|
09.11.2006 - This is a juvenile hatchling Eastern Coral Snake. It's probably a month old at most. Whereas some snakes will constantly slither all over the place, corals will often hold still in one position*. I was in a good mood,
so I decided to drape it over my nose. I sent this photo to a friend, who claimed that I must be crazy, as he had heard that the venom of juvenile snakes is more potent than that of adults. I replied that I do not
think this is true. The composition of the venom does not change over the lifetime of the reptile. Although it is true that the neurotoxic venom of the Coral Snake is the most potent venom in North America by volume,
a baby snake like this simply has less venom than an adult. I do not know if a full envenomation from a juvenile like this one could result in the fatality of a careless human adult. Regardless, I felt safe, because
it's the delivery mechanism that really counts*. For example, a pit viper like a cottonmouth or rattlesnake, even a hatchling, is capable of easily injecting venom - they have fangs like hypodermic needles, the ability
to actively inject venom, lightning speed and an aggressive nature. Coral snakes, on the other mouth, have small fixed fangs, no ability to actively inject venom (it must "drip" down grooves in the fangs to the bite
area), less speed, and a non-aggressive nature. After handling this snake for a while, it appeared very docile and nose-hangworthy*. And after all, look at the mouth on that thing (the snake, not my cocksure smirk).
It's too tiny to bite a fly. How is a mouth like that going to get around and through any of my gruff and tuff human skin? No way. So while a self-proclaimed responsible bloke might go about saying "don't try this
at home", I actively encourage all of my readers to go out and find deadly Coral Snakes and drape them across the face. It's the reasonable thing to do*. *often hold still in
one position - especially this particular one, which was actually dead. *I felt safe, because it's the delivery mechanism that really counts - plus, a dead snake often has
rather difficulty biting, regardless of delivery mechanism (though some snakes actually can strike after death) *it appeared very docile and nose-hangworthy - yes, most dead
snakes tend to be docile. It's the reasonable thing to do* - maybe, if the snake is, like this one, no longer living. Yes, I wrote the above as a farce for fun. I
actually found this baby Coral Snake, which is about one month old, dead. But it looked so nice and alive in a still-photograph, so I had some fun with my camera. Of
course, no one should handle a living Coral Snake with bare hands, even if it is a baby with a tiny mouth. The venom is extremely potent. | 
