Venomous Snakes - Tumblr Posts

Day 40 of posting cute creatures we found on our field trip:

Eastern Montpelier snake (Malpolon insignitus) is the largest European venomous snake. It’s a rear fanged venomous colubrid whose venom is mild, but it can still cause a lot of problems. The venom causes swelling, itching and burning at the place where the snake bit you and it can also cause bad diarrhea. The people who have allergic reactions to the venom can end up developing anaphylaxis and need immediate medical attention. However, nobody has died from this snake’s bite. The venom’s effects wear off in a couple of days.

Overall, getting bitten by this snake is rare. They avoid people in general. However, if you try to catch this idiot it will bite you. This snake has the mentality of “attack is the best defense”, so if you catch it expect it to aggressively bite you and even jump at you. These fuckers are the only native snake I’m uncomfortable around. I feel safer even around vipers who have much stronger venom, but they almost never bite and even if they do they usually don’t release their venom in you (so called “dry bites”).

In Croatian and Serbian they are called “velveđa” which means “big eyebrows”. The ridges above the snake’s eyes look like angry thick eyebrows which just adds to the charm. Western Montpelier snake (Malpolon monspessulanum) is equally angry.

Around 5.4 million people worldwide are bitten by snakes every year. About half of those bites are from venomous snakes, and an estimated 81,000–138,000 people die from them and around three times as many amputations and other permanent disabilities are caused by snakebites annually.

Love your blog! Totally cool if you don’t jive with this question, I’m on a rattlesnake kick- general consensus seems to be that rattlesnake “aggression” ranges from Black Tailed (not gonna bite unless really really antagonized*) to Mojave (easiest to set off + stands ground so firmly it gets misread as the aggressor)

Do you think this is an accurate way of looking at it? If so, where do you think some other species would rank on this scale (e.g, southwestern speckled or Arizona black)?

* leave the venomous noodles alone even if unlikely to bite of course

I love rattlesnakes and I think I've worked with every species native to the US! They're generally some of my absolute favorite snakes to work with.

Important note first, just in case any readers don't know: it's inaccurate to call any snake "aggressive," they're just animals and snakes are timid as a rule. Some species are more defensive than others, and it's important to remember most snakes have a high tolerance for human foolishness and will only bite when they feel afraid or threatened.

The vast majority of rattlesnakes tend to be very timid, sensitive snakes! Blacktails are absolutely the most easy-going I've ever met, I did a tagging project on a population a few years back and they're so sweet you feel kind of silly holding them on a hook. Timber rattlers are also very mild-mannered, as are Arizona blacks.

Smaller species, like sidewinders, tend to be a bit snappy and more easily startled, but that's standard for smaller snakes in general. Pygmy rattlers are an exception to that rule - they're the smallest rattlesnakes but are right up there with blacktails as super chill little dudes.

Most species of rattlers aren't super defensive snakes, but there are a few that stand out. Mojaves, as you mention, but I think the most defensive I've ever worked with tend to be western diamondbacks.

Honestly, wild rattlesnakes, even diamondbacks, are some of the easiest venomous snakes to work with (in a professional setting and with appropriate equipment, of course!), and across species the socialized rattlers in venom labs and wildlife centers are a dream. Even the most defensive rattlers I've ever met have nothing on bullsnakes - the difference is, of course, that rattlesnakes can envenomate you!

Langaha Madagascariensis

Malagasy leaf-nosed snake

The special thing about this snake is its nose.

It has a strange nasal appendage that is pointy in males and leaf-like in females. The males are dorsally brown and ventrally yellow while the females are mottled grey.

They are usually found in Madagascar and are poisonous (not dangerous for humans). They lay in trees with their snouts hanging down from the branches, resembling vines.

To be more plant like they swing with the wind. They can grow up to 1m (3 feet) in length.

They mainly eat frogs and lizards are oviparous with clutch sizes ranging from 5 to 11 eggs.