Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am curious how this is done in a cost effective way.

I am familiar with freeze-drying teqniues, and how expensive it can be in equiptment, etc..

IS there a "homemade" way of drying the extracted venom, perhaps over a longer period of time?

thanks
agk

First what is the reason you are drying venoms?
Venoms are complex proteins.
some break down fast and some are very durable.
some rattler venoms retain most of their properties
even if air dried can still be potent after 20 years.
Some elapid venoms break down fast so freeze drying is the only way.
It all depends what you need it for .
and 9 out of 10 guys that post venom harvesting questions
don't understand even if you get a freeze drier and milk some snakes. There is no market for novice crude venoms.
plus there are regulations in place to keep it all up to the professionals!
I just do't see any reason for anyone to risk hurting the snake
or themselves unless they have a reason what is yours?
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Bud

if you don't feel like heping me out,
all you had to do was say so.. no hard feelings..

Just trying to help!
I need to know what you need to dry it for?
Thats all?
It makes a big difference how much technology you will need.
sorry to get you riled but this kinda stuff comes up often.
And it sucks to die from a bite when milking for nothing.
its not recomended unless you have good reason too!

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Bud

Bud man's questions are valid ones & really ought to be answered. He is trying to help you out, not only to get to where you want to be, but also to keep you from putting yourself & your animals at risk unnecessarily, if it turns out that way. There really is not a large market for most snake venoms, & the few pros who have invested years & wheelbarrowloads of money into the proper equipment can take care of most of the market right now. There are a few species of snake venoms that may be needed, but not many.

So, are you willing to step up & get into a real dialogue?

~~Greg~~

ok then..

actually, i would like to dry it because i heard it is "Easier to inject into sleeping elderly patients at hospitals to get the money from their will"

*bad joke i guess*

i just dont understand the waves of suspicion

i am completley aware there is no market for venom...

i keep 8 northern copperheads, which i have milked many times, but always threw away the venom, because there was no reason to keep it

not that there is anymore of a reason to keep it if its dried, but i am interested in wittnessing FIRST HAND dried venom, and what kind of yield a snake gives in dry weight

thats it, honestly

i am guessing you could bake it in the oven at a low temp for a couple days, but as i said.. no interest in actually putting it to good use..

just curiosities, is that bad?

(and yes.. i know the proper way to extract the venom, as i have done it many many times without hurting the snakes or myself)

thanks
AK

Forgive me for trying to give you a accurate answer.
You don't want to give some body the wrong answer.
If thats all you need the venom for just dry it in the air .
have fun but watch the fangs.
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Bud

If you "have no real reason [sic]" to milk a snake, then you are putting the snake under stress for no reason, as well as putting yourself at risk, FOR NO REASON. You may not care about being bit, but at least consider the stress that you are putting the animal through.

Abhishek Prasad