CHAPTEE XX 



PECTJLIAKITIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES — THE AET OE 



HANDLING VENOMOUS REPTILES — GILA MONSTEES 



EXPEEIMENTING WITH SNAKE POISON SHEDDING 



OF THE POISON-FANGS — OONCEENING THE HOSTILITY 



OF POISONOUS EEPTILE8 SUEGIOAL OPEEATION ON 



A COBEA — COMPOSITION OF SNAKE POISON: ITS EF- 

 FECTS — ANTITOXIN 



In captivity, poisonous serpents seldom adapt 

 themselves so readily to their surroundings as do the 

 harmless reptiles. Yenomous snakes generally re- 

 tain their wild disposition and can never be trusted. 

 While most harmless serpents submit to handling 

 after a few weeks in captivity, their poisonous rela- 

 tives resent the least attempt at familiarity by the use 

 of their formidable fangs. For the most part these 

 reptiles are high-strung and nervous; many feed 

 irregularly or refuse food altogether ; with the excep- 

 tion of those species which resemble in form the 

 harmless serpents, like the cobras and closely related 

 snakes, the life of the captive poisonous reptile is 

 generally of short duration. Few of the viperine 

 snakes live more than two or, possibly, three years, 

 unless they be reared from an early age. In the 

 latter case many delicate species live indefinitely. 



189 



