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!
if there was only two of every snake left in the world what would you do?   Posted: Mar 26, 2010   (55 votes, 7 comments) by vipers   keep them   breed them   protect them   kill them   ignore it     (55 votes, 7 comments)
Survey Results
keep them 2% (1) breed them 80% (44) protect them 13% (7) kill them 4% (2) ignore it 2% (1)
Survey Comments
The end result would no doubt be extinction... But the real question would of course be how would you know if there was only 2 actually left. All it would take would be 1 gravid female left in the wild to change everything. Posted by stockbridgeherper on August 22, 2010 what kind of Q is this? I completly agree with psilocybe but this question is rediculous... I also agree with kottenmouth and puffadder7. This is an odd question. Posted by vanerka on April 2, 2010 Well 1st, you'd have to find them.Unless they were already in captivity? Then, if the 2 survivors of each species were a male and a female, I'm sure there are a lot of folks on this site who would like to pitch in and help with a massive breeding program of that scale. Your talking about a LOT of snakes, even if it's just 2 of each species. Posted by agkistrodude on March 30, 2010 this question was posted by someone under 12............ Posted by puffadder7 on March 29, 2010 What a retardedly rhetorical question. ??? Posted by Kottonmouth on March 29, 2010 I agree with Psilocybe. ssp Posted by Agkistrodoncomplex on March 28, 2010 I chose "breed them", however, this odd question does not really have a "right" answer. For one...if there were only 2 of every species left, the chances of being able to save each of them by breeding a single pair from each would probably fail miserably, due to a lack of genetic diversity. A founding population of 2 animals will likely not succeed long term. Protecting them...well...that's kinda vague. Legal protection, or physical protection (which would pretty much mean captivity)? Even if they were left in the wild, 2 snakes would probably be killed by predators or some other cause and cause the extinction of the species. I probably wouldn't opt to kill them, though the end result for any of these choices would likely be the same: extinction. Posted by psilocybe on March 28, 2010 To post a comment, you must be logged in. If you are not a member, become one now!