My tots on venom and varanids…
Posted this on other forum, tot it might interest you!
As I said varanids die from a venomous bite, at least captive of all species do! Why? Because they where never exposed to venom as CB or lost there immunity when long term WC. The way most varanids get immunised against venom is usually by ingesting small amounts on a regular schedule, venomous snake must be one of there first prey early in life, when digesting the venom glands of a snake, toxin filters thru the stomach wall entering the blood stream. Bill yeast a renown venomous snake keeper, bill has studied venom immunity for several decades, by injecting himself with regular venom dose, he like varanids can sustain a venom bite, but also like in varanids tissue damage is unavoidable when hemotoxine is involved, unlike neurotoxins fond in elapids (cobras, mambas) witch do little tissue damage and often there smaller fangs don’t even penetrate varanids skin. Viper venom does sever tissue damage even to immune varanids, lose of digits or an entire limb is a real possibility. I only experimented with 2 adult varanids but that was conclusive enough for me to stop all research, as both Salvator and Niloticus died a day after ingesting a venomous snake.
First I offered a Bitis to an adult male Niloticus, he tail slapped the snake several time then took it in his jaws and violently shake it before swallowing, and the snake never had a chance to bite.
I also fed a Naja to Salvator, no tail slapping was involved with salvator only head shaking and rapid swallowing, Naja seemed too stunned to bite back even if it hade the opportunity to do so, as with Niloticus Salvator was fund dead the next morning.
Other venom test where made involving Buffo marinus, Buffo Americanus.
Salvator feeds avidly on Buffo Americanus but will stop at 3 to 6 in a meal, they seem to know there tolerance to toxins, Interestingly when fed Buffo Marinus they wipe the toad from side to side too ride it of its toxins, also they will only accept one and refused any other on the same feeding, it will take a few weeks and many normal feeding before they accept anymore toads. This may be inconclusive but still can provide a minimum of understanding.
Rgds
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Herpetoculture isn’t an exact science!!
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