Can a venomous snake
a) Commit suicide by biting itself, e.g. in the tail (or in the tongue???)?
b) Kill another snake of the same species, by poisoning it?
All input appreciated.
Jostbjoe
Welcome to SDMB. Although I don’t know of a definitive paper on this, I believe that most venomous snakes are immune to their own venom. In my own experience, I have seen copperheads, cottonmouths and several species of rattlesnakes bite themselves while being captured or handled. While I can’t be sure that these snakes injected venom while biting themselves, it appeared from their muscle movements that they did. None of these snakes showed any ill effects from the bites.
What’s the mechanism of action of snake venoms, or does it vary between species?
In general, pit vipers (rattlesnake, copperhead, cottonmouth) have blood poisons (hematolytes?) that basically disrupt the blood. Cobras and other elapids have nerve poisons that disrupt your nervous system.
I can answer this for Diamonbacks. No, they are not affected by their own bite. However, if you want to eat a diamondback, you need to examine it very carefully for self inflicted wounds. If you eat rattler meat that has been exposed to its own poison, it could kill you.
Yes, I’ve eaten rattlesnake. And, it is delicious.
jayjay is correct. Generally speaking, elapid snakes (cobras, kraits, seasnakes and the various australian species) have venom which is primarily neurotoxic, which impairs the central nervous system. Vipers and pit vipers have venom which is primarily hemotoxic, which attacks the circulatory system and causes hemorrhaging, among other things. Snake venom is made up of proteins and enzymes. Its composition varies greatly among species, and there is even quite a bit of geographic variation within species.
Thank you for interesting and enlightening input, and even practical experience!
I knew SDMB would be a good thing!
Jostbjoe