MsTT,

Your information regarding this both fascinates and greatly disturbs me. We have known for quite some time that "venomoid" snakes occasionally aren't quite as 'cold' as they were when bought, but I personally never knew how similarly-looking the tissues are in that area. As a lay-person to venomous snake head anatomy, I, like the venomoiders, was picturing an actual venom sac easily distinguishable from the surrounding tissues. Of course that's not true. That does bring up an incredibly serious issue, like you eluded to in your first post, as to how many snakes are floating around out there from hand to hand (literally) that are still quite hot. I guess time and news articles will tell...unfortunately. I hate to think that stopping the venomoid practice will only come at one or a few persons' lives, but it seems like that may be the only way they will put down their razor blades. I really don't have much of a problem with having a vet perform the surgery if he/she is very herp knowledgable and knows exactly what he/she is pulling out of the snake. However, as you've shown, that's few and far between at best. Thanks again for the valuable information you are providing to members of this board and elsewhere. If I have any fresh deaths, I'll be sure to contact you and send them your way. If you were needing frozen, I'd have a number already.
-Chance

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