Slithering Secrets: 45 More Facts About the World of Serpents – Part 2

- Sponsored Links -

26Habushu

Habushu

Habushu is a liqueur made in Okinawa which involves submerging a living pit viper in a jar of alcohol and sealing it. Some variations involve putting the viper on ice to knock it out, gutting it and sewing it back up, and placing it in the alcohol only for it to wake up and get super aggressive before dying.


27. The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a maximum length of over 19 feet.


28. The Black Mamba can reach a speed of 12mph (20km/h), which is faster than most humans can run.


29. Pit vipers are named for the pits near their eyes which give them a sort of thermal vision.


30. The Texas rat snake, as well as two others types of vipers have been recorded to strike with accelerations up to 28 Gs (~275 m/s^2). Pilots lose consciousness at ~9 Gs.


Latest FactRepublic Video:
15 Most Controversial & Costly Blunders in History


31Snake handling in Christianity

Snake handling in Christianity

Members of some Christian sects in the Southern United States are regularly bitten by venomous snakes while participating in "snake handling" rituals. This ritual is inspired by a literal interpretation of the Bible verses Mark 16:17–18.


32. The Brown Tree Snake most likely traveled to remote Pacific Islands by hitching a free ride in the landing gear of an aircraft. As a result, the snake has decimated native bird populations on several islands like Guam.


33. Only 1/14,000th of an ounce of Australian brown snake venom can kill a human.


34. There have never been snakes in Ireland because being cold-blooded, the snake couldn't survive the frozen ground during the ice age in the past.


35. Snakes are banned in New Zealand and smugglers could face penalties of up to a maximum of five years in jail and fines of up to $100,000. The ban is so strict that snakes are not allowed even in zoos.


- Sponsored Links -

36Rubber Boas

Rubber Boas

Coastal rubber boas are native to Southwestern Canada and the northwestern US. They are considered the most docile of boa species and are often used to help people overcome their fear of snakes. There are no reports of rubber boas ever biting a human under any circumstance.


37. In 2010, a boa constrictor was shown to have reproduced asexually via parthenogenesis. This is only the third genetically confirmed case of consecutive virgin births of viable offspring from a single female within any vertebrate lineage.


38. Anacondas mate in a giant "breeding ball" with 1 female and up to 12 males, and they stay in that position for a month.


39. When stepped on or agitated, copperhead snakes often give a "warning bite" where they use little to no venom.


40. The Namaqua Dwarf Adder (Bitis schneideri) is thought to be the world's smallest venomous snake with a maximum reported length of 28 cm (11 inches).


- Sponsored Links -

41Fire Belching Snakes

Fire Belching Snakes

Snakes can belch fire if the decomposing animal they have eaten bursts while being digested and fills the snake's stomach with hydrogen and/or methane. All that's needed is a spark.


42. A snake's eyes become milky blue when it is about to shed (molt) its old skin.


43. The black mamba's skin coloration is actually between olive-brown and grey.


44. In 2017, Florida officials had to bring in 2 Irula tribesmen from India to catch the state’s invasive Burmese pythons. While previously 1000 hunters managed to catch just 106 snakes, the duo caught 27 snakes in just 4 weeks, including a 16 feet long female.


45. Snake oil was originally an effective Chinese medicine made from Chinese water snakes (rich in omega-3 which can be used to treat inflammation). When immigrants brought it to the US, Americans started making the oil out of rattlesnakes (low in omega-3) or no snakes at all.

1
2

Sign up to our Newsletter & get

FREE!! 1000 Facts E-BOOK

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

- Sponsored Links -

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here