Rufous Beaked Snake - African Colubrid?

[jjspirko]

Link to a SA Forum. Set search to "rufous" and have some fun. There is at least one account of a guy getting a reaction after letting one chew on his arm a bit.

Worth checking out the threads for some decent pix and additional info.

http://www.sareptiles.co.za/forum/se...p?mode=results

I spend a lot of time on that forum and I have never found nor could I find any real account of a bit by any Rhamphiophis at all. Perhaps you are thinking of this thread

http://www.sareptiles.co.za/forum/vi...75a9f9a941549c

That has a picture of a pretty stiff reaction to a Skaapsteker bite (Psammophis). I mean any animal can bite but clearly the history, track record and toxicology reports on Rhamphiophis show they are basically harmless. Here is the Toxicology Report on Rufous Beak Snakes

http://www.toxinology.com/fusebox.cf...play&id=SN2181

Again I think keepers of many of this classification of snake romanticize the whole "warm snake" or "moderately venomous" thing. Plenty of people keep Tarantulas that can cause much more of a reaction then a Rufous or say a Diadem Snake. My problem with this is only that it makes people who really want to keep these animals worry far to much about doing so. Informed is great but over thinking things can just be a real hindrance.

To anyone really concerned with keep something in this class I have two questions.

Have you ever seen a really severe clawing by a house cat?

Have you ever seen a really nasty bite by a medium sized dog?

Having seen the results of both I have to say most (not all) of these rear fanged snakes pose far less risk to child or adult then the typical House Cat or Family Fido.

[jjspirko]

Here is the only creditable bite I can find

http://www.kingsnake.com/toxinology/...9842ef7bf1457f

I know the poster of it "BushViper" from the SA Forums. Skip may be you do too and this is the post you were thinking of since he posts so often at the SA Forum?

Anyway once again we see with this classification of snake the only real reactions come from blokes that decide to allow the animal to "chew for a while" just to see what happens......

I would not let young children handle them but would not avoid keeping them in my home just because I have kids either. They do of course need to be in a locked room but again I feel if you have young children so should corns, balls, etc.

[Skiploder]

Here is the only creditable bite I can find

http://www.kingsnake.com/toxinology/...9842ef7bf1457f

I know the poster of it "BushViper" from the SA Forums. Skip may be you do too and this is the post you were thinking of since he posts so often at the SA Forum?

Anyway once again we see with this classification of snake the only real reactions come from blokes that decide to allow the animal to "chew for a while" just to see what happens......

I would not let young children handle them but would not avoid keeping them in my home just because I have kids either. They do of course need to be in a locked room but again I feel if you have young children so should corns, balls, etc.

It was - and my reference to it should have been clarified in the sense that his account involved purposely letting one chew on him for a bit - and the results weren't exactly earth-shattering or life threatening.

I have mexican hoggies and if you were to allow them to chew on your arm for a few minutes, you would get the same reaction.

The EBV over here in my neck of the woods had an adult rufous for awhile and I got to handle him - very docile, but very, very active and alert.

Ever seen what happens if you let a human chew on your arm for a few minutes?

[jjspirko]

Ever seen what happens if you let a human chew on your arm for a few minutes?

That is a point I have made many times as to why Hognoses are not venomous just because being chewed on will cause a reaction. Human saliva if injected is one of the nastiest substances you could ever put under skin and flesh. The bite of a human one the most infectious in the world with only monkeys and the carrion eating leopard being worse and not by much. However humans are not venomous - at least not in the conventional sense.

[MelissaFlipski]

Wow. I am glad I started this interesting conversation. All I can say is thanks for all the information. And, yes, I'll add it to my list of "need to hold at a show."

Gracias!

[bender29]

Like duh you mentioned my article in the OP, Anyway I stand by my statements and thanks for reading my blog.

I just read your article. It was very well written and I really enjoyed it.

[jjspirko]

I just read your article. It was very well written and I really enjoyed it.

Thanks for the kind words Bender

[mwd45]

The Rufous Beaked Snake should not be taken lightly with regards to the capabilities of their Venom. However, in regards to the nature and position of delivering the venom, they are almost the least of the Venomous Colubrids to worry about.

I admit that I will handle mine in almost every way I handle a common Corn Snake. With this, I will not expose my technique except to say that I wear thick cotton gloves, and a thick cotton long sleeve sweater... and maintain control of his head.

Also, after quite some time, I can perform the same with no protective clothing.

My only reasoning for doing this is the fact of a long history with this one snake, and the given abilities (Bi-focal sight and more) that he knows what's what.

[MelissaFlipski]

The Rufous Beaked Snake should not be taken lightly with regards to the capabilities of their Venom. However, in regards to the nature and position of delivering the venom, they are almost the least of the Venomous Colubrids to worry about.

I admit that I will handle mine in almost every way I handle a common Corn Snake. With this, I will not expose my technique except to say that I wear thick cotton gloves, and a thick cotton long sleeve sweater... and maintain control of his head.

Also, after quite some time, I can perform the same with no protective clothing.

My only reasoning for doing this is the fact of a long history with this one snake, and the given abilities (Bi-focal sight and more) that he knows what's what.

That's interesting. How long have you had him? And was he a hatchling or older c/b or w/c when you got him? Tell us more! Also, any pics would be very welcome. Thanks!

[mwd45]

MelissaFlipski,

Thanks for the questions. I presume that he is about 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 years old (I got him after he lost his reddish spots) and I have had him for about a year and a half. He is 4 1/2 feet and I presume he was w/c.

I will post more about him after, I get a few good pics and maybe a video and good write up for you.

Thanks