There are four basic tooth structures within the world of snakes. Tea Aglyphous Group it simply means that this group of snakes does not have elongated teeth. This group includes snakes from the Boa and Python families, as well as several others. The following is the Ophystoglyph group. This is the group this article is written for. Although not technically a fang, the ophistoglyphous group has elongated rear teeth. There is a groove running from top to bottom on the front of the tooth. This groove channels saliva from the gum line to the wound caused by elongated teeth. Gravity is the only force that works to propel saliva into the stomach, as there are no glands or gripping devices surrounded by muscles to force saliva down.
For true envenomation to occur, the hind-fanged snake must grasp its prey and actively work its fangs into the wound. This allows time for saliva to flow down the channeled fang into the wound. It would take a minimum of ten to twenty seconds for the saliva to make the journey from the gum line to the wound. The longer the snake remains attached to its subject, the more serious the envenomation becomes. Much depends on the toxicity of the saliva itself.
The next group would be the Proteroglyph group There are some very popular members that belong to this group, members like Cobras, Kraits, Mambas, Taipans, Coral Snakes, to name just a few. All of these snakes have short, fixed fangs on the front of the upper jaw, just below each eye. Most believe that these snakes possessed their fangs at the back of their mouths millions of years ago and eventually migrated to the position they occupy today. The fangs should be short, to avoid piercing the lower jaw. Even King Cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah) fangs have fangs less than 1/2 inch long. This group belongs to a family called Elapids, some of the most powerful snakes on Earth today. The last group of snakes is also well known throughout the world.
They belong to the Solenoglyph group, They have folding fangs which allows them to have extremely long fangs. The Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) has fangs that are two (2) inches long. The fangs are in the front approximately below each eye and when not in use they rest along the upper jaw. The muscles lower the fangs when necessary and lock them in place. The base of the fang lines up perfectly with the venom conduit, forming an airtight seal. When the muscles contract, the venom flows through the fang and exits through the opening at the tip of the fang. Snakes like all pit vipers, that is. Rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, copperheads are members of the Solenoglyphous group just like the Old World vipers. The Australian Death Adder is one of the few Elapids to possess this type of fanged structure.
The above are basic tooth structures of snakes known to the world. The pet trade has been a legitimate industry dating back to the Roman Empire. Reptiles have been a part of that trade since its inception. Back-fanged snakes were considered harmless to humans in the 1950s and were sold in all modern industrialized countries. It was in the late 1950s that the pet industry decided to rethink its claim that “all hind-fanged snakes are harmless.” On September 25, 1957, Karl P. Schmidt was attempting to identify a snake that had been introduced into the Chicago Ill Natural History Museum. where he worked as a herpetologist. An assistant was holding the green-colored snake when Schmidt decided to handle it himself. He grabbed the snake a little further behind the head, allowing the snake’s space to turn and sink one of its rear fangs into his finger.
He quickly released the snake and decided to work with it some more the next day. He left work around 5 p.m. and on the way home he said he felt dizzy. Later that night she vomited and had difficulty sleeping. He called in sick on the morning of the 26th but said he would be there the next day. He vomited once more and while brushing his teeth he noticed blood on the toothbrush. His wife was upset enough to call a friend who called an ambulance to take him to the Municipal Hospital for a checkup. He was admitted and at 3 in the afternoon he was declared dead. The snake was a Boomslang (Dispholidus Typus) also known as the African tree snake. It was sold in pet stores around the world because rear fanged snakes are harmless to humans. Within three months, all hind-fanged snakes for sale in the pet trade were removed from the shelves.
Today, we know quite well which species of snakes are harmless and which are dangerous to humans. Snakes belonging to the Genus Boiga, Dispholidus, Rhabdophis and Thelotornis Genera ForThere are also members within each family who possess a venom powerful enough to cause a fatal bite among humans. The common North American snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) has rear fangs, but its venom is not supplied in sufficient quantities to cause harm to humans. The adorable hog-nosed snake (Heterodon platyrhinos) is a member of the hind fangs club and it is almost impossible to get one to bite a human. The large number of hind-fanged snakes around the world are members of the Colubridae family.
The largest family of all, consisting of more than 2,500 different genders. Although several of the hind-fanged snakes are considered safe for personal property, it is considered unwise to allow a snake to bite on any part of its anatomy, even if it appears cute, as it struggles to scare or defeat a large human. It could be so much more than just looking funny or cute! Most of the venom manufactured by the glands of Duvernoy’s hind-fanged snakes acts very slowly on the human body. The effects of the venom may not appear until 12 to 24 hours after the sting. When symptoms appear, it is very possible that it is too late. In all but a few cases, there is no commercially available antidote to treat a bite and bites are managed symptomatically. The best rule of thumb is to treat all hind-fanged snakes as poisonous snakes. Technically that’s exactly what they are.
As a general rule of thumb, most people in the United States, as well as other developed nations, take it for granted that anything on the store shelf is safe when used as directed. Most experts will tell you that snakes shouldn’t be handled frequently, but like anything new, humans like to feel what they have bought. In the case of pet snakes, most ofiofiles are eager to have their new acquisition at home to hold and inspect. In the case of handling any poisonous species of snake, the urge should be tempered in moderation. Any new snake takes time to get used to its new environment. A snake that does not normally bite could very well attack its new owner if handled shortly after purchase. The last thing someone needs is to be known as the first known death as a result of receiving a bite from a seemingly harmless snake. Be careful and live more!