Comments on: Snakes: The Good, the Bad and the Deadly http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/2012/10/snakes-the-good-the-bad-and-the-deadly/ Just another blogs.smithsonianmag.com site Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:57:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: richard spinner http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/2012/10/snakes-the-good-the-bad-and-the-deadly/#comment-849 richard spinner Sat, 06 Oct 2012 04:06:20 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/?p=4569#comment-849 Ever since the Bible, serpents have received a bad rap. I live in rattlesnake country and free leash my dog. This could be a potential recipe for disaster. I have seen some big Southern Pacifics this year but it's the young ones that are most likely to strike. Most rattlers want nothing to do with either humans or dogs. Leave them alone and they will leave you alone but dogs tend to be curious by nature and a majority of the bites occur on curious noses. The bites vary in severity but can be lethal. I wait for the late fall to hike locally or stay in the high country during rattlesnake season. Here's a couple of tips: Get your dog vaccinated (Red Rock Biologics). Bring liquid benadryl gel caps. Apply directly to the bite. It will suppress the allergic reaction. Finally, seek IMMEDIATE veterinary attention. Anti-venom injections will probably be necessary. Be advised, they are expensive. Finally, snake aversion training may seem harsh but when you consider the potential consequences, is an absolute necessity. I saw my normally overly curious Golden steer a wide course around a snake recently. So far so good - knock on wood. Ever since the Bible, serpents have received a bad rap. I live in rattlesnake country and free leash my dog. This could be a potential recipe for disaster. I have seen some big Southern Pacifics this year but it’s the young ones that are most likely to strike. Most rattlers want nothing to do with either humans or dogs. Leave them alone and they will leave you alone but dogs tend to be curious by nature and a majority of the bites occur on curious noses. The bites vary in severity but can be lethal. I wait for the late fall to hike locally or stay in the high country during rattlesnake season. Here’s a couple of tips: Get your dog vaccinated (Red Rock Biologics). Bring liquid benadryl gel caps. Apply directly to the bite. It will suppress the allergic reaction. Finally, seek IMMEDIATE veterinary attention. Anti-venom injections will probably be necessary. Be advised, they are expensive. Finally, snake aversion training may seem harsh but when you consider the potential consequences, is an absolute necessity. I saw my normally overly curious Golden steer a wide course around a snake recently. So far so good – knock on wood.

]]> By: Seacologia http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/2012/10/snakes-the-good-the-bad-and-the-deadly/#comment-846 Seacologia Thu, 04 Oct 2012 06:26:06 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/?p=4569#comment-846 Snakes are one of most favorite animals (birds are still the most fascinating for me). I often see reticulated pythons in zoos here in our country, and I would want to keep one for myself if I wasn't just scared of it. I have heard somewhere that there are pure, chalk white snakes in South east Asia. I haven't read anything credible to confirm it's existence though. Are there really such kinds of snakes? or is it just albinism? If they're real, what do you call them? Snakes are one of most favorite animals (birds are still the most fascinating for me). I often see reticulated pythons in zoos here in our country, and I would want to keep one for myself if I wasn’t just scared of it.

I have heard somewhere that there are pure, chalk white snakes in South east Asia. I haven’t read anything credible to confirm it’s existence though. Are there really such kinds of snakes? or is it just albinism? If they’re real, what do you call them?

]]> By: Chris Hartzell http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/2012/10/snakes-the-good-the-bad-and-the-deadly/#comment-845 Chris Hartzell Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:28:31 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/?p=4569#comment-845 Great story. One correction for you...the Inland Taipan is the world's most venomous land snake. The Belcher's Sea Snake is the the world's most venomous snake. The venom is approximately 3 times more toxic than the Taipan's. Overall great story. Wish you had touched on the conservation a bit more. In North America, 1 rattlesnake eats a railroad box car full of rodents in its life. With Rattlesnake hunting allowed in many areas, rodent populations have doubled and some places affecting the local environmental balances. Great story. One correction for you…the Inland Taipan is the world’s most venomous land snake. The Belcher’s Sea Snake is the the world’s most venomous snake. The venom is approximately 3 times more toxic than the Taipan’s. Overall great story. Wish you had touched on the conservation a bit more. In North America, 1 rattlesnake eats a railroad box car full of rodents in its life. With Rattlesnake hunting allowed in many areas, rodent populations have doubled and some places affecting the local environmental balances.

]]> By: Robin http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/2012/10/snakes-the-good-the-bad-and-the-deadly/#comment-843 Robin Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:12:36 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/?p=4569#comment-843 Hi Alistair, thanks for this informative post, and for the shout-out to Hesperian Health Guides, publisher of Where There Is No Doctor and many other health books and resources. Your readers can access Hesperian resources on our website: www.hesperian.org, and I urge them to consider purchasing books directly from us as we are a small, nonprofit book publisher that relies entirely on book sales and donations to keep producing new, lifesaving material. Thanks so much for your support! Robin, Hesperian Health Guides Hi Alistair,

thanks for this informative post, and for the shout-out to Hesperian Health Guides, publisher of Where There Is No Doctor and many other health books and resources. Your readers can access Hesperian resources on our website: http://www.hesperian.org, and I urge them to consider purchasing books directly from us as we are a small, nonprofit book publisher that relies entirely on book sales and donations to keep producing new, lifesaving material. Thanks so much for your support!

Robin, Hesperian Health Guides

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