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I've never been very interested in keeping colubrids, we are defintely a python family. I'm the first to admit, other than saying "Oh, that's such and such," I know nothing about them. But I was reading in one of my reptile books and was quite shocked to read about the Duvernoy's Gland. Do all colubrids have this gland? I live in the southern part of South Carolina and I'm worried that the harmless rat snakes and black racers in my yard may not be so harmless after all. Anyone that can dummify it for me would be appreciated.

Yes they have the glands to produce venom. HOWEVER it is evolved to the point that any secretions are medically insignificant. I just saw a talk by Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry on the evolution of Venom which broached this subject.

A few links, not sure how much you will get that is directly related to colubrids in the komodo paper, but the gist of the study and references to the toxicity of venom are about the same from what I remember of Dr. Fry's talk.

www.venomdoc.com/colubrid.html
www.venomdoc.com/downloads/2009_Fry_Komodo&Megalania

I will see if I can track down more information on his site, but here are starting points.
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Cindy Steinle
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It is rather interesting. It is surmised that instead of harmless species slowly becoming venemous, it may have been that many harmless species had venemous ancestors, or at least a much more active Duvernoy's gland secretion in their past.

No worries though with common hobby colubrids.
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Mark

Dr. Frye is actually the one that discovered the same venom properties is located in most colubrid snakes and some lizards salivory glands. The conclusion to my understanding is that since it was the same venom properties in the same gland without the advanced delivery system (fangs). They actually eliminated the "Duvernoy's gland". Now it's just the salivory gland. I was corrected by Dr. fry in one of his websites forums on this subject.

I'm not sure about those snakes...but wandering garters have it...there saliva has a calming effect on rodents....since they just grab their prey and eat. the worst I have seen it do to people is cause a little swelling and itching. not sure about the others tho, not sure they have them..