Snake facts

[opuntia]

What would happen if a snake is bitten by another snake [both of the same species] ?Will the bitten one die ?

[MrMistery]

Why not? The venin does not comunicate with the blood vesels... The venin glands are strict exocrine.. So yes, i say it would...

[Dr.Stein]

I think snake has antivenom or a neutralizing agent for their own venom. If not, if they bite itself, maybe they do that for fun or something, it will seem like commit suicide. Also, when they eat their prey after being killed, the venom will include in prey's body, means that they will consume their own venom, don't they?

[victor]

Maybe some of them can do that...but, when seeing about the venom which majority grouped into neurotoxins, haemolysis and haemocoagulant toxins, I think it has to meet directly with snake's blood to make the toxins work...

[Dr.Stein]

When a snake bites another snake of course the biten one will bleed, right? And the venom will release from the gland along its teeth to its prey. There will be a contact between blood and venom, right?

[opuntia]

Yeah...and the bitten one will be affected by the venom and might even die...isn't it?

[Dr.Stein]

Yes, but if they are the same species, I think the bitten one will survive.

[opuntia]

But WHY? Even they are same species , venom is venom so how come it survives?

[Dr.Stein]

It is possible for body to make antivenom, isn't it? Or maybe something to neutralize their own venom.

I remember there is a species of snake that always play a dance before mating. I forgot which species, that's a harmful one. Sometimes in the middle of the dance, anothe male snake comes to interfere the ceremony. So the dance must be stopped, and two males with compete, and the winner will continue the dance. They bite each other but the one is not dead, just go away from the area.

[MrMistery]

You have a point there, Dr.Stein...
I donno, i need to check this...

[James]

Antivenom is simliar to vaccination- it builds up the correct antibodies to the venom. I suppose each snake already has these antibodies, and thus wouldn't be affected by a bite from a snake with venom the same as it's own.

[opuntia]

They bite each other but the one is not dead, just go away from the area.

Are you sure that they actually bite?...i was thinking ...can't it be what we think we see but not reality?...i mean to us it seems as if they are biting each other but actually not biting?