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 Post subject: South Africa's spitting snakes
Unread postPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:02 am 
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Legendary Virtual Ranger
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Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:27 am
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Location: Chasing down the rarities
Experts, please correct me if I am wrong.

Not many non-snake people knows this, but there are only 4 snakes in SA that can "spit" (squirting it out thru the hollow opening in its fangs) their venom.

They are:

Mozambique spitting cobra.
Black spitting cobra.
Rinkhals.
Zebra snake.


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 Post subject: Zebra snake
Unread postPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 2:00 pm 
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Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:04 pm
Posts: 18
Location: Secunda
:redface: This is a snake I have never heard of could some one please enligthen me?

If it was renamed from which snake was this renamed from?
Any pictures available? Where does this snake originate from and what is the spread of the snake. Any info will be appreciated.

Thanks
Frik :mrgreen:

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 Post subject: Re: South Africa's spitting snakes
Unread postPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:43 am 
wildtuinman wrote:
Experts, please correct me if I am wrong.

Not many non-snake people knows this, but there are only 4 snakes in SA that can "spit" (squirting it out thru the hollow opening in its fangs) their venom.

They are:

Mozambique spitting cobra.
Black spitting cobra.
Rinkhals.
Zebra snake.


Hi WT
I’m no expert, but I have a great book :D
According to “A Complete Guide to the snakes of Southern Africa” by Johan Marais, the only two SA snakes that actually spit, are the Moz Cobra and the Rinkhals.

The Black-necked Spitting Cobra, the Black Spitting Cobra and the Zebra Cobra, do not actually “spit” their venom but rather squirt it, although the word “spit” is commonly used…..and they can do this “squirting” for 2 or more meters. As the Moz cobra, they can also “spit’ from any position, even when concealed in a rock crevice.
These three snakes are all subspecies of Naja nigricollis. Only one of the three is found in SA, the Black Spitting Cobra (the Zebra Cobra is found in Namibia). For many years the Black Spitting Cobra was believed to be a black variety of the Cape Cobra. It is listed as rare in the SA Red Data Book and found in the dry western parts of SA.


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 Post subject:
Unread postPosted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 7:34 am 
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Legendary Virtual Ranger
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Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:27 am
Posts: 5355
Location: Chasing down the rarities
Thanks Jumbo, very interesting indeed. I actually made a mistake with the topic's heading. It should read: "Southern Africa's "spitting" snakes." :lol:


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