# Toddlers and cobras (video link) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 27, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138 "2014-07-27T01:21:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/1 "2014-07-27T01:21:10Z")
Scary video: [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lz-Eg3n3pY) What’s going on here? Snopes says the veracity of these films are “undetermined”. Are these kids just really lucky? Do they lose a lot of kids this way? What is the point of it? See also: [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7cK062QOSQ) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/2 "2014-07-27T02:32:33Z")
I think their mouths have been sewn shut. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/3 "2014-07-27T03:43:39Z")
“An aging snake wrangler spices up his rodeo act by introducing the spectacle of toddlers dodging venomous snakes. Starring Clint Eastwood, Angelina Jolie and Philip Seymour Hoffman (in a non-speaking role).” ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/4 "2014-07-27T04:01:18Z")
Can cobras be defanged? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/5 "2014-07-27T04:25:08Z")
Even if it is true it seems like you are teaching children not to be afraid of cobras. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/6 "2014-07-27T04:38:42Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I think their mouths have been sewn shut. Very definitely. In the first video you can even see the thread hanging out of the cobra’s mouth at about 0.9. It’s also obvious because the snakes aren’t sticking out their tongues, or opening their mouths in their threat display as they normally would. In[this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUzKXasLSLI) of a wild king cobra you can see more natural behavior, with the snake continually sticking out its tongue and opening its mouth. The kids are in no danger at all. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/7 "2014-07-27T05:37:56Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The kids are in no danger at all. Until the kid in the green shorts finds a cobra in the wild and says, “I’ll handle this. You just grab at their tails and bop 'em on the head.” Is the sewing the mouths shut surgical in nature or can it be done externally? Obviously, the snakes have to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/8 "2014-07-27T11:59:07Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Is the sewing the mouths shut surgical in nature or can it be done externally? > Obviously, the snakes have to eat. They eventually starve to death. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/9 "2014-07-27T14:35:54Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Is the sewing the mouths shut surgical in nature or can it be done externally? I don’t know the details, but I doubt the technique used is very sophisticated. I imagine they just hold the snake’s head and run a needle and thread through the lips. The snakes may also be de-fanged and/or have their venom sacs removed, which could probably be done with a razor or pocket knife. > [@](#): > > Obviously, the snakes have to eat. Snakes can go a long time between meals, and a recently fed snake would be sluggish and not put on a good performance. Again, I don’t know the specifics, but it’s possible that they cut the mouth periodically in order to feed the snake. I suppose it’s also possible that they just let the snake starve to death, but I’m not sure that cobras are so cheap and easy to come by that you would allow your stock in trade to just die if you can help it. [QUOTE=Freudian Slit] They eventually starve to death. [/QUOTE] Are you speaking from knowledge of the situation, or just speculating? If the former, what’s the source of your information? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/10 "2014-07-27T15:58:18Z")
Sewing up cobra mouths is not a job I would volunteer for. As for undoing them for feeding and then sewing them up again! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/11 "2014-07-27T16:06:35Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Sewing up cobra mouths is not a job I would volunteer for. As for undoing them for feeding and then sewing them up again! :eek: As I said, I think they probably de-fang them first. Still, the guy who does the original de-fanging may not have a great life expectancy. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/12 "2014-07-27T18:45:41Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Are you speaking from knowledge of the situation, or just speculating? If the former, what’s the source of your information? [Here’s one source.](http://www.npr.org/2011/08/08/139086119/in-india-snake-charmers-are-losing-their-sway) > [@](#): > > To prevent the snake from biting, snake charmers sometimes break off the animal’s fangs or sew its mouth shut. As a result, the snake can’t eat and slowly starves to death. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/13 "2014-07-28T18:16:37Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > As I said, I think they probably de-fang them first. Still, the guy who does the original de-fanging may not have a great life expectancy. If they are de-fanged, why bother sewing up the mouth? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/14 "2014-07-28T18:26:13Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > If they are de-fanged, why bother sewing up the mouth? First, when they opened their mouths (which they would do as part of the threat display) it would be obvious they had no fangs and were harmless. Second, they could still bite with their remaining teeth. Unlike vipers, cobras can’t retract their fangs, so when the mouth is open they are visible. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-cobras-video-link/694138/15 "2014-07-28T18:26:29Z")
If they are defanged but still have their venom glands, they can introduce venom through cuts caused by their regular teeth.