Reptile & Amphibian Forums

due to the lack of activity in the rear fang forum i decided to post this here

do all rear fanged snakes constrict there pray wile envenomating or is this a characteristic of only arboreal species

bc

I couldve sworn the boomslang didnt but im not sure, not to familiar with that species, but it would make sense as a way to hold the prey somewhat while it "chews" its venom in.

That would make sense, but when I've seen a boomslang eat (only on tv that is) the prey was small enough that it was able to hold the prey in its mouth. This would also make sense as they are fairly slender snakes and large prey which would require constriction may also slow them down in the trees.

Just a though.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

i have read that boomslang venom takes a day to take effect on a person yet is one of the most toxic venoms known do you think all rear fangs have a slow acting venom thus they need to hold on to there prey until it is immobilized?

Well there is no way venom would be useful if it took a day to work on prey. I've heard of some rear fanged colubrids which have no serious effect on people kill prey rather quickly. It is specialized to act on prey and therefore may take longer to act on us. Not only that, we are bigger. Finally, they keep injecting venom into prey until they perish whereas defensive bites are quicker and less venom gets injected.
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"I'll be back at 6 if not 7. 8 the very latest but definatly no later than 9...ish...Moscow time."

Well I've seen some ringnecks use constriction. They aren't arboreal at all... And they don't even need constriction considering how fast the venom works.

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Mike
KingPin Reptiles Inc.
www.freewebs.com/mikesnake
Updated 7/10
www.captivebredforum.com

There are many arboreal rear-fang snakes that usually don't constrict, for instance Imantodes, Leptodeira (semi-arboreal), Oxybelis, Ahaetulla, and Siphlophis are frog and lizard feeders that don't "usually" employ constriction when subduing most prey. Terrestrial rear fangs like Clelia and Boiruna are but two examples of terrestrials that use both envenomation and constriction.