-------------------- Me: "He's 19? Uh oh, I bought him a beer." A: "You contributed to the deliquency of a minor in drag!" "Sweet spell check: keeping drunks off the radar since 1995."- IND GodRe-AnimateGreenPorkBush Posts: 3986 | From: Illinois, jealous? | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Thank you. I believe it is an old-wives tale, heard it for years and was wondering if it was true.
Posts: 2 | From: Dunnellon, FL | Registered: Sep 2006
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quote:Originally posted by mjp1368: Does anyone know if it is true that if you have a non-poisonous snake on your property that poisonous snakes will stay away?
The yard of the house I grew up in was backed by some woods and a lake; I've seen both non-poisonous snakes—garter snakes, something we called a "water snake" (probably a variety of Nerodia), and a type of kingsnake—and poisonous snakes (a type of rattlesnake).
Nick
-------------------- Don't forget to register for the New ULMB.
posted
I have just a minor nitpick: Edibles are poisonous, rattlesnakes (and other biting beasties) are venomous - sorry, it's a munchkin of mine, and the thread title keeps catching my eye.
BTW, Welcome to the Boards, mjp, enjoy your stay .
(Edited so it wouldn't look like I was aiming the nitpick at a particular person)
posted
mjp, forgive me for not doing this earlier: Welcome to the board! All this snake talk made me forget my manners
-------------------- Me: "He's 19? Uh oh, I bought him a beer." A: "You contributed to the deliquency of a minor in drag!" "Sweet spell check: keeping drunks off the radar since 1995."- IND GodRe-AnimateGreenPorkBush Posts: 3986 | From: Illinois, jealous? | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
It's a wive's tale, unless the nonvenomous snakes in question are kingsnakes. They are immune to pit viper venom. But I don't see how you can convince a gaggle of kingsnakes to stay in your yard...
-------------------- Genetic Mishap...when Darwin's Theory meets Murphy's Law. Posts: 47 | From: Lamar, MO | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Originally posted by NeeCD: I have just a minor nitpick: Edibles are poisonous, rattlesnakes (and other biting beasties) are venomous - sorry, it's a munchkin of mine, and the thread title keeps catching my eye.
BTW, Welcome to the Boards, mjp, enjoy your stay .
(Edited so it wouldn't look like I was aiming the nitpick at a particular person)
Nitpick of the nitpick!
Poisonous things are not edible! I know what you meant, though.
General FYI - not for anyone in particular: Venom is a poison, but it's a poison that is delivered via bite or sting. A poisonous animal (or fungus or plant, for that matter) differs from a venomous one in that it's toxins are secreted throughout the tissues, it lacks a specialized method of delivery.
-------------------- "Are we talking misdemeanor trouble or squeal like a pig trouble?" Posts: 618 | From: Ann Arbor, Michigan | Registered: May 2006
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posted
This is actually often true, in my experience, for a couple reasons:
1. If one (nonvenomous) snake has already establish a certain territory, another (venomous) snakes may be reluctant to move into that territory. Snakes don't like to mess with each other if they can help it; it's dangerous and wasteful. (As Genetic Mishap notes, this point applies especially to snakes like king snakes, which actually prey upon venomous rattlesnakes.)
2. More subtly, nonvenomous snakes often eat the same prey that venomous snakes do. If a nonvenomous snake is already eating all the rodents in a given area, a venomous snake has no reason to take up residence there.
Posts: 1640 | From: New Haven, CT | Registered: Dec 2002
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quote:Originally posted by NeeCD: I have just a minor nitpick: Edibles are poisonous, rattlesnakes (and other biting beasties) are venomous - sorry, it's a munchkin of mine, and the thread title keeps catching my eye.
BTW, Welcome to the Boards, mjp, enjoy your stay .
(Edited so it wouldn't look like I was aiming the nitpick at a particular person)
Nitpick of the nitpick!
Poisonous things are not edible! I know what you meant, though.
General FYI - not for anyone in particular: Venom is a poison, but it's a poison that is delivered via bite or sting. A poisonous animal (or fungus or plant, for that matter) differs from a venomous one in that it's toxins are secreted throughout the tissues, it lacks a specialized method of delivery.
I was having a bit of trouble with the wording of that one - you should have seen it before!
posted
Depending on the type of non-venomous snake, it may well be true. For instance, indigo snakes here keep down venomous snakes for the same reason spiders keep down flies. They also keep down other non-venomous snakes.
-------------------- "Accompanied by the ghosts of dolphins, the ghost of a ship sailed on..." Terry Pratchett Posts: 660 | From: Gainesville, FL | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Wait... question... If you eat an entire venomous snake, including the poison sacs, won't that poison you? And if so, doesn't that mean the snake is poisonous?
-------------------- I believe I'm growing skeptical of cynicism. MyspaceNWNBoard Posts: 917 | From: Nashville TN | Registered: Oct 2005
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I'm not an expert, just a hobbyist, but I believe it depends on the venom in question. I seem to recall that some venoms can be ingested with no ill effect, but wouldn't it kick in when it's being processed in the liver or the kidneys? And if you have a gastric ulcer then it's the same as being bitten...I think.
You know, that probably wasn't helpful at all! If anyone is an expert, and does know I too would like some info.
-------------------- "Are we talking misdemeanor trouble or squeal like a pig trouble?" Posts: 618 | From: Ann Arbor, Michigan | Registered: May 2006
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posted
I think we're missing a much more important point here. If you have non-venomous snakes on your plane, does that keep you safe from venomous snakes? And if so, why haven't the various aviation authorities mandated the carriage of non-venomous snakes, for public safety?
Posts: 340 | From: Redmond, WA | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Penny: I think we're missing a much more important point here. If you have non-venomous snakes on your plane, does that keep you safe from venomous snakes? And if so, why haven't the various aviation authorities mandated the carriage of non-venomous snakes, for public safety?
I've had it with these mother-NFBSKing SOAP jokes on this mother-NFBSKing board!
-------------------- I believe I'm growing skeptical of cynicism. MyspaceNWNBoard Posts: 917 | From: Nashville TN | Registered: Oct 2005
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