WW is correct. Red-bellied bites are not likely to be lethal but this doesn't mean things will be pleasent. Cogger of course errs on the side of caution as lableing them as dangerous (they are still a large venomous snake) and some of the other Pseudechis that can look similar if you don't know snakes, are indeed well documented as producing lethal envenomations.

In Oz they are an excellent starter elapid since they are very mellow, easy to care for and not likely to kill you. A much better choice than monocleds (which can be utter nutcases sometimes and are of couse lethal).

All the best
Bryan
-----
Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Australian Venom Research Unit,
University of Melbourne
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Population and Evolutionary Genetics Unit,
Museum Victoria
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.venomdoc.com

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• False Water Cobras - Wes, Sat Jul 17 18:25:01 2004
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