I caught a snake

I caught this snake on the side of the road. It may have been run over by a car if it wasn't rescued. This Australian snake is called a Keelback Snake (Tropidonophis mairii). This belongs to the family Colubridae (which are back fanged snakes) and the sub-family Natricinae. These snakes are amazing evidence of evolution as they have begun to develop an immunity to bufotoxin which is the toxin which the introduced Cane Toad (Bufo marinus) exudes when attacked by a predator in addition to the skin and even the tadpoles having a toxic level sufficient to kill almost anything that preys on it. As a result, the Cane Toad has devastated much of the indigenous fauna population as it's reproduction goes unchecked. Now, this little snake is making a fight back with the ability to not only consume the tadpoles of the cane toad but the young toadlets and even juvenile toads. I will be letting this little beauty go tomorrow at the pond behind our house.

Queensland Museum fact sheet - Keelback Snake
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/inquiry/factsheets/keelback_snake_20080709.pdf

Category:

Education

Tags:

• keelback
• snake
• snakebite
• tropidonophis
• taipan
• colubrid
• diamondback
• rattlesnake
• cane
• toad
• bufo
• oxyuranus
• evolution
• bufotoxin
• yt:stretch=16:9
• religion
• dragon
• inuyasha
• leopard
• reptile
• wildlife

[jamespiperca]

What happened to the snake? I assume you released it.

[djarm67]

@jamespiperca Yes. The kids released it the next day.

[MysticManiac7]

wut was under its chin in the first quarter of the video it was like a bump

[djarm67]

@MysticManiac7 A droplet of water from the esky

[Mr0802takahirotorren]

what would happen if a child is bitten by a keel back snake?

[djarm67]

@Mr0802takahirotorren Keelbacks are completely non-venomous. A rarely spoken danger of any bites or stings however is infection or blood poisoning. Always seek professional medical attention for these types of things. In the case of snakes, a misidentification can prove fatal.

[Turandot29]

Now, djarm64... this snake. It didn't offer you a piece of fruit, did it ?

[papafox]

Years ago I caught a hog-nosed snake. Their defense is interesting.  Plan A - They puff up with air, hiss and strike aggressively (but not bite). Plan B - If you mess with them long enough, they roll onto their back, writhe around, then play dead. The funny thing is, if you roll them back onto their stomach, they roll onto their back again as if to say, "I'm DEAD dammit! Now go away!"

[kiddShY26]

LOL..this guy is gna be the next Crocodile hunter..LOL "see the little tounge there?" hell yea we see it..Sizing yo ass up for a quick meal when it gets older..LOL gotta lovem!!!

[doinkers8]

@jamespiperca wow cool no one cares about animals and releasing them its stupid i do and its hard to care about when people say no one cares but i countinue and i guess so do you

[kirbyrocks6]

@Turandot29

67.

[CanberraReptileSanc]

That pic of the inland taipan looks remarkably familiar....