Luke M.

Super Slithering Snakes

Venomous Snakes

Only 400 snakes in the whole world are poisonous. Thankfully, only 50 of them are poisonous to people.  All snakes’ venom affect the victim's blood or nerves. It is important to never to go near venomous snakes.

King Cobra

When a king cobra is born they have venom. A king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world. King cobra eats other snakes. King cobra has enough venom to kill 64 people. Cobra venom acts on blood. Amazingly, the venom in a king cobra can kill an elephant.

Bushmaster

The Bushmaster is a large venomous snake found in  Central America. There are 4 Bushmaster snakes in the wild. The scientific name is Lachesis muta which means silent fate. Surprisingly the Bushmaster can reach up to 12 feet. The maximum life span is 24 years.   

Taipan

Amazingly, the Taipan’s venom can kill 100 people or 250,000 mice.  Taipan can reach up to 2-5 feet  The dark markings on the Taipan’s body absorb the heat. A female Taipan lays between 12-20 egg per clutch.

Australian Tiger Snake

An Australian Tiger Snake can reach up to 4-7 feet. Their diet consists of frogs,lizards, birds, and rats. Its body can be grey, olive-brown, or almost black. They live in swamps and wetlands. They have a tissue destroying deadly venom that causes death in 30 minutes to 24 hours. However, antivenin saves lives. They have enough venom to kill fifty men.

Belcher’s Sea Snake

The most venomous snake is the Belcher's Sea Snake.  It has enough venom to kill 1,000 people. The Belcher’s sea snake hunts at night. These snakes are also known as coral snakes or sea snakes.

Pit Viper

The majority of pit vipers are located in southern Canada, all the way through North and Central America, and parts of South America. Other pit vipers can be found in Asia and Eastern Europe. A pit viper has two smalls holes under their eyes, near their nose. That is how they get their name. They use those holes to hunt at night.  These vipers can see the animal's body and their prey’s body heat.

Special Defenses

Some snakes have venom for protection, but others have

special defenses. For example, a yellow-lipped sea krait tricks its prey by thinking the tale is its head.  While a twig snake puffs up to frighten its prey away. Also, a king cobra can puff up a cape that makes it look bigger, as if it were standing up.  A wood snake fakes his death so the prey thinks it is dead. Also a rattle snake rattles when something is fooling with it. When prey comes the boa puts its head on the ground and the tail up in the air thinking it is it head. The hog-nosed snake has three defenses.  First, it looks dangerous.  If that does not work it plays dead. Finally, if that does not work it lets off a bad smell.