or just a working knowledge of venom and blood harvesting.

It sure would beat working for someone else

[Dr. Bryan Fry]

Antivenom isn't technically that hard to produce but the problem is that it is expensive but with a small market and a short shelf life. Thats why pharmaceutical companies prefer to put their money into making new hemorrhoid creams.

Cheers
Bryan