Najakcharmer
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Joined: 5/3/2004
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ORIGINAL: koimizu ........ A snake would be a warm, slightly sensuous addition to play since they gravitate towards heat and well...we all know where the hot spots on some subs are don't we? :D
Thermoregulatory behavior will not normally be observed in a reptile that is stressed or responding to more immediate stimulus, eg, being handled.
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Although it might be noted that some species of serpents bite without fangs. Boas are one but the bites can be nasty. Definitely a no go on komodo and monitor lizards. Bloody septic tanks with scales.
All snakes have teeth. Roughly in cladistic order, they can be aglyphic (double rows of teeth with no fangs), opistoglyphic (rear fanged like a boomslang), proteroglyphic (fixed front fangs pf the elapids like cobras, mambas, kraits and coral snakes) or solenoglyphic (advanced folding fang structure of the vipers). Boas are aglyphic, but because they tend to be somewhat arboreal, their teeth are adapted to the strike-hold strategy, which means they are long enough to catch food and hold it. Some of the true arboreals in the boa family (eg, Corallus) have hundreds of teeth that are all quite substantially longer than a cobra's front fangs - even when the cobra is a much bigger snake.
Varanid lizards are actually venomous, though not in a way that is particularly threatening to humans. The nasty local effects of their saliva is not in fact entirely due to commensal bacteria, as was originally thought. It is a true venom. A really ridiculous number of reptiles are technically venomous, including garter snakes, hognosed snakes and Asian rat snakes, all of which are harmless to humans and may safely be kept as pets. The evolution of venom occurred on a very large scale indeed in the order Reptilia.
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ORIGINAL: thisis his
Snakes are great pets but you may wish to reconcider including one as a play partner.
Good advice there. It's possible on a limited scale, especially as a mindfuck that doesn't involve a lot of actual handling. But if you don't know what you're doing, hilarity could ensue. It probably won't be nice for the animal either, and snakes can't consent.
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Unless a snake is in shed or poor health, the introduction of heat, appropriate scent and movement is likely to give the snake the idea that dinner time has arrived.
That would be a good example of the hilarity that could ensue. Feeding behavior is a hardwired trigger in reptiles, and the cues can be subtle. Even a "tame" reptile may direct feeding behavior inappropriately (eg, towards your tender bits) if the correct sensory cues are present in their environment.
If you get the idea of feeding the snake beforehand so it won't be hungry, keep in mind that a) it doesn't work and the feeding response will simply continue to be cued, and b) the results could then involve snake puke or snake shit. Neither are hygenic nor pleasant smelling in your play space.
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As for fangs, if i had to choose, i think i'd rather be bitten by a snake with fangs than any of the type which we keep... maybe. All of our snakes have many teeth. The teeth are angled back toward their throats.
Er....you might want to re-think that. Envenomation is a very serious medical event.
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When they bite, they strike hard and fast and they hold tight and refuse to open their mouths. Their jaws are very strong. If bitten by these type, the best plan of action is to either wait it out until they let go, or pry open the jaw, and then unhook the teeth from the flesh. The strike of our largest has great force and can knock a large man on his ass.
Depends on the species. Not all employ the strike-hold strategy, especially in a defensive bite. Strike-hold bites are mistaken feeding bites, and they will be seen more often in arboreals and in species that have evolved this specific prey getting strategy because other strategies tend to lose the food in the environment they're in. Defensive bites in snakes where the animal is treating the biten object like a predator that it has reason to fear tend to be characterized by a quick strike and release to get its vulnerable, fragile body out of range of retaliation. A strike-holding snake is one that is confident of getting food. Obviously in some cases it is mistaken.
Good pry tools are soft rubber spatulas, credit cards and even a few sheets of folded paper. Push this carefully into the snake's mouth on both the upper and lower jaws to replace its grip on your flesh, and the damage to both the snake's VERY fragile mouth and your hand will be mininized. Stomatitis and trauma injury including broken bones and torn jaw ligaments is a very common consequence to a snake that bites a large object (eg, you) that is suddenly jerked away.
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i certainly share your opinion of komodo and monitor lizards. We don't keep that type, those examples are part of the reason.
Nobody is keeping komodoensis because the permits are a bit hairy to say the least. LOL I don't argue with anyone who is wise enough to choose not to keep a species because they cannot provide adequate housing, handling and care, but the "septic mouth" thing is a bit of an unfortunate exaggeration. Of course the truth of what causes the nasty symptoms in varanid bite may make them even less attractive as pets.
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RE: bug/torture insects - 
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