Steven,

I've thought of this already, but on the documentary I watched years ago, they mentioned them being equipped with venom, and they showed them going off-arena to either suction out the venom and/or apply rubbing alcohol perhaps, or probably use/take traditional medicine since (SE) Asians have created so many amazing (natural) medicines. It's possible they're altered, though, and the fact just hidden to make the sport more "impressive and daring."

Timothy

>>Perhaps they are using altered snakes because cobra bites can kill you. Its not something you just shake off.

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T.J. Gould