That tongue's flicking an awful lot...would it be able to still do that? I've never even heard of doing that to a snake. That would explain why they're filming it instead of getting the almost toddler away from the extremely poisonous animal it's using as a toy.
Step 1 in snake charming is sewing the mouth shut. Snakes have a cleft upper lip so they can flick their tongue in and out without opening their mouths.
You can both de-fang and de-venom a King Cobra. Most captive cobras in North America have that procedure done, as they are also expert escape artists. (If you own a snake, assume it WILL get out at some point, and plan accordingly.)
Even with that procedure, I'd never want to own one. They've got a really nasty disposition, and can still take off a chunk of skin without fangs. I say this as someone investigating breeding reptiles as a business, who currently owns 4 of them.
no, actually, most captive cobras in North America are not venomoids. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venomoid
Snakes fangs will grow back - so having them de-fanged is useless.
The process of removing a snake's venom sacs is largely considered unethical. It's also VERY dangerous to the snake. Many snakes that undergo that procedure die in the process. The ones that DO survive often do not due well since their method of killing prey has been removed. Apparently, the venom aids in digestion and without that venom, those snakes cannot properly digest their meals.
It is, however, safe to say that there are a lot of "hot" snake keepers in North America (hot = venomous snake).
That's terrible-- I had no idea. I've been hearing about "de-venomed" snakes since childhood and never realized I actually knew nothing about it. Thank you for taking the time to correct that.
Thanks for this. I wasn't aware of this process. I don't keep snakes, but I am very fond of them and cherish our wild ones, and strongly object to ridiculous cruelty.
The snake in my icon is a mountain patchnose snake. :) http://www.wildlifenorthamerica.com/Reptile/Mountain-Patchnose-Snake/Salvadora/grahamiae.html They're very interesting little snakes.
I've actually heard that kings are really docile, under normal circumstances (particularly in the wild). They tend more towards curiosity than aggression. Most nasty encounters with them seem to occur when people spaz out over the 12 foot snake coming over to take a look.
I think what people are saying about the cobra's mouth being sewn shut is more likely. I base this on the fact that the snake isn't even trying to strike. It knows it can't. Even defanged and devenomed, a cobra will try to strike. Hell, I had a corn snake that would occasionally try to strike. It was cute.
Since I know nothing about snakes - how does such a snake get sustenance? Can it drink broth or something? Is the mouth-sewing also considered unethical, or is it just the devenoming?
From what I understand, it's a fairly common practice in India (and my guess is that's where the footage is from - a quick google search just confirmed that). The snake cannot eat. It MIGHT be able to drink water (if it's offered any). I believe, eventually, the stitches are removed and the snakes are released - still not a great thing to do to a snake.
If you think that's not a nice thing to do to snakes, you should research rattlesnake roundups. It's a cruelty worse than cock-fighting but still legal because no one cares about snakes.
Wouldn't it strike on autopilot even if its mouth were sewn shut?
Its body language is really interesting. It's upset enough to have its hood flared, but its first response is to pointedly look away. Is that a submissive or non-aggressive gesture in snakes?
I think it's trying to flee, because it knows with its mouth sewn shut it is helpless. Then it tries to wrap its tail around the baby, because, if it can't strike, its instinct is probably to squeeze to death if it can.
Poor thing. Not that I am in favor of throwing babies to cobras, but I'm not in favor of taking wild animals out of the wild and crippling them, either.
It's not a submissive gesture. When a snake feels threatened, all it wants to do is get away. If it can't get away, all it wants to do is defend itself. In this case, it IS doing its best to defend itself. Keep in mind that the snippet posted here is only PART of the video. Watch the whole thing: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/590679/baby_plays_with_a_cobra/
You can see clearly that the snake IS striking but with its mouth closed. Sometimes snakes WILL do closed-mouth strikes but with as bothered as that snake is, its mouth should be open.
Don't be fooled by the hissing - my snakes don't always open their mouths when hissing. I have NO doubt the snake's mouth is sewn shut.
Even with the feeding frequency of snakes, I wouldn't expect a snake that can't be fed at all to be worth having in your snake-charming kit. I would think they either open up the stitches regularly for feeding, or they've figured out a water+sugar mixture of some sort for the feed.
here's the wiki on snake charming: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_charming
Notice that they say the charmer typically sits out of striking range.
There is no water+sugar mixture that could provide proper sustenance for a snake. A healthy snake can go months without eating if necessary. I doubt many snake charmers that choose to sew their snakes' mouths shut really care about the well-being of their snakes.
It's more the health of the meal ticket I was (cynically) thinking about, but maybe the snakes are sufficiently common that they can just go ahead and get a new one every month?
There is no record of any snake being poisonous, in fact they are eaten in many cultures, some are however venomous.
For many species of snake (both venomous and non-venomous) striking to bite is a last line of defence. Many species will 'dry strike'(i.e. not strike to bite or envenomate, but make the striking motion with the mouth closed) to intimidate predators or enemies.
Failing that the snake owner may be sick and unscrupulous enough to sew the mouth shut ;o)
not associating snakes with danger actually sound slike a rather good deal if you're in one of these caste-defined roles of you're *going* to become a snake charmer, willy-nilly.
That snake is clearly very distressed and something must have been done to it to prevent it striking. Almost any snake, venomous or not, will strike if threatened and unable to take the much preferred option of getting away. Also, though they're very strong, it's very easy to break a snake if you're not careful-- those bones do not like to bend backwards. The baby could kill the snake easily by flopping over on it.
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(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-26 02:53 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2010-02-26 03:26 am (UTC)Even with that procedure, I'd never want to own one. They've got a really nasty disposition, and can still take off a chunk of skin without fangs. I say this as someone investigating breeding reptiles as a business, who currently owns 4 of them.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-26 03:28 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-26 03:42 am (UTC)Snakes fangs will grow back - so having them de-fanged is useless.
The process of removing a snake's venom sacs is largely considered unethical. It's also VERY dangerous to the snake. Many snakes that undergo that procedure die in the process. The ones that DO survive often do not due well since their method of killing prey has been removed. Apparently, the venom aids in digestion and without that venom, those snakes cannot properly digest their meals.
It is, however, safe to say that there are a lot of "hot" snake keepers in North America (hot = venomous snake).
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-26 04:30 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-26 05:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-26 11:12 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-26 05:34 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-26 08:32 pm (UTC)Who's the snake in your icon (and what kind is he/she)?
(no subject)
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Date: 2010-02-26 05:57 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-26 07:18 pm (UTC)Where in the world did you find this, and what was the context?
Date: 2010-02-26 04:56 am (UTC)Re: Where in the world did you find this, and what was the context?
Date: 2010-02-26 05:27 am (UTC)snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-26 05:36 am (UTC)Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-26 05:49 am (UTC)If you think that's not a nice thing to do to snakes, you should research rattlesnake roundups. It's a cruelty worse than cock-fighting but still legal because no one cares about snakes.
Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-26 06:09 am (UTC)Its body language is really interesting. It's upset enough to have its hood flared, but its first response is to pointedly look away. Is that a submissive or non-aggressive gesture in snakes?
Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-26 07:20 pm (UTC)Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-26 09:29 pm (UTC)Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-26 09:50 pm (UTC)Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-27 01:22 am (UTC)You can see clearly that the snake IS striking but with its mouth closed. Sometimes snakes WILL do closed-mouth strikes but with as bothered as that snake is, its mouth should be open.
Don't be fooled by the hissing - my snakes don't always open their mouths when hissing. I have NO doubt the snake's mouth is sewn shut.
Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-27 01:38 am (UTC)On the other hand, babies who play with venomous snakes don't tend to pass along their genes.
Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-27 01:41 am (UTC)It's very hard to judge what's going on here from outside that culture...despite my having a deep aversion to sewing snakes' mouths closed.
Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-26 11:51 pm (UTC)Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-27 01:24 am (UTC)Notice that they say the charmer typically sits out of striking range.
There is no water+sugar mixture that could provide proper sustenance for a snake. A healthy snake can go months without eating if necessary. I doubt many snake charmers that choose to sew their snakes' mouths shut really care about the well-being of their snakes.
Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-27 12:25 pm (UTC)Re: snake mouth sewn shut
Date: 2010-02-27 05:04 pm (UTC)I do wonder how common cobras are in the areas where snake charmers live.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-26 07:04 am (UTC)This is a Spectacled Cobra, not a King.
There is no record of any snake being poisonous, in fact they are eaten in many cultures, some are however venomous.
For many species of snake (both venomous and non-venomous) striking to bite is a last line of defence. Many species will 'dry strike'(i.e. not strike to bite or envenomate, but make the striking motion with the mouth closed) to intimidate predators or enemies.
Failing that the snake owner may be sick and unscrupulous enough to sew the mouth shut ;o)
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Date: 2010-02-27 03:08 am (UTC)Link
Date: 2010-02-27 01:03 pm (UTC)