It’s been my experience that bite and release snakes quickly learn to bite and eat in captivity. They don’t really use a strike or envenomate food items anymore. Sometimes you will see the fangs “walking” and being used when swallowing, sometimes you can see venom being squeezed out, usually not. I really do not believe venom plays any role in digestion of a food item, especially a pre-killed as there is obviously no circulation of the venom. I could see where some of the necrotic venoms would seem to be an aid in breaking down a food item, but I think the thing is dead and in the belly before it could really do much good. I doubt the long term captive produces a less toxic venom because it doesn’t “need” it, but there are things you might be able to deliberately do through captive diet that may have that effect.

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• captive venomous feeding questions - Carlton, Wed Feb 27 15:17:33 2008
• RE: captive venomous feeding questions - Upscale, Wed Feb 27 20:26:10 2008
• RE: captive venomous feeding questions - Ian Long, Thu Feb 28 11:19:42 2008
• RE: captive venomous feeding questions - Carlton, Thu Feb 28 12:24:30 2008
• RE: captive venomous feeding questions - richardduckworth, Thu Feb 28 16:28:33 2008
• RE: captive venomous feeding questions - djs27, Thu Feb 28 22:52:02 2008