Is a horned viper poisonous?
The horned viper venom is not very toxic and a bite while not usually fatal, can still have some serious consequences. The horned viper has hinged hollow fangs that unfold into the biting position when the snake opens its mouth, allowing the snake to deliver the venom very effectively.
Where does horned viper live?
Sahara horned vipers are among the most abundant and easily distinguishable of the venomous snakes of the North African and Middle Eastern deserts. Cerastes cerastes is generally distributed all across North Africa, including southwestern Arabia and southwestern Israel.
What does a horned viper snake look like?
Upper parts of horned viper are usually sandy, yellowish, pale brown or grayish, covered with light brown crossbars or blotches. Horned vipers have triangular head, stocky body and short tail. Scales on the dorsal side of the body are keeled. Males have bigger heads and larger eyes than females.
What is the horned viper known for?
They have a very distinctive locomotive nature and move their body sideways, known as sidewinding. In danger, it curls up its body and produces a rasping sound. These snakes are known to be Horned vipers because of the scales present above the nose and eyes. The horns above the eyes help to protect the eyes from sand.
What type of venom does a horned viper have?
. cerastes venom
The clinical picture is explicable by the presence in C. cerastes venom of several thrombin-like, Factor-X-activating, platelet-aggregating, haemorrhagic and nephrotoxic components. In one case, prophylactic use of subcutaneous epinephrine may have contributed to intracranial haemorrhage.
Does the horned viper lay eggs?
Mating Habits In captivity Saharan horned vipers mate in April. These snakes are oviparous, laying 8-23 eggs that hatch after 50 to 80 days of incubation. Females usually lay their eggs under rocks and in abandoned rodent burrows.
What do horned desert snakes eat?
The Desert Horned Viper – like all snakes, a meat eater – preys primarily on lizards but also on mammals and birds that inhabit its arid environment. It often lies in ambush, just beneath the sand with only its horns and eyes exposed, poised to explode from its cover and strike its victim with stunning swiftness.
How much does a horned viper weigh?
Adults averages between 40 to 70 cm (16 to 28 in) in total length (body + tail), with a maximum total length of 108 cm (43 in) being reported. Females are usually larger than males. These snakes can attain a considerable weight relative to their size, with specimens sometimes exceeding 500 g (1.1 lb).
How does the horned viper survive?
The Desert Horned Viper lives in the desert. They usually bury themselves in the sand in order to keep cool in the desert heat. They overwinter in the borrowed burrows of rodents or burrowing lizards.
Where are vipers native to?
Vipers are a large family of snakes; the scientific name is Viperidae. They are found all over the world, with the exceptions of Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar, north of the Arctic Circle and island clusters such as Hawaii.
Where can I find a copperhead snake in Texas?
Copperhead snake Copperheads. In the spring they can be found along streams and rivers, as well as in weed-covered vacant lots. There are three subspecies of Copperheads in Texas; Southern copperhead (A.c. contortrix), 20-30 inches long and found in the eastern one-third of the state; Broadbanded copperhead (A.c.
What kind of snake is most common in Texas?
Western diamondback (Crotalus atrox), Brown, diamond-shaped markings along the middle of the back and alternating black and white rings on the tail. Averages 3 1/2 to 4-1/2 feet in length, and can reach seven feet. This is the most common and widespread venomous snake in Texas, found in all but the easternmost part of the state.
Where does the desert horned viper live in Africa?
Range and Habitat. The snake’s range essentially spans the Sahara Desert, from Morocco and Mauritania on the western side of the African continent to Egypt and Sudan on the eastern side.
When was the first treatment for the desert horned viper?
Interesting Facts. The earliest known account of a treatment for the bite of the Desert Horned Viper, said the Oxford Journal of Medicine, dated from about 2200 years ago, when Egyptian physicians wrote that they believed that victims could usually be saved. This snake has a variety of other popular names,…