What a great post, I really appreciate the breakdown on the evolution of venomous snakes! I just got done reading your post on the rear fanged forum about preaching to the "Flat Earth Society" about Hognoses and venom. In order to keep you from having to come back to this forum and wear out your fingers typing the same things over and over again, I figured we would spell things out and lay down the law right here.



Hognoses are venomous.

Hognoses have true venom glands that produce venom, not just "toxic saliva".

Hognoses have enlarged teeth for facilitating venom injection, but usually requires mastication.

Hognose's enlarged teeth do not deflate the lungs of toads, as their enlarged teeth were primarily developed for venom injection.

Hognose's enlarged teeth play a secondary role in restraining struggling, and slippery live prey.

Hognoses are not dangerous.

Hognose bites have not been responsible for any published cases of hospitalizations for the treatment of bites, much less any deaths, amputations, or other debilitation's associated with the bite.

Hognose bites are almost entirely the result of feeding responses by careless behavior of the handler.

Hognoses are the cutest damn snakes ever.



Hopefully this list can be copied and pasted into future discussions. If you have anything to add, let me know.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."

Aldo Leopold (1938)



"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."

Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

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