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WALL2WALLREPTILE
at Fri Dec 25 23:23:11 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by WALL2WALLREPTILE ]
Archie and Randal....
THIS IS BY FAR THE VERY BEST KINGSNAKE THREAD I HAVE READ IN YEARS!!! I laughed my a$$ off.
Ovophis are a more primitive species. I have kept them in years since past. I believe they did not evolve to do the more modern strike and release method which less primitive venomous snakes practice.
In the wild they often prey of amphibians and small rodents....perhaps this might be a reason they do not release. Perhaps the warm blooded prey items they do encounter do not pose any real threat.
Many nonvenomous constrictors seem to put up with a lot of (short lived) fighting and biting from their mammalian prey items...however, they have considerably different scull structure...for example Pythons, Boas and Colubrids have more solid bone structure...this could also apply to most elapids (proteroglyphic snakes)....which also often continue to hold their prey...although most elapidae do not constrict their prey.
Solenoglyphic snakes, on the other hand have fairly delicate scull structure.
Their sculls are not designed for the ability to dig/root around in the earth. You have also certainly noticed that, consequently, most viperidae are not serious "pushers" while they are contained behind a glass front cage. While snakes like taipans and gopher snakes and kingsnakes can exert a considerable force against a glass front cage etc...this is because of the scull structure.
This makes me want to examine the scull structure of Ovophis species. As ground dwelling snakes, which are commonly found inside of holes, under debris and in leaf litter...perhaps they possess more formidable scull structure.
What ever the case, the double whammy method seems to work wonders!
I would not want to find out about their venom on a personal basis. (you might end up with a doctor's note...
Rather you should test it on the Camel Scrot...or the Billy Goat....and watch them bloat.) 
Your friend,
Harlin Wall - WALL TO WALL REPTILES!
970-245-7611
970-255-9255
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RE: Ovophis tonkiensis - WALL2WALLREPTILE, Fri Dec 25 23:23:11 2009