Why so much blood?

[Joemal]

When the Olive bit me i had some nice big blood clots happening .Where i thought her teeth had ripped my hand open turned out to be a big blood clot

Olive python bite - YouTube .This has been posted before but this is the bite and you can still see a few of the blood clots .

 

[Bluetongue1]

That's not a fair test.... Would need to be done over a large sample of people and a number of repetitions.

My suggestion is this... Everyone here (who is not a haemophiliac) should be bitten by their python in roughly the same place. Using a stop watch (we all need the same stopwatch, so I suggest using an internet stopwatch) time how long it takes for the blood to clot.

We'll repeat this every 7 days for 5 weeks.

Send me the results and I'll tabulate them. Then I'll write the APS paper on the subject and we'll all become famous (not rich, just famous).

Disclaimer: If your python eats you it's not my fault.

All vegetarians in the sample population are strongly advised to significantly increase the spinach quota for the duration of the investigation.

 

[Lucas89]

I really wonder. Is there a chance the bacteria in the snakes mouth has this anticoagulant effect as the body tries to flush it out? Also punctures are notorious for looking like there bleeding more then a cut. Due to amount of damage under the skin, and all the blood coming out of a small hole at the top. But at the same time, if it was an anticoagulant you wouldn't really see an increase in volume just how long it takes to stop.

But all said and done, it would be understandable if the digestive enzymes in there saliva have this effect.

Lucas

 

[PhilK]

Rob Bredl - Smells a Rat. - YouTube

I'm in between jobs so I can't be surfing the net but that above clip is from one of Rob Bredl's documentaries that he comments on pythons and there saliva.. In the actual video he goes into more detail, I'll see if I can get it on here some how tonight..

Shouldn't that read I am in between jobs so I CAN be surfing the net? Hahaha... that isn't proof. That is just another person saying "they have anticoagulant in their saliva".

I'm not convinced yet - will wait till you get more evidence from the interweb - I'm ready to be convinced.

It's not that it doesn't make sense - because it does! Just today, this is the first I've ever heard of it.

I don't think it makes sense at all. What possible use could a python have for an anticoagulant? A python's feeding strategy is not to bite an animal and wait for it to die from blood loss..

Your obviously quite a knowledgeable man.. A anticoagulant is a substance that prevents coagulation (clotting) of blood.. Would this be correct, please correct me if I'm wrong... It may not bleed faster but because the blood is not clotting due to the anticoagulant in there saliva is this the reason why python bites give the blood a watered down look which makes it look like there's alot more blood?

Rob Bredl and Brian Barczyk commented on python bites and them having an anticoagulant in there saliva, whats your thoughts?

Rob Bredl - Smells a Rat. - YouTube - 1.05

Snakes Biting! : SnakeBytesTV - YouTube -1.10

That isn't evidence... it is just other people giving unsubstantiated claims that pythons have anticoagulant in their saliva. I'd need proof - like a paper or something - in order to believe this one. I'll have a quick look around.

 

[Frozenmouse]

Along with the komodo dragon and the Lace monitor it is becoming apparent that all varanus sp that have been closely studied posses some type of venom , don't be surprised if in a few years they discover ackies , tristis ect posses some type of ven as well. It would not surprise me if they find this with pythons also.

 

[slim6y]

I don't think it makes sense at all. What possible use could a python have for an anticoagulant? A python's feeding strategy is not to bite an animal and wait for it to die from blood loss..

Sorry Phil - out of context mate. I meant it makes sense that a person bleeds (such as the bite of a leech) and continues to bleed because of an anti-coagulant - not that it makes sense that python's would have an anti-coagulant.

 

[PhilK]

Ah righto. Well... I remain skeptical to the highest degree. A preliminary search has found no evidence supporting python anticoagulants

 

[Frozenmouse]

Anti coagulant might aid in constriction.

 

[PhilK]

Anti coagulant might aid in constriction.

How?

EDIT: sorry not trying to be a jerk. Constriction (depending upon what you read) kills prey either by stopping them breathing or by making it impossible for the heart to pump blood around the body. Neither of these two methods require blood to be modified. How were you thinking it would help?

 

[Venomous1111]

Shouldn't that read I am in between jobs so I CAN be surfing the net? Hahaha... that isn't proof. That is just another person saying "they have anticoagulant in their saliva".

haha na mate I'm on my mobile when I'm at work gives me the ***** trying to look for stuff on the net on this thing.. If you find a published article on it let me know, until then I'll take Rob Bredl's word for it.

 

[Frozenmouse]

How?

EDIT: sorry not trying to be a jerk. Constriction (depending upon what you read) kills prey either by stopping them breathing or by making it impossible for the heart to pump blood around the body. Neither of these two methods require blood to be modified. How were you thinking it would help?

I am not a scientist i was just putting a possibility out there may be the thinner blood = increased heart rate = higher oxygen demand = quicker constriction , once again i am not arguing either way but it is always good to maintain an open mind , if you told me 2 years ago that lace monitors were highly venomous i probably wouldn't have believed it.