Venom

Ok, we're getting way off topic here, so anyone who doesn't want herpetology info can pretty much skip to the next post

Jeff,
Cobras are very alert animals!
not very bright but very alert.
The "tap them on the head" thing you see people do is simply a matter of physics. When most snakes strike, they coil and use their whole body to drive out in whatever direction they need to, kind of like when you draw your arm back for a punch, you use your waist, shoulder, elbow, etc for power when you swing. Cobras are more akin to you putting your elbow on a desktop and holding your fist up in the air. Can't use as many muscles to strike forward and down, just your elbow. Also can't punch to the side or turn around very quickly either, and punching upwards while keeping your elbow on the desk is pretty difficult too. That's pretty much the way a cobra works on the strike. Bends and raises a lot of it's body up in the air and strikes forward and down. Of course after millions of years, they've gotten pretty damn good at it! But nowhere near the speed of a rattlesnake.
They're VERY dangerous animals, with neurotoxic venom that does neat things like put you into a coma very quickly and shut down your autonomous nervous system so you forget to breathe, little things like that
All of mine have their fangs and venom glands intact, I wouldn'y destroy the animal by taking away it's defense just so I can be careless with them. If I'm not comfortable working with them the way they are, I don't have any business working with them at all.
That particular animal is an albino monacled cobra about 6' long. I have a lot of different cobra species, including Kings over 11'. I usually have between 75-150 animals at any given time, venomous snakes of all kinds- cobras, mambas, rattlers, vipers,taipans, a little bit of everything.
oh yeah, and I'm legal to keep them, all my paperwork is in place.
Some unlicenced keeper in Fort Lauderdale got a woman bit by his albino monacle day before yesterday, last I heard, she's in a coma, he's in a cell.
Also work a lot with crocs too.

Ok, I've ruined this thread on a great car enough. Anyone want's more snake info, PM me or make a post in off-topic
-V:

JRM

Venom,

I know! I study them a little. I raise Rattlesnakes and some venomous reptiles also. I have an eight foot Diamond Back! Beautiful snake. I've had him now for 6 years. I milk him and distribute his venom for anti-toxin research. I didn't mean to make you think that I was checking up on you. I was just personally cusrious! I've come in contact with Kings and other vipers specicies. Primarily when people need assistance in capturing them or general information. I should have qualified the statement further by saying compaired to a rattler. Anyway your right! Maybe we could start a thread in off topic! Talk to you later.

Cheers

Jeff

SMOKE

Agreed.

RodneyK

Jeff,

Yes, they're 35mm. I'm not sure what filters he used, if any. The pictures were taken right before sundown and in that light the colors out in the desert are pretty cool.


And Venom, I get plenty of chances to see Western Diamondbacks here where I live and I have much respect for those guys. There's a place where we hunt Sage Grouse and Chukar and it seems like every time we're out there at least one of us stumbles into a new den that we haven't run into before. Things can get pretty lively when you suddenly realize that you're right smack dab in the middle of a whole plethora of rattlesnakes.