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Snake Fun Facts

July 8th, 2009

When snakes are born with two heads they fight each other for their food. There are 2,700 different species of snakes in the world. The longest snake in Asia is the reticulated python. They can get to 32 feet and 10 inches. The heaviest snake in the world is the Green Anaconda. It can weigh 500lbs and reaches 26 feet. The thread snake and the blind snake are the smallest at around 11cm. The hook nose is the most lethal snake in the world. Its venom is 100 times more potent than the Taipan! A prairie rattlesnake can strike at a speed of 8feet! The fastest snake recorded was the Black Mamba at a speed of 10-12mph.

The biggest snake in captivity is the Burmese Python at 27 feet long and 404 lbs! Some snakes use their venom to kill their prey and others kill their prey using constriction. Snakes will shed their skin as they grow. In Texas, you are more likely to be killed by lightning than snakebite. They have an average of two to three deaths a year from snakebites compared to five to seven for insect bites and eight for lighting. Snakes travel farther north and occur at higher elevation than lizards. They can also adapt to a wider range of environments. There are no snakes found in Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand and many South Sea Islands!

You may think snake skin is clammy or slimy but it is actually smooth and dry although cool to the touch. In Australia the majority of snakes are venomous almost 80%. A rattlesnake can’t hear their own rattles. Snakes have the advantage of not having to eat food very often. They have a slow metabolism. They can eat once a week and from between 8-10 times a year. Some can actually fast for long periods. Snakes are known to eat their own species usually smaller then themselves. Some snakes can actually see heat using thermal pits in their lower jaw. Sea snakes live in the ocean but still need to surface in order to breath.

The King Cobra is the largest venomous snake in the world. The largest recorded specimen was kept at the London Zoo. It was 18 feet and 9 inches long! From 1951 to 1965 a Bernard Keyter a supervisor at the South African Institute milked 780,000 venomous snakes and got 870 gallons of venom but was never bitten!

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Do Snakes Sneeze

November 25th, 2008

I would not be interested in this topic because I hate snakes! In this piece, we will delve into the question of snakes and sneezing. The word snake is actually from the Latin, “to creep”. They can move stealthily without being observed. That is true! They seem to come out of nowhere and scare the crap out of you!  Do snakes sneeze and the answer is “Yes”. However, it does not sound like a sneeze. It is more like a hiss that sounds like a sneeze. It can be a mild respiratory infection. Some people find it hard to believe but its true!

They will wheeze, gape and sneeze. If you have a snake, you can try to treat it yourself by keeping your lovely scaly friend in a warm dry environment. You should raise the temperature to the higher end around 89 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit. This actually brings on a fever and helps it fight the infection. Just remember to keep it isolated. In some cases, a frothy green discharge may run from the mouth of the snake. At this point after you have raised the temperature, a trip to your veterinarian would be a good idea. We know now that reptiles can in fact get sick and get respiratory infections.

When it is apparent your reptile is having issues with sneezing putting a hot rock in the cage can help. You can find them at pet stores. All you have to do is plug it in and place it in the enclosure. Sneezing is just a natural thing for snakes to do when their noses get irritated or they are allergic to something. It really is not much different then humans. We sneeze when our noses get irritated too. Another way to help your reptile is clean away any salt buildup on their nose or cage and clean it with some glass cleaner frequently. If all this fails, a trip to your veterinarian may be in order. A battery of tests may be necessary.

I hope this answers the question do snakes sneeze. Although, they are reptiles they still suffer from seemingly human responses when something is not right in their systems. So next time you hear a noise coming from your cage, it could be your snake sneezing!

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