will i die

[Deyendran]

hey guys i just came across a pretty reasonable deal for a white lipped tree viper, i know its poisonous but i would just like to know the magnitude of its poison, will i die ???

 

[caliherp]

Although deaths resulting in bites form white lipps are rare they do happen. Bites can result in intense pain, swelling, necrosis of flesh, and in some cases severe systemic bleeding.

 

[longqi]

You wont die because if you are keeping vens like these you wont get bitten
If you think you might get bitten dont keep them

Very defensive snakes that are the cause of most bites in Bali

Creeping necrosis is really bloody nasty and VERY hard to cure

Sometimes takes many many shots of anti venom to negate the venom and the venom can keep doing major damage for several days even with good treatment

 

[Stuart]

You won't die because White Lips are not poisonous.

Lonqi however summed up the action of their Venom to a T. The attitude & venom action of a White Lip was once described to me as "a very pretty puff adder" which I don't know if that's true, but gave me a lot of respect from them.

I would think long and hard about owning one if you are wanting the same experience as your ball python mate, a bite from him won't put you in the hospital.

Good luck and let us know how you go

 

[Pythoninfinite]

As I understand it longqi, the venom of most vipers isn't that potent, but it's the hugely efficient hypodermic delivery system that ensures massive quantities of venom are injected when they bite that's the problem? Tissue death is largely due to the venom being within the tissue, rather than soaking into scratches from outside as in the Aussie elapids, which have relatively small fangs but hugely roxic venom - would this be a fair assumption?

Jamie

 

[eipper]

Jamie,

Its more the type of fractions within the venom that cause different effects. While it is generally true that most vipers have relatively long fangs and hemotoxic and cytotoxic venoms and elapids have short fangs and neurotoxic venoms there are notable exceptions. Eg fast acting neurotoxins in Crotalus tigris and C. viridis helleri and nasty cytotoxins in Naja nigricollis. The fang length does allow for a deeper, more effective bite by injecting the venom deeper into the victim. Most elapids have shorter fangs but are still effective in subduing prey. This allows for more bites in a quick succession eg a taipan heading into a mouse hole and biting six mice as opposed to one.

The venom yield is highly variable across both families with some elapids injecting massive quantities of venom. I speculate that generally higher yields come from species with larger heads and thus greater room for bigger venom glands (with obvious exception of Calliophis bivirgata). As generally most vipers have larger heads than elapids of comparable length, the yields are generally higher as well.

cheers
Scott

 

[jacques92]

The venom wouldnt kill u
waiting to get medical atention is south africa would

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Thanks for that info Scott. I've always been impressed with the venom yields from Pseudechis australis (we used to milk them for work being done at Royal Perth Hospital back in the 70s...) and I guess that large yield may be because of the mainly reptile diet of KBs in the wild and their need to overcome less sensitive reptile prey.

J

 

[eipper]

Interesting Jamie, I remember an exception yield that has been repeated in number of pubilcations from a very large top end mulga that was milked by John Cann. Not only are Mulgas large snakes but big ones can get really large heads as well. Big heads to hold on and chew that venom into the prey. I do wonder if the venom was tested on say a mulgas preferred prey item if the venom would be more toxic than when compared to a mouse.

cheers
scott

 

[mungus]

Got a Will ?

 

[Monitors_R_Us]

yes.

 

[longqi]

As I understand it longqi, the venom of most vipers isn't that potent, but it's the hugely efficient hypodermic delivery system that ensures massive quantities of venom are injected when they bite that's the problem? Tissue death is largely due to the venom being within the tissue, rather than soaking into scratches from outside as in the Aussie elapids, which have relatively small fangs but hugely roxic venom - would this be a fair assumption?

Jamie

here is a link to a pretty good article about these little darlings in fairly clinical language but worth a read

http://www.hkmj.org/article_pdfs/hkm0710p392.pdf

yes even a small one has long fangs

 

[Deyendran]

i think i'll hold up for a while lol, thanx for all the advice guys

 

[Hamalicious]

Snakes aren't poisonous, they are venomous. If you don't know that, you definitely shouldn't keep them.

 

[Deyendran]

Snakes aren't poisonous, they are venomous. If you don't know that, you definitely shouldn't keep them.

well thats just a simple vocab error, by no means a way of jidging my credibility

 

[Hamalicious]

well thats just a simple vocab error, by no means a way of jidging my credibility

Its a vocab error that any credible snake keeper wouldnt make.

 

[hilly]

Is Joe Bredl not a credible keeper?

 

[longqi]

Snakes aren't poisonous, they are venomous. If you don't know that, you definitely shouldn't keep them.

Some of the best venomous snake handlers on Earth describe their snakes as poisonous
Venom is basically a poison that is injected instead of being ingested or absorbed

I usually say venomous
But what word you use doesnt have that much bearing on your experience and to the general public it doesnt really matter
They are only interested in how potentially dangerous they are

 

[FusionMorelia]

well thats just a simple vocab error, by no means a way of jidging my credibility

get used to it this is APS where we judge all on your text not you experience.
however i would ask, why ask people in a country who can not keep anything from the overseas about the venom/bite/keeping of an animal zero of us have ,nor experience in keeping(scientists and zoo workers excluded), apart from people replying with info readily available via a decent search?

 

[Sleazy.P.Martini]

Its a vocab error that any credible snake keeper wouldnt make.

No, any credible keeper just wouldn't bother splitting those particular hairs like you have. P.s I'm on my phone and dunno how to do rolly eyes, but, well rolly eyes