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Defensive snake bites and envenomation
Topic Started: Mar 16 2015, 04:50 AM (668 Views)
snap
Autotrophic Organism
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This topic has me quite curious as I will be spending the next few days working outdoors on a property teeming with Eastern Brown snakes. This is considered to be an especially nasty species because they pack extremely potent venom and can be quite aggressive when they feel threatened but as long as I stay alert and use common sense I should be fine.

So apparently defensive bites from juveniles are more likely to deliver venom because they are less able to control the function that delivers it. Defensive bites from mature snakes are rarely venomous because it would be wasteful to use if the snake is not trying to subdue prey. But sometimes adult snakes do inflict venom in a defensive bite. Is this deliberate on the snakes part? Are some species more likely to do it then others? If so why? Particularly interested to know about this behavior in the EB and the tiger snakes which are also apparently present where I'll be working. Thanks.
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DinosaurFan95
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Baby snakes often hypervenomate because they haven't leared the proper dosage yet. One must be particulary careful around Browns, as they sometimes form groups.

And yes the snake can chose weather or not to invenomate, defensive bites are usually "dry".
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Ceratodromeus
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Defensive snake bites actually deliver venom more often then they do not.
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DinosaurFan95
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Depends on the species.

Some snakes are more aggressive than others.

Browns are on the medium range of aggressiveness.
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Ceratodromeus
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It's not species Dependant; the chances of receiving a dry bite are statistically very minimal in comparison with people who have received venomous bites from agitated wild animals
Edited by Ceratodromeus, Mar 16 2015, 06:00 AM.
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DinosaurFan95
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The odds of getting a dry bite are less than getting a dry bite?
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Ceratodromeus
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Fixed it ;) and as for my statement that is now fixed, yes.
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DinosaurFan95
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That's better. :)
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snap
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Ceratodromeus
Mar 16 2015, 05:30 AM
Defensive snake bites actually deliver venom more often then they do not.
That's quite surprising to hear. I know two people who've been bitten by browns, one by a juvenile, and they did not not get any symptoms of of the venom.
Edited by snap, Mar 16 2015, 06:48 AM.
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DinosaurFan95
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because most defensive bites are dry.

although hearing of a baby dry bite is odd.
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snap
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I just remembered that at this property there are two stacks of firewood that need to be moved and admittedly I'm worried this could be a somewhat perilous undertaking. I could try flushing them out somehow but if this fails to clear them all out then I imagine the remaining ones would be pretty agitated. Beside thick gloves I think I'll also wear some protection on my forearms and shins.
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DinosaurFan95
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be careful!
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