VenomousReptiles.org Survey

Survey Question	Current Survey Question Should hobbyists ever free handle venomous reptiles with their hands? Recent Surveys Most venomous/toxic Naja species in the world? I have read that the Philippine cobra is the most venomous (mice, 0.2 mg/kg SC with the lowest reported value being 0.14 mg/kg SC) (Brown, 1973). I have recently, come across something in the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology (Vol. 30, (issue 12), pages: 1158-1162, 1992) which stated that the LD50 for Naja oxiana was the most toxic/venomous (mice, 0.18 mg/kg SC and lowest reported value was 0.10 mg/kg). Along with that, the mortality rate for untreated Naja oxiana bites are the highest among all Naja species (70-80%). N.oxiana also produced the lowest known lethal dose (LCLo) of 0.005 mg/kg, the lowest among all cobra species ever recorded, derived from an individual case of poisoning by intracerebroventricular injection. Following N. oxiana and N. philippinensis are N. melanoleuca at 0.225 mg/kg SC and then N. samarensis at 0.23 mg/kg. The water cobras (N. annulata and N. christyi also have very toxic venoms, but no SC values are listed. Only intraperitoneal (IP) values of 0.143 mg/kg for N. annulata and 0.12 mg/kg for N. christyi. IP values tend to be generally lower (more toxic than subcutaneous values, so it would be unfair to compare their IP results to the subcutaneous (SC) results of other Naja species. Then I have heard that (without solid evidence) that Naja nivea is the most venomous, although their murine SC LD50 range anywhere from 0.4 mg/kg (Toxicon, Vol. 5, issue 1, page 47, 1967) to 0.72 mg/kg (Australian venoms and toxins Databse). So which is the most venomous? To me it seems obvious that it is the Caspian or Oxus cobra (Naja oxiana), followed by the Philippine cobra (Naja philippinensis). What do you think or know? I've noticed that the Australian venom and toxin Database seems to have higher LD50 values for all snakes across the board. For example, for the black mamba IP value of 0.01 mg/kg is listed (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/004101018890219X) and Ernst and Zug et al 1996, list a SC value of 0.05 mg/kg for the black mamba. While the Australian venom and toxin Database listed much less toxic LD50's. So there seems to be a lot of variation. 2014-01-23 What's Your Favorite Venomous Snake? 2013-11-13 Deadliest Bite? 2013-09-16 IF the science of self-immunization for a snake envenomation was proven/perfected what is the least benefit(percentage) you would accept before practicing it on yourself? 2013-06-06 how did you learn to keep venomous reptiles? 2013-03-02 View All Survey Questions Have a good idea for a VenomousReptiles.org Survey question? Enter your idea!
Okay, "James Bond" Scenario: You are locked in a room that is 15 x 15 feet with an 8 foot ceiling. Your captor is about to release a snake into the room with you. You can only strike one snake from the following list that your captor will choose from. You must decide: Which of the following snakes would you LEAST like to be locked in that room with? [Most dangerous snake: We'll settle this debate once and for all.]   Posted: Sep 03, 2007   (440 votes, 73 comments) by Chris_Harper   8 foot - Fer de lance, Bothrops asper   8 foot Bushmaster, Lachesis muta   8 foot Taipan, Oxuranus scutellatus   8 foot Black mamba, Dendroaspis polylepis   8 foot King Cobra, Ophiophagus hannah   7 foot Forest cobra, Naja melanoleuca   4 foot Russell's viper, Daboia russelli     (440 votes, 73 comments)
Survey Results
8 foot - Fer de lance, Bothrops asper 5% (21) 8 foot Bushmaster, Lachesis muta 3% (14) 8 foot Taipan, Oxuranus scutellatus 13% (56) 8 foot Black mamba, Dendroaspis polylepis 63% (278) 8 foot King Cobra, Ophiophagus hannah 4% (19) 7 foot Forest cobra, Naja melanoleuca 8% (34) 4 foot Russell's viper, Daboia russelli 4% (18)
Survey Comments
BLACK MAMBA I KNOW THAT PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OPINIONS, AND THEY ARE JUST THAT "OPINIONS" THE BLACK MAMBA POUND FOR POUND IS THE DEADLIEST. IF YOU LOOK AT ITS VENOM, IT HAS 3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF NERO TOX IN IT. 15 MINS TO 30 MINS, YOUR BODY ONLY TWITCHES, JUST BECAUSE THE LAST BIT OF ELECTRODES ARE FIRING IN YOUR BRAIN AS YOU ARE "DEAD" STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT WITH ANY VENOMOUS SNAKE IN THE WORLD YOU HAVE 3-8 HOURS TO START RECIEVING ANTIVIEN, THE BLACK MAMBA IS 15-30 MINS TO START. THATS PRETTY DEADLY TO ME.IT IS THE DEADLIEST FOR THE QUANTITY OF VENOM IT INJECTS. THE GABBYS ARE ABOUT AS DEADLY DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF VENOM IT INJECTS. Posted by herpman777 on December 27, 2007 james bond scenario i would choose a black mamba. these snakes are very fast and extremly toxic. i would rather be bitten by a naja haje than a dendroaspis polylepis Posted by boomslangandrew on December 3, 2007 Mamba wins Gaboons and Puffs although they are highly venemous, you would have to really agitate them to get them to bite. Black Mambas are the fastest snake in the world and are notoriously aggressive. Which snake would likely come after you? The Mamba Posted by stormnut on October 6, 2007 On Bitis The Puffs & Gabbies were not on the list basically because while they do possess a great venom delivery system & a potent venom, in the scenario that was laid out, neither would be a threat to the person in the room. The snake would not be close enough to you in a room that size to feel threatened by your presence. ~~Greg~~ Posted by GREGLONGHURST on October 4, 2007 Not to knock anybody's spiritual beliefs, but when you attempt to apply totemic relationships to live wild animals, that is surely a Darwin award waiting to happen. Reading body language, human or animal, is not supernatural. It's behavioral science, on the same level as monitoring heartbeat, respiration, pupillary dilation, muscle tone and blood oxygen levels during veterinary procedures. An accurate understanding of the animal's physiological and behavioral responses is crucial if you want the patient to survive. Any veterinarian will tell you that drug administration is frequently titrated to effect, which means that you need to be able to recognize clinical signs of effect via physiological and behavioral cues. It tends to be a lot subtler in reptiles than in mammals, but it's hardly impossible to learn, just more difficult. With some practice, it is very possible to look at a snake for just a few seconds and get an accurate respiratory rate and possibly even an accurate heart rate (depending on how the animal is positioned), as well as assessing its muscle tone and making a pretty good guess as to whether it is showing stress behaviors, expectant hunger behaviors or clinical signs of pain or discomfort. That is a straightforward clinical assessment, not a supernatural spirit message from Grandfather Rattlesnake. I respect Native beliefs, sharing some of that heritage myself, but spirituality is just not the right tool for this job. Posted by MSTT on October 2, 2007 ahhhh well the black mamba takes the cake out of the list but if there was a puff adder or gaboon viper they would take the cake. Posted by paintball71191 on September 30, 2007 james bond having been to the pastuer institute in bangkok many times, i have helped milk a king, not that scary, have held blue kraits,but to be in a room with a black mamba, now that;s SCARY. the cape cobra although not on the list is anoher one to make you piss your pants. of coursr ja,es bond could zap anything with a dart gun on his wrist. my pick, the mamba, so much respect i have a tattoo of a green mamba. the taipan comes in second. Posted by vernondent on September 26, 2007 Survey Most Dangerous I recall Minton's had posed this question before. I voted for the King Cobra based on copious volume of venom potentially produced and LD50. Although it is hard to not pick the mamba and taipan, based on toxicity, agility and temperment. BJH Posted by bearcat1 on September 20, 2007 I voted D.polylepis. Though my personal encounters would lead me to vote O.s.canni I instead decided to base my answer on overall ability. In captivity it would seem that D.polylepis actually calm down more so then probably all of the other mentioned. However, there is no denying what they are capable of. There is no more dangerous snake to be confined with if they decide to turn and fight. Runner up would be O.s.canni, O.hannah and N.melenoluca tied. I dont really think of any of the vipers/pitvipers as being that problematic unless you were to fall asleep and then wake up and mistakenly step on them. My 2 cents, J Posted by Atrox788 on September 20, 2007 MsTT? Hey MsTT, What does Dean say about this? CH Posted by Chris_Harper on September 17, 2007 My choice I've kept everything on the list except Bushmaster, Lachesis muta. The Asper I had were from Dean Ripa and I only had them for a short time as babies. But, I chose Asper because I've seen one of Dean's adults strike at him and just miss his hand, in which he was holding a hook considerably longer than my normal 41" hooks. Dean was putting more peat moss in the Asper cage as Scott and I stood on each side watching other Asper's, to make sure Dean was safe. The one that struck at him was out in front of him and behind a stump, and I swear it struck at least 5' from where it was sitting. If an Asper was sitting in the center of a 15' room, you don't have much of a comfort zone outside it's reach. RC Posted by RC on September 17, 2007 Um....sure, if there was any such thing as a "two step" snake. If you mean Trimeresurus albolabris, they're little green tree vipers that can only cause human fatality by the secondary consequences of swelling if the bite is to the face or throat area and the victim is far from medical assistance. It's been known to happen, but it takes a little longer than two steps since this venom isn't particularly potent or fast acting in anything bigger than a bird or a mouse. Posted by MSTT on September 16, 2007 If I had a choice... I would have voted for the "Two-step" snake of Viet-nam! Posted by JRattler777 on September 15, 2007 Right answer katzz, I think the "audience" has voted. I'd go with the audience on this one. Posted by Chris_Harper on September 14, 2007 I hope that post was a joke. Bushies don't get anywhere near 15 feet. Adult fer-de-lance are much too heavy and awkward to be arboreal. The wee little ones are very agile and can practically bounce on the ends of their tails, but they lose a lot of their agility as adults and are not able to do a lot of climbing at adult size. Posted by MSTT on September 14, 2007 fer de lance watch above for this one, they will drop out of the jungle canopy onto their prey. the bushmaster is king. with size up to 15 ft., it is both hemo and neuro toxic. Posted by BDDaddy on September 14, 2007 James Bond Scenario Okay...so is there a "right" answer? Posted by katzz on September 14, 2007 I was one of the ones who mentioned killing the snake, but that was only in the case that I was locked in the room long enough that food became an issue. I love snakes, but if it's me or the snake, he's lunch. Posted by LarryDFishel on September 12, 2007 I'd rather be embarrassed than dead, thanks. :) Posted by MSTT on September 11, 2007 MacGyver? Very innovative MsTT. But how shocked they would be if they were watching you on CCTV 'ey? :-) Posted by Chris_Harper on September 11, 2007 D. polylepis too Yeah i chose the Black Mamba too. Mostly from what I've seen (i don't keep or work/handle hots yet but i want to eventually). I've seen the speed and I also know that they'll bite more than once in one go at you. If you think about it too if they have no where to go or climb if it's just a empty room you're either the enemy, the tree, or both. Posted by atherisballer on September 11, 2007 I noted some comments about killing the snake. Neither necessary nor advisable. You can behaviorally manage a snake into a bag with far less risk than attempting to kill it with the same limited tools. First thing I'd do would be to tear strips off the bottom of my shirt suitable to tie with, then fashion a snake bag from my pants by tying off the leg holes. An annoyed venomous snake in a bag would be a potentially useful weapon in hand, as someone has already wisely noted. :) For that matter if you tied off your pants cuffs in that manner and left your belt around the waist to hold the bag open, you could lay this attractive little burrow in a corner and very possibly have a snake in a bag with minimal risk and effort. Yay for improvised hide boxes. Posted by MSTT on September 10, 2007 I currently work with all of the above except Daboia on a daily basis. My answer would depend on how long I have to stay in the room and whether there is anything else in the room. The taipan's just wiggly and squirmy and will end up hiding in a corner scared to death. Tossing it something to hide under would solve the issue. The Daboia will also be likely to dive for cover and stay there. A king cobra is not all that hard to intimidate into the same reaction, and it will tend to stay intimidated for awhile. The Lachesis and Bothrops are potential problem animals because they're so powerfully heat triggered, and I'd need to be tapping them on the nose with an item of clothing frequently to discourage them from heat seeking towards me. A very hungry one actively seeking food would be a real problem as it would be the hardest to discourage from charging like a freight train towards the nice smelling mammalian heat source. I've been charged by persistent giants of both species either during feeding time or when they wished it was feeding time, and it's quite impressive. A big Lachesis or Bothrops that is not hungry can be ignored as it's just going to sit there like a cow flop. An adult black mamba is insanely fast and can be belligerent, but as long as they have a comfort zone for themselves and a good perch to retreat to, they can be "talked down" with a snake hook and kept pretty effectively outside your comfort zone. I've had an extremely large male get quite annoyed at my attempts to move him into another cage, and had to literally fence him with a snake hook as he decided to actively go for me. I don't mind doing that as long as there is a hook. Tailing the really big ones is quite difficult as I'm only 5', but I've managed. Must say I prefer hide box transport and Pro Baggers though. In my house in Florida which had some construction additions for escape proof rooms, it wasn't unusual for there to be a fresh wild caught adult black mamba getting hydrated on a ficus tree in my shower. I still didn't have any problems using the toilet as long as I kept a snake hook in hand and stayed prepared to explain to the mamba with the hook that he would be much more comfortable if he stayed where he was. The bathroom was smaller than 15 X 15. None of them was really all that interested in leaving their comfortable, secure perch to launch out into insecure space just to bite somebody, especially after it was demonstrated once or twice that all that would buy them was a ride on the snake hook back to the perch. If the room is totally bare all bets are off with D. polylepis as it's going to go bugfuck nuts and be looking at your head as the highest and most desirable point of safety in the room at the same time it perceives you as a threat. Horrible combination. If I had nothing else, I'd be shucking my pants in a corner to create a hide spot and using my shirt to ask him to respect my territory and "claim" the hide area instead. No guarantee it would work if he was really agitated though. Naja are generally yappy things with tempers like evil chihuahuas. They'll rush you and think they are all badass, then when you're not impressed they turn and run. Then a few seconds later they're all badass again and repeating their rush. Melanoleuca is the boldest of the Naja lot, but it's still a Naja, so you can "hood it down" and explain that you're the bigger badder cobra and it needs to show submission behaviors. Naja are also much more clumsy in their strike movements than Dendroaspis, so it's possible to work around them bare handed or with minimal makeshift materials if you absolutely have to. It would suck to have to. Assuming I had long pants, a non buttoning shirt and a belt, I'd give myself near 100% odds of being able to safely capture and contain any of the animals in this scenario. The black mamba would be the only dicey proposition, and the odds would depend entirely on how agitated the animal was when it entered. If it was not injured or stressed, and if I could create a comfortable perch for the animal with what was in the room, I'd be fairly confident of success. Posted by MSTT on September 10, 2007 D.polylepsis ive worked with green and jamesons mamba's very scary indeed i have also pesonaly seen friends work with 5-7 foot black mambas they are quick and come at you like a bolt of lightning out of the sky and they are smart always aware of their surroundings and if threatned enough can strike with deadly accuraccy multiple times. if you,i or anybody else were ever unfortunate to be stuck in a 15x15 room with an 8 foot ceiling , how can i say this youd be screwed that snake can move faster than you could probly think metaphoricly speaking but pretty damn close albiet . Posted by pw on September 9, 2007 Forest cobra I chose forest cobra,because I can cath it with my bare hand.Vipers is too dangerous to cath without hook/rod to pin it head down.WC Black mamba...super dangerous!no way I can cath those without tong or hook,even with hook it still very dangerous. But if in the real life (Not been capture & locked in a room) I totally gonna chose all of those hots for my collection,especially Black mamba,Costal taipan,King cobra & Bushmaster..they are soooooo! beutiful and hots! ...ok I know this is just out of the question above :-P Posted by Kasyaf on September 8, 2007 1 snake There will only be 1 snake released into the room. Your captor will choose from the list which that will be. You can remove 1 from the list. CH Posted by Chris_Harper on September 7, 2007 Hmmm... I thought long and hard about this one...Alright alright not that long or hard...BUT...I've decided that if I'm going to be trapped in a room with 6 different highly venomous snakes...I'm gonna take out one of the hemotoxic ones so I have less chance of an excruciatingly painful and messy death...but that's just me. Posted by CopperheadJunkie on September 6, 2007 Terciopelo Terciopelo is another common name for the Fer-de-lance, Bothrops asper. It's at the top of this survey and definitely belongs on the "top 10 most dangerous to handle list". Imagine a big rattlesnake with the agility of a cobra, and you're about there. Other common names for Bothrops asper are "Tommy goff and Barba amarilla". Toxinology.com also lists the following as local names for Bothrops asper: Ahueyactli , Balsain , Barba Amarilla , Boquidora , Boquidorada , Cachete de Puinca , Cantil Boca Dorada , Cantil Devanador , Changuanga , Chigdu , Cola Blanca , Cuaima Carbon , Cuatronarices , Cuatro Narices , Cuatronariz , Deroya , Doroya , Equis , Equis Negra , Equis Rabo de Chucha , Fer-de-lance , Gata , Guayacan , Juba-vitu , Krundibi , Macabrel , Macagua , Macao , Macaurel , Mapana , Mapana de Una , Mapana Equis , Mapana Prieta , Mapana Rabo Blanco , Mapana Rabo Seco , Mapana Tigre , Mapanare , Mapanare Terciopelo , Mapepire , Montuno , Nauhyacacoatl , Nauyaca , Nauyaca Cola de Hueso , Nauyaca Real , Palanca , Palanca loca , Palanca lora , Palancacoate, Palancacoatl , Palancacuate , Pelo de Gato , Pudridora , Rabiamarilla , Raboamarillo , Rabiseca , Rabo de Hueso , Rabo de Raton , Sapamanare , Talla Equis , Tama , Taya , Taya Equis , Tepocho , Tepotzo , Tigra , Toboba Rabo Amarillo , Toboba Tiznada ,Tukeka , Una de Gato , Vibora Sorda , Yellow-jaw Tommygoff , Xochinauyaque Posted by Chris_Harper on September 5, 2007 Terciopelo While vacationing in the mountains in the Dominican Republic I had the change to see a Tercipelo. I did asked where to find them but it was in the jungle, since then I have not seen anybody talking or commenting on the Tercipelo Posted by domador on September 4, 2007 Does size really matter? Ok, I am not sure why your "captor" would let you effect the manner of your demise? One thing is for certain they did not put you into this room to co-exist with the snake. Even if the snake did not have any interest in "attacking" you eventually your captor would make a confortation inevitable (regardless of specie). The mamba is the obvious choice for speed and aggressiveness and the tiapan for venom strength however, all the species listed once angered would readily strike and are potent enough to kill you. If a battle (hand to fang) to the death had to ensue I think due to the size, girth and sheer mass (based on the lengths specified) the Bush Master would be the hardest to kill bare handed. Posted by Ptk on September 2, 2007 snake lovers are crazy well i spent most of my adult life outdoors in the bush, professionally, as geologist and geophysicist, in eastern africa, the middle east, n. america, and south america, asia, australia and i have had numerous encounters with poisonous snakes, probably 100s. and i dont share herpetologists love of snakes as many of my encounters were life threatening, despite due precaution on my part, 'noise', snake boots, staff, etc. i always thought cobras to be relatively docile and non agressive. you move back, they move back, even in mating season. rattle snakes can be very aggressive, and i had a young one go out of its path to strike at me, but in general if you back aways slowly you can get away. taipans if you dont suprise them are a reticent snake. now people say the mamba is a 'rare' and seldom ecountered snake and whats rare is people who have to walk the bush in western africa to make their living who are not black and have access to the internet. i have observed so many mambas, and some of enormous size, and that is NOT, a docile snake. im very skeptical when people say the largest recorded black mamba is 14 feet, that might mean the largest black mamba recorded by white men or herpetologist. i would say if you spend enough time in the bush, you would be 'skeptical' as 12+ mamba seem to be very common, that 14 feet is the largest in the world. i might guess 16-18 feet. especially after the first rains, during mating season, and is a jolly good climber meaning in the bush you have to look up and down for them. they are master stalkers, the sound of them in paralyzing, and i regularly saw herds of zebra, or buffalo scattered in mass to later see a mamba go through the path it cleared. jumbos will even give the mambas a wide berth. in addition, its 'nonsense' that snakes wont go out of their way to strike humans, i have had this happen with rattlesnakes who never made a sound who struck me, mambas who did not slither away, and came aggressively after me, and the mamba is the ONLY snake and animal i would not hesitate to shoot in the bush. i carried a shotgun SOLEY, for mambas. people who underestimate this snake have not spent time in the bush, nor talked to local tribes who made their living grazing goats, or cattle. mambas are one of the few animals i have ever observed killing just for the sake of killing. i used to encounters mambas about ever other week, in the wild, so people who say they are rare are simply not walking in the right areas with their eyes open. and they are the masters of disguise in the bush, especially the high grass. . and the 'odds' of your every making it out of the bush, to get and antivenom, treatment for most africans is virtually zero. when i first worked in africa there was no antivenom. i think the number of livestock killed by mambas is greatly underreported as are the number of deaths to native blacks. whats over reported, is the odd white man on safaria, or mucking about where they dont belong, who gets bitten or stupid herpetologist who dont understand how aggressive this snake can be in the wild. most herpetologist live in a bubble university world. i used to run into these people periodically and they had no respect for the dangers that native africans experienced every day in the bush. they stay at some lodge and go driving about, and thats their encounter with africa and the snakes of africa. walk about for a living like the blacks in western africa, and they will laugh at you if your afraid of a cobra, which i wouldnt hesitate to catch with my stick and my hand. every african i ever met who earned his living WALKING in the bush, was deathly afraid of the mamba. hands down if you dont recognize the mamba as the deadliest snake in the world you simply have not spent enough time in the bush. its species i wish was not part of creation. Posted by johnfp on September 2, 2007 Taipan I chose the Taipan because it's the most deadly of the snakes listed. DUH Posted by JandSReptiles on August 31, 2007 I chose the Black Mamba. They are a roudy looking and bold. Posted by Stinkfoot74 on August 31, 2007 why not I wouldn't mind being in with any of those snakes,but I chose the forest cobra , don't know why ? Posted by xvenomx on August 31, 2007 Love it I love this question! I picked the Mamba; but I still don't think the percentages are on my side for survival....lol Posted by DutchWench on August 30, 2007 We have a very laid back Black Mamba too. But to add a few data points: I've worked with recently caught black mambas and what I think were recently imported forest cobras and while the forests seemd more intent on trying to kill me, the mambas were harder to control because they could climb so fast. Also, of the 3 forsts I'm caring for, 2 (both males) are typical forests and 1 (female) is actually quite calm. Not just calm for a forest, calmer than most cobras I've worked with. Wierd. Posted by LarryDFishel on August 29, 2007 Mamba Mania A wild caught Black Mamba Would be a total terror in close quarters and no escape or hiding place. None of them would be easy. A 7ft ferdelance could nearly strike the distance of that room. I would still perfer it over a Black Mamba.The Mamba would"t hit you once and wait for you to die, he would bit you many times, none being dry bites. Posted by itsnomyth on August 29, 2007 I voted for forest cobra. The reason being is that I've seen black mambas that would cuddle up in your arms if you'd let them, but I've never seen a mellow forest cobra. Posted by bobbyneal on August 29, 2007 Ophiophagus at the ready Bill Haast had an eighteen footer back when I was a kid. I saw him work with it more than once. There are photos of it, I think, in his biography, none of which show it standing higher than waist high. I don't remember ever seeing it get any higher than that. Larry, I do believe your $500 is safe. ~~Greg~~ Posted by GREGLONGHURST on August 29, 2007 Guilty, I guess. I spend a lot of time trying to educate the public and help dispel myths about snakes. This one bothers my more than most because it's so often repeated by people who should know better. I'm sure if you thought about it for a few seconds you'd realize that if it were actually possible it would be the photo of the century and worth a heck of a lot more than the piddling $500 I offered. Yet somehow no one has bothered to take the few minutes it would take to get it. It's not like there aren't 16 foot kings in captivity all over the world, but just try and find a photo of one standing more than waist high to an adult. P.S. I'm serious about the $500. Come up with a picture and you'll have earned the right to insult me all you want. Posted by LarryDFishel on August 27, 2007 Hmmm. Interesting that this common phrase about Kings bothers you so much. Good thing you're here to set the record straight. Now we all know the truth. Posted by Chris_Harper on August 27, 2007 But you're basing that thought on the intuitive assumption that a 20 foot king should be able to stand twice as tall as a 10 foot king. If the world worked that way we would have built a 1,000 story brick building by now and 7 foot basketball players would be the olympic high jumpers to beat. I probably should have mentioned that the 14' kings can barely stand any taller than the 10 footers. They're probably very close to the limit, and a 19 footer might not be able to stand THAT high. Posted by LarryDFishel on August 27, 2007 Dang. Too bad that the world record King was killed during WWII in London. It was 19'2". That one might have taken your money away. I suppose it depends on how threatened they feel as well. CH Posted by Chris_Harper on August 27, 2007 Ok, I'm making it official. I'll offer $500 to the first person who can come up with a believable picture of a King Cobra, on the floor, not bracing itself against anything, standing up to eye level on a man over 4 feet tall (who is standing up sraight, on the same ground level as he snake). My mentor is maybe 5'6" and works regularly with (very healthy) kings in the 14 foot range and I've never seen one make waist level on him... Posted by LarryDFishel on August 27, 2007 the black mamba is by far the most irrasible snake in the wild and it has the quickest traveling venom of any snake. i would fear this snake because of its aggressive behavior even know the coastal taipan is more toxic drop for drop. the bushmaster shouldnt even be on that list the eastern and western diamondback are more fearful than the bushmaster. i would of put the puff adder in their in place of the bushmaster. i owed one before and it was the nastiest snake i had ever had. and the cape cobras are pretty bad too. but the worst and most painful bite and the most venom yield from any snake is the gaboon viper but it is to docile to be put here. also the sawscaled viper is up there too. but i would have to agree with the black mamba as the most dangerous of those snakes one on one. Posted by gaboonboy on August 26, 2007 Kings I only made the King 8 feet to equal the odds. Imagine a 16 or 17 foot King standing up at eye level. Ominous fellows they are. CH Posted by Chris_Harper on August 25, 2007 I think just the site of a 8' cobra all hooded out coming at me in a small room would be enough to kill me right then and there. lol Im gonna say O. hannah would be the serpent Id least like to be trapped in a small room with. Posted by LongDucDong on August 24, 2007 I picked the Forest, that's really the only snake on that list I've had the pleasure of being in the same room with, and from what I've read, they are highly intelligent and territorial. Not a snake I'd want to be in a room with..I'd be on the ceiling. Posted by amercnwmn on August 23, 2007 ld50S are a funny thing, i mean last I heard the bushmasters ld was quite similar to that of the copperhead (relatively close). Also keep in mind, I know several people who have been bitten by black mambas, and did fine, the av works well on them. I have met very FEW people who can stand up and say they too a bite from a king cobra and are still breathing.... Posted by jared on August 22, 2007 Don't start talking about working cobras in a cluttered room! I haven't waken up in a sweat after a nightmare like that in quite a while. I'd like to keep it that way... Posted by LarryDFishel on August 22, 2007 this question is kinda misleading. if you are trapped in a room then all factors come into play. aggression being the largest. but the lowest LD50 of any snake is the inland taipan (fierce snake) Posted by zach on August 22, 2007 Dendroaspis polylepis for sure. Posted by FLVenom911 on August 22, 2007 Yes sir Man chairs, tables, I remeber baggin a pair of forest cobras in the Hamburg hot room (before it was shut downfor obvious reasons) like that, NO FUN at all. Why did they just want the female? LOL Jared Posted by jared on August 22, 2007 Darn is right! Don't care about the kid's toys, but a wooden chair I can break apart would be nice. I'd want something I could use to either capture that animal or take it out before it takes me out. ~~Greg~~ Posted by GREGLONGHURST on August 22, 2007 Darn. Too bad I didn't say that there was a lot of furniture and kids toys on the floor......and the lights were off. Too much, right? :-) CH Posted by Chris_Harper on August 22, 2007 King Cobra hi there & for that Q. i will say that king Cobra is biggest of all & more aggressive & not biggest than 8 foot the attacking distance of a cobra is good as it can jump or attack for very long distance & in a 15 x 15 feet with an 8 foot ceiling room size will matter I i would love to be in that room to experince that aggressiveness... Posted by Ashish on August 22, 2007 James Bond Hell I'm James Bond... I'll figure a way out of it. I picked the black mamba though, because everyone of those I've come in contact with have been incredibly aggressive. Lovely snake none the less. Posted by herpman05 on August 22, 2007 stuck in a room I think simply the size, aggressiveness, speed, and agility of a mamba would make it more dangerous in this situation than the rest of the snakes. the russells would obviously have the quickest strike, but being that it's not as long and significantly more "chunky," I think it would be more easily avoided, so for me it'd be the least worrisome of the snakes listed. -Jordan Posted by KUJordan on August 20, 2007 Having been in close quarters baggin all the above I would say, Both the cobras, the king and the forest are gonna BOTH come at you in close quarters, I have never had problems with big polyepsis until u force them , much like the tercipelo, ignore them (lol if you can concentrate that hard) no eye contact, and they are happy sittin by themselves> For that point the taipan and russells seem to react the same way (less confrontational and would prefer to crawl away). Now the matabuey, if you are producing excessive heat, your dead, they will actively strike FLASHLIGHT light if shined into there inclosure, VERY thermal sensitive and the slightest heat would cause a bite and hold (its what bushmasters do) bite. Thus death precipitates. So long ramblin short the cobras seem much more territorial, and more likely in a closed in space not to drop the matter even if your not paying attention to either. So the king or forest (both actively pursue you if you run lol) even without acknowledging them, would come find you. Jared Posted by jared on August 20, 2007 B0nd Been close to several, one 'the king.' I say, from reviewing 'attack' cases, 'the mamba', remember medically, how quickily the venom takes imobilizes !!!-then klls-! Posted by scrapeup on August 19, 2007 Aren't you glad... ...Aren't you glad that I didn't say, "and the lights are off". LOL CH Posted by Chris_Harper on August 19, 2007 Black Mamba all the way, HANDS DOWN! I have kept, worked with or been in close quarters with all of the listed snakes & I picked the black Mamba to be the worse. I was however debating just a little between the Mamba and the Forest Cobra. I have always called the forest cobra "The black mamba of cobras". They are both very easily aggitated & both very dangerous. I think the forest cobra is smarter (just my opinion), but the mamba is quicker and harder to deal with on the ground (especially with no tools). I have worked with MANY different species of cobra including the forest cobra & to me Cobra in general are FAR easier to work with than most other venomous snakes (again just my humble opinion, from my personal experience). The mamba when it is geared and P.O'd is more than a handfull and faster than the cobra. It would be very hard to catch a P.O'd wild caught adult mamba bare handed, I think you would get bit 15 or 20 times on your FIRST NONsuccessful attempt to catch the mamba using only your hands. I have personally caught PLENTY of cobra (wild caughts included) bare handed, but the mamba, I would NEVER even wanna try. This yet again is all just my humble opinion from my personal experience. Truth be known, as much as I LOVE snakes, I wouldn't wanna be put in this situation. This was a great subject, good work! God bless! Bobby Posted by BwViper on August 19, 2007 mamba Having had all of these snakes at one time or another and even having been bitten by one of them I can say from experience there is none as dangerous as a wild caught, adult, irritated black mamba. Being in a small room with one of these is an experience that will make you know that you're alive. Captive raised mambas are not the same, but then the same goes for all the others. Posted by seiken2 on August 19, 2007 I had to say forest cobra... They are the most easily aggrivated, in my opinion... Oh, and on the subject of james bond... They have signed daniel craig on to do 2 more bond movies... Just thought you bond fans out there might want to hear it... Posted by vanerka on August 19, 2007 i hate to say it, but to live, you would have to kill the snake. assuming you have nothing with you, i think the Mamba would be the hardest to kill barehanded. i had to put my vote on that. Posted by ChuckHurd on August 19, 2007 Sleep? You gotta sleep sometime, right? Posted by Chris_Harper on August 19, 2007 I had to vote for the Forest Cobra, they are almost has smart has a King with the temper of black Mamba.... It was close vote between the black Mamba and Forest Cobra. Posted by LadyViperTX on August 18, 2007 I chose the Russel's for the only reason that I think really matters in this scenario...it would have the least amount of meat for me to eat if I were stuck there for a long time... :) Frankly, in a 15x15 room with one snake, I don't see much potential for conflict as long as I don't initiate it myself. Now if it were a 5x5 room things might be different. Or if the room were where the snake had been living I might be worried about a territory issue with the king or maybe the mamba. Posted by LarryDFishel on August 18, 2007 bushmaster If anyone has dealt with a large, pissed off Lachesis will know why they would warrant serious concern in a crazy scenario such as this. Black mambas are right there with them but any of these animals, particularly the elapids, warrant some serious concerns. Reminds me of a time when I did have to deal with removing a large black mamba on the loose of a very small room (10' x 10') from a confiscation case...I don't want to repeat that ever again. Posted by Rob_Carmichael on August 18, 2007 I chose the taipan only because it is an elapid I have not worked with. I'm thinking that if I am not stripped naked in that room, I can use my belt & perhaps other articles of clothing as defensive weapons. Any of the choices are capable of delivering a lethal bite, especially since the captor would not call in a rescue unit. Best scenario would be to capture the snake alive & shove the business end of it in the face of the first person to open the door. ~~Greg~~ Posted by GREGLONGHURST on August 18, 2007 Not even close ! Black Mamba Posted by BigBend66 on August 18, 2007 Fun question! Though there's many things I'd dread worse than this, cause the room is still large enough for me to avoid any snake that would voluntarily avoid me. But the Black Mamba? It might go on the offensive, as that's generally the best defense....now that WOULD be scary! Thanks for this cool website. Wish my granma coulda seen it before she died, cause she LOVED to be scared of snakes!! LOL Posted by Voided37 on August 18, 2007 The Scenario Not a very palatable scenario no matter how you look at it is it? webmaster Posted by Chris_Harper on August 18, 2007 To post a comment, you must be logged in. 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