Keeping snakes with rear fangs as pets!
There are four basic dental structures within the snake world. Tea aglyph group it simply means that this group of snakes do not possess elongated teeth at all. This group encompasses snakes from the Boa and Python families, as well as several others. Next is the ophistoglyph group. This is the group this article is being written about. Although not technically a tusk, the ophistoglyphous group possesses elongated posterior teeth. There is a groove running from top to bottom on the anterior face of the tooth. This groove channels saliva from the gum line to the wound caused by the elongated teeth. Gravity is the only force that works to propel the saliva into the flow, as there are no glands or clamping apparatus surrounded by muscles to force the saliva down.
For true envenomation to occur, the rear fanged snake must latch onto its prey and actively work its fangs into the wound. This gives time for the saliva to flow down the channeled fang and into the wound. A minimum of ten to twenty seconds would be required for the saliva to make the journey from the gum line to the wound. The longer the snake remains attached to its subject, the more severe the poisoning. Much depends on the toxicity of the saliva itself.
The next group would be proteroglyph group There are some very popular members that belong to this group, members like Cobras, Kraits, Mambas, Taipans, Coral Snakes to name just a few. All of these snakes have short fixed fangs at the front of the upper jaw, just below each eye. Most believe that these snakes had their fangs in the back of their mouths millions of years ago and eventually migrated to the position they occupy today. The fangs must be short, to avoid piercing the lower jaw. Even the fangs of the king cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah) have fangs less than 1/2 inch long. This group belongs to a family called Elapids, some of the most powerful snakes on Earth today. The latter group of snakes is also well known throughout the world.
belong to the solenoglyph Group, They have collapsible fangs which allows them to have extremely long fangs. The Gaboon Viper (Bitis gabonica) has fangs that are two (2) inches long. The fangs are on the forehead approximately below each eye and when not in use rest along the upper jaw. The muscles lower the fangs when needed and lock them in place. The base of the fang aligns perfectly with the venom conduit forming an airtight seal. When the muscles contract, the venom flows through the fang and out the opening at the tip of the fang. Snakes like all vipers, that is. Rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and copperheads are members of the Solenoglyphous group, as are the Old World vipers. The Australian death adder is one of the few elapids to possess this type of fang structure.
The above are basic dental structures of known snakes in the world. The pet trade has been a legitimate industry dating back to the Roman Empire. Reptiles have been part of that trade since its inception. Back-fanged snakes in the 1950s were considered harmless to humans and were sold in all modern industrial countries. It was in the late 1950s that the pet industry decided to rethink its claim that “all rear-fanged snakes are harmless.” On September 25, 1957, Karl P. Schmidt was attempting to identify a snake that had been brought to the Natural History Museum in Chicago Ill. where he was employed as a herpetologist. An assistant was holding the green snake when Schmidt decided to handle it himself. He grabbed the snake slightly behind the head, which allowed the snake’s room to spin and sink one of its rear fangs into his finger.
He quickly released the snake and decided to work with it some more the next day. He left work around 5 pm and on the way home he said he felt dizzy. Later that night he vomited and had difficulty sleeping. He called to say he was sick on the morning of the 26th, but said he’d be back the next day. He vomited once more and while brushing his teeth he noticed blood on the toothbrush. His wife was upset enough to call a friend who called an ambulance to take him to Municipal Hospital for a checkup. He was admitted and at 3:00 pm he was pronounced dead. The snake was a boomslang (Dispholidus Typus), also known as the African tree snake. It was sold in pet stores around the world because back-fanged snakes are harmless to humans. Within three months, all rear-fanged snakes for sale in the pet trade were pulled from shelves.
Today we know quite well which species of snakes are harmless and which are dangerous to humans. snakes belonging to the Genera Boiga, Dispholidus, Rhabdophis and Thelotornis Genera inAlso have members within each family that possess venom powerful enough to cause a fatal bite among humans. The common North American garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) has rear fangs, but its venom is not supplied in sufficient quantities to cause harm to humans. The lovable hognose snake (Heterodon platyrhinos) is a member of the rear fang club and it’s nearly impossible to get one to bite a human. The vast number of rear-fanged snakes around the world are all members of the Colubridae family.
The largest family of them all, consisting of over 2,500 separate Genera. Although several of the rear-fanged snakes are considered safe for personal property, it is not considered wise to allow any snake to bite any part of its anatomy, even if it appears cute, as it goes out of its way to scare or defeat a large human. You could be doing a lot more than just looking funny or cute! Most of the venom made by the Duvernoy tassels of rear fanged snakes act very slowly on the human body. The effects of the poison may not appear until 12 to 24 hours after the bite. By the time symptoms appear, it may well be too late. In all but a few cases, there is no commercially available antivenom to treat a bite and bites are managed symptomatically. The best rule of thumb is to treat all snakes with rear fangs as venomous snakes. Technically that’s exactly what they are.
As a general rule, most people in the United States, as well as other developed nations, take it for granted that anything on the store shelf is safe when used as directed. Most experts will tell you that snakes shouldn’t be handled too often, but as with anything new, humans like to feel what they’ve bought. In the case of pet snakes, most ophiophiles are eager to bring their new acquisition home to hold and inspect. In the case of handling any species of venomous snake, the impulse should be tempered in moderation. Any new snake requires time to get used to its new environment. A snake that does not normally bite could very well attack its new owner if handled soon after purchase. The last thing anyone needs is to be known as the first known fatality as a result of being bitten by a seemingly harmless snake. Be careful and live longer!