Gaboon venom immuntiy

[Faolan]

I've been learning about immunity to cobra venom, Gilla monster venom, and of course rattlesnake venom. What I'm wondering about is building an immunity to Gaboon viper venom and hots with similar venom compounds. I know there venom has a different compound to rattlesnake and Gilla, and i know it has a different tactic for incapacitating prey. So what I'm wondering if it's possible to build an immunity to Gaboon viper venom, and how would you go about doing it?

[Shewter325]

It depends on your bodies ability to fight the venom. I know of a man who has injected increasingly larger amounts of black mamba venom into his blood stream everyday for the last couple years. Now he can get bit from a black mamba without his heart rate even rising. His body has a natural ability to fight off the venom though. I wouldn't recommend this practice to anyone who isn't willing to risk dying. I don't know exactly what kind of venom the gaboon viper produces but I'm sure the same thing could be accomplished.

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[Tannerrrtx]

I wouldn't advise anyone to inject themselves with venom without a very close hospital and medics present with antivenom. It just doesn't seem smart to me.

[katiekat]

I would suggest not trying it all, even the smallest amount is very dangerous. Their venom is hemotoxic and contains a blood coagulant that causes you to bleed from all orifices, their venom also causes serious tissue damage as well. Lets say you did figure out a way to build up immunity overtime, even if you did some gabby's will hit and produce tons of venom, more than a human body could handle regardless of a gradual built up immunity. They hit hard and fast regardless of how lazy or sluggish they seem to be, I've seen one tag a white small rabbit and have venom literally drip off of it.

In my opinion its not worth the risk. You would have to build up a tolerance that would take YEARS I would imagine, if it was even possible, I have yet to hear of anyone building up an immunity to gaboon venom. With proper protocol and training you can learn to work a gaboon safely which is less risk than building an immunity in my opinion, there are just too many things that could go wrong.

Now, if you were to try and do this you would have to have someone milk a gaboon for you and go from there and determine what minute amount to begin the process with. Before that I would make sure you have a plan if something went wrong, where the closest antivenin is and how you would get to a hospital in time, on average it takes about 30 minutes to prepare antivenin for injection so their is absolutely NO room for error. Once again this is why I would not condone self injection.

[Tannerrrtx]

^what I was attempting to say lol

[jason_ladouceur]

I have a friend that has been researching si primarily because he wants to keep species that there is no antivenom produced for. He did mention to me that he had come across at least one individual that had built up a substantial immunity to B. Gabonica venom. I'm not sure the exact dose he had reached or if it would be enough to survive a full bite without treatment; but it has been done with some success. That being said I would like to repeat the sentiments stated above. Although si has and is being done successfully by some (that late Bill Hasst being an obvious example) I like many if not most in the reptile community feel that the risks by far out weigh the potential gains and would highly advise anyone against considering this activity.

[Crotalids]

Not to mention the size of Gaboons fangs, what's the point in self immunising against such a snake.

One bite, straight into a main vein or artery and you're done for within minutes. Regardless of whether you have self immunised.

Besides, SI is pointless unless its a hazard of your job, like it was with Bill. All these idiots who are doing it at home, aren't doing anything useful. But each to their own.

If it's you or someone you know whose interested, learn to handle Gaboons properly. They're a straight forward snake to handle, it's not hard to avoid a bite if you follow strict protocols and procedure.

[OsirisRa32]

I would suggest not trying it all, even the smallest amount is very dangerous. Their venom is hemotoxic and contains a blood coagulant that causes you to bleed from all orifices, their venom also causes serious tissue damage as well. Lets say you did figure out a way to build up immunity overtime, even if you did some gabby's will hit and produce tons of venom, more than a human body could handle regardless of a gradual built up immunity. They hit hard and fast regardless of how lazy or sluggish they seem to be, I've seen one tag a white small rabbit and have venom literally drip off of it.

In my opinion its not worth the risk. You would have to build up a tolerance that would take YEARS I would imagine, if it was even possible, I have yet to hear of anyone building up an immunity to gaboon venom. With proper protocol and training you can learn to work a gaboon safely which is less risk than building an immunity in my opinion, there are just too many things that could go wrong.

Now, if you were to try and do this you would have to have someone milk a gaboon for you and go from there and determine what minute amount to begin the process with. Before that I would make sure you have a plan if something went wrong, where the closest antivenin is and how you would get to a hospital in time, on average it takes about 30 minutes to prepare antivenin for injection so their is absolutely NO room for error. Once again this is why I would not condone self injection.

That would be an ANTI coagulant that causes bleeding....a blood COAGULANT would clot your blood up....the opposite of bleeding out....and all orifices is a bit extreme...even viruses infamous for their bleed out abilities don't ACTUALLY cause you to bleed from every orifice...usually its just the rectum, urethra, mouth and much less commonly the ears and eyes..

[rasslinrinyu]

Ive also never heard of anyone "not even having their heart raised" as someone suggested. Ive always heard that those that practice this, Mr. Haast included, would still have at least some pretty noticeable ill effects. Either way just doesnt seem like a good idea. Its not on my to-do list anyway lol.