do red belly blacks eat other elapids

[tahniandshae]

does anyone know if red belly blacks eat other elapids, like browns, etc or is it just an old wives tale

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

Yes, red bellies are cannibals, not just brown snakes though, they even eat their own species.
I reckon most snakes have potential to be cannibals but blacks, copperheads and mulgas are well documented for it.

 

[jairusthevirus21]

Yes...pseudechis and notechis are known to be snake eaters... Im sure you can google pics...pretty interesting stuff

 

[Anunnaki]

Nope they don't. It's a conspiracy.

 

[jairusthevirus21]

eeewww.... looks like it was an Aspidorhynca...lol

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

That pic is of a black regurgitating the brown

 

[Anunnaki]

That pic is of a black regurgitating the brown

Don't you first need to eat it to regurgitate it?

 

[Bluetongue1]

Two wise old says come to mind. "Bit off more tan it could chew" and "Its eyes were bigger than its stomach".

 

[cement]

Size does matter! blacks eat browns and browns eat blacks, it depends on who is biggest.

 

[slim6y]

So if an RBBS bites another RBBS are they envenomated and affected?

 

[user 16446]

So if an RBBS bites another RBBS are they envenomated and affected?

If that is true, and a RBBS bites it's tongue, then it could essentially kill itself!

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

Redbellies and copperheads bite their own species and show no effects unless the bite is to the heart.
I might be wrong but i think a venomous cannibalistic snake purposely tries for a heart bite on it's victim.

 

[jairusthevirus21]

Redbellies and copperheads bite their own species and show no effects unless the bite is to the heart.
I might be wrong but i think a venomous cannibalistic snake purposely tries for a heart bite on it's victim.

huh!.... i learnt something new today! thanks Sssssnakeman!

 

[cement]

So if an RBBS bites another RBBS are they envenomated and affected?

No. But strangely enough (take mulga for example) the black snake venom is devastating on other species that are worse for us. King Brown (mulga P.Australis) ​eat inland taipans. So on mammals taipan venom is worse, but on reptiles black snake venom is the king.

 

[SarahScales]

That explains the GIANT RBB on our property and the complete lack of any other snakes...

 

[imported_Varanus]

That explains the GIANT RBB on our property and the complete lack of any other snakes...

Not necessasarily....locally they used to bask together.

 

[slim6y]

No. But strangely enough (take mulga for example) the black snake venom is devastating on other species that are worse for us. King Brown (mulga P.Australis) ​eat inland taipans. So on mammals taipan venom is worse, but on reptiles black snake venom is the king.

But get a BHP and the venom is... Useless?

Is there an enzyme that breaks down the venom in species tolerant? Or is it just completely different pathways... I should probably google this... But hearing it from people first hand is much better

 

[cement]

But get a BHP and the venom is... Useless?

Is there an enzyme that breaks down the venom in species tolerant? Or is it just completely different pathways... I should probably google this... But hearing it from people first hand is much better

Correct. If you could bottle the blackheads venom immunity system, you would be a rich man!
I don't know how they do it. They are just born like that!

 

[slim6y]

Correct. If you could bottle the blackheads venom immunity system, you would be a rich man!
I don't know how they do it. They are just born like that!

I assume it's been tried for countless years...

 

[-Peter]

So if an RBBS bites another RBBS are they envenomated and affected?

Thats not an easy answer. I say yes and John Cann says yes but there is no research to back it up. Numerous keepers have had red bellies die after being bitten by a cage mate. I have had several males die from a particular female. In one case the male was missing and the female had and obvious full stomache and in another case the male had become a bag of slush overnight.