# The platypus, a strange creature indeed... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 14, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704 "2003-04-14T19:05:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BewareTheLlama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@BewareTheLlama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BewareTheLlama)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/1 "2003-04-14T19:05:27Z")
Is it true that, in addition to being one of the only monotremes (Egg-laying mammals), the Platypus is the only venomous mammal? I read something about the animals having poisonous spines on its back ankles… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/2 "2003-04-14T19:12:04Z")
Yeah, but only on the males. And it ain’t particularly strong. And besides, an animal being poisonous in Australia ain’t particularly strange. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/3 "2003-04-14T19:17:54Z")
The [Short-Tailed Shrew](http://www.wildlifeinfo.org/Bulletins/wildlifebulletin16.htm) is also venomous: > [@](#): > > \*\*These shrews are rare among mammals in that they are venomous (European Water Shrews, Neomys fodiens , also are venomous), the venom being similar to that of cobras, which is released through openings near the base of the incisors. The toxic venom from the Short-tailed Shrew affects the prey’s vascular and respiratory systems, resulting in convulsions, lack of coordinated movement, and eventually paralysis and death. These shrews attack their prey (such as Meadow Voles) from behind, biting the victim in the neck which injects the neurotoxin into the central nervous system. Human exposure to the venom produces pronounced irritation and swelling near the point of exposure – a reaction lasting as long as 3 days. > > \*\* ---
**Author:** ![BewareTheLlama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@BewareTheLlama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BewareTheLlama)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/4 "2003-04-14T19:25:48Z")
Thanks for the info! I was only aware of the Platypus being venomous (and only vaguely aware at that). Just out of curiousity, is there an antivenom available for any of these venoms? ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/5 "2003-04-14T20:06:36Z")
monotremes There is only one of them and thay made up this whole category for it?? ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/6 "2003-04-14T20:19:07Z")
There are also two species of spiny anteaters. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/7 "2003-04-14T20:20:57Z")
Who are monotremes. They’re not venomous. ---
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/8 "2003-04-14T20:33:51Z")
Monotremes are egg-laying mammals. The platypus and a couple varieties of echidna. Platypus are also sensitive to electric fields, which is pretty cool if you drop your batteries into a pond and happen to have a platypus in your back pocket. As to the venom, I recall seeing something on TV some time ago with a man who had been stung be a platypus. He suffered serious necrosis across much of his torso. While not fatal, it looked pretty sever to me. Not something of which I would be dismissive. Then again, I think it was on TLC, so perhaps it should be taken with a grain of sale. (Does anyoen remember when TLD used to have actual educational shows on some of the time?) ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/9 "2003-04-14T20:42:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BewareTheLlama \* > \*\*…one of the only… \*\* I apologise in advance if this seems like picking on a newbie, but please could we all avoid this meaningless phrase in future? ---
**Author:** ![mister\_me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mister\_me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_me)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/10 "2003-04-14T20:43:27Z")
Sorry no cite, but, …I too remember reading somewhere that the venom of a platypus is VERY potent. I also recall that the venom can cause severe pain for lengthy periods of time ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/11 "2003-04-14T21:15:34Z")
Gee, you’d reckon you were pretty lucky if you managed to get spiked by a platypus. They are extreeeeemly timid, and it is most unlikely that you’d ever SEE one in the wild let alone get close enough to be harmed. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/12 "2003-04-14T21:32:01Z")
So - I suppose getting a pet platypus for my bunnies to hang out with would be a bad idea? Damn. (I love platypi). ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/13 "2003-04-14T21:55:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mister\_me \* > \*\*Sorry no cite, but, …I too remember reading somewhere that the venom of a platypus is VERY potent. I also recall that the venom can cause severe pain for lengthy periods of time \*\* Well, [here’s a cite](http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/shorter/story.htm) for ya. The echidnas have non-functioning venom glands, indicating it’s probably an ancestral trait for monotremes. Also, note that while there may be only three living species of monotreme, there are a few more fossil species. For example, _Obdurodon insignis_ is a platypus from the Miocene (the period from about 5 million to 25 million years ago). Other fossil monotremes include _Steropodon_ and _Kollokidon_. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/14 "2003-04-14T22:08:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darwin’s Finch \* > \*\*Well, here’s a cite for ya. > > \*\* I LOVE the name of that article…Great Australian Bites. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/15 "2003-04-14T23:08:11Z")
Are Platypuses red meat or white meat? Grill or deep-fry? ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/16 "2003-04-15T00:36:37Z")
Is the platypus kosher? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/17 "2003-04-15T01:04:36Z")
No. No cloven hoof and doesn’t chew its cud. ---
**Author:** ![Motog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/18 "2003-04-15T04:14:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Krokodil \* > \*\*Are Platypuses red meat or white meat? Grill or deep-fry? \*\* Platypuses are very, very protected. I recall a case from about 10 years back (though I’m unable to find a cite) re a Koori man who went to court charged with killing and eating one. His defence was based on platypuses being traditional food for his tribe. I can’t recall how the case ended. **kambuckta** I have seen one in the wild but I suspect I am one of the very few Australians who have. They’re largely nocturnal and, as you say, very timid ---
**Author:** ![mrunlucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@mrunlucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrunlucky)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/19 "2003-04-15T06:36:46Z")
Yes I saw a thing either on Discovery or TLC about animal venoms. A man had picked up a platypus thinking it was a piece of wood (!?) and he was stung in the arm. He went through intense pain and agony for days, and his arm swelled up to about three times its normal size. I believe there’s no anti-venom, because they gave him huge doses of painkillers and they barely worked. So that’ll learn you not to go picking up random pieces of wood near the water if you’re in Australia! ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704/20 "2003-04-15T07:02:06Z")
I’ve seen them in the wild quite a bit. You have to be prepared to sit very still for a long time while being bitten to death by mozzies (no repellent, the platypii would smell it). They are not technically nocturnal but crepuscular (active at morning and evening). The trick is to choose a likely spot and be sitting there in the late afternoon, vewy, vewy still, before they come out. If you arrive at a likely spot _after_ they get active you will never see them because they will detect you and vanish. I used to have a favourite spot where you could sit, quite close to a half submerged log on the bank of creek where I grew up. The platys used to like to come out of the water to sit on the log and preen. The guy who said he picked up a platy thinking that it was a piece of wood either came across one that was half dead or he was lying. Platys are very busy active creatures. You do not mistake them for pieces of wood, and they do not allow you anywhere near them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platypus-a-strange-creature-indeed/168704.md?page=2)