# snake and mongoose

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snake-and-mongoose/442645>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 25, 2008, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snake-and-mongoose/442645 "2008-03-25T05:19:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![manojbp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@manojbp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manojbp)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snake-and-mongoose/442645/1 "2008-03-25T05:19:17Z")

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hi,  
i want to know more about relationship between snake and Mongoose. As per my knowledge Mongoose have no any effect of snake’s poision. In other animal for poision to react it binds with protein molecules. Is this mechanism prohibited in Mongoose and that’s why there is no any ill effect?

With regards,  
Manoj B.P.  
🙂

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snake-and-mongoose/442645/2 "2008-03-25T05:53:35Z")

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[QUOTE=manojbp]  
hi,  
i want to know more about relationship between snake and Mongoose. As per my knowledge Mongoose have no any effect of snake’s poision. In other animal for poision to react it binds with protein molecules. Is this mechanism prohibited in Mongoose and that’s why there is no any ill effect?

With regards,  
Manoj B.P.  
🙂  
[/QUOTE]

[Resistant not immune.](http://news.softpedia.com/news/Top-7-Snake-Killers-75345.shtml)

> [@](#):
>
> Mongooses are known to kill even 3 m (10 ft) long king cobras (the longest venomous snake). Still, the mongooses are not totally immune to snake venom but much more resistant to it: for the same weight, they resist 20 times more than a mouse. In happy cases, the mongoose requires several hours until the effect of the venom is gone. Then, it returns, and starts eating the snake, head first.

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**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snake-and-mongoose/442645/3 "2008-03-25T06:04:19Z")

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They aren’t completely immune to cobra venom actually, although they are tolerant of small doses. They are just very quick, and have very thick fur. They are fast and agile enough to avoid most bites, and in the rest of the cases, the snake has a hard time biting through the thick coat.