Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here is a small terrestrial snake from Egypt, a cat snake, Telescopus dhara. This particular specimen eats lizards but usually will take scented rodents and convert easily.

Dan

Cool snake! Is it rear fanged?
Nick

Yes, they are rear-fanged.

Dan

Cool snake! it kind of reminds me of a red lyre snake. They seem to be built similarly. Is it a rock dweller as well?

-Alice

This particular dhara is from Egypt, so yea, rock and scrub and desert type arid lands similiar to where a lyre snake is from.

Dan

Someone copied and pasted an article here http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1172512,1172512 that mentions the Egyptian cat snake.

It says, "Previously sold as pets, the olive sand snake has huge venom glands and big teeth, for example, and although the Egyptian cat snake only has small rear fangs, it is as toxic as a cobra - and there's no antivenom."
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2.0 Pantherophis obsoletus obsoletus
0.2 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus

Yep, I read that and am aware they have large venom glands and are noted to have rear fangs. Their venom may have some of the same qualities as cobras, however it is not as concentrated, therefore it is not a deadly venomous snake. There is much recent work done by Brian Fry on many colubrids and they all maintain many of the same toxins of venomous snakes, however their delivery systems and such small quantities and concentrations does not make them dangerous to man. I cannot remember the link to the article, but if you do a search on it, you can find it and it is quite interesting to note that many of our own colubrids in the states have these toxins in very small quantities to not harm man.

Dan