The spat toxungen is generally harmless on intact mammalian skin (although contact can result in delayed blistering of the area), but can cause permanent blindness if introduced to the eye; if left untreated it may cause chemosis and corneal swelling.
Inoculation with spitting cobra venom causes severe pain, photophobia, and tearing. Roughly one in two patients develops multiple corneal erosions that could progress to a full corneal ulcer or keratitis, with a risk of perforation or secondary bacterial infection.
Despite their name, these snakes don't actually spit their venom. They spray the venom by squeezing their muscles on the venom glands, forcing the venom out of front openings in the fangs.
“Most snakebites, even cobra bites, are not fatal.” Whitaker said. “But any snakebite must be treated as a medical emergency. “The single most important thing to do is to get to a hospital without any delay. Do not resort to any local or home remedy because there is only one cure for a snakebite and that is antivenom.”
Severe pain and tenderness at the site of the bite. Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Labored breathing (in extreme cases, breathing may stop altogether) Rapid heart rate, weak pulse, low blood pressure.
The bite of the King Cobra with envenomation can be rapidly fatal (as early as 30 minutes). Please read the attached Medical Management Protocol and respond appropriately. First Aid: Bandage and Immobilize the bitten limb with crepe bandages and splint as described in the Immediate First Aid section.
Although the king cobra is undoubtedly a very dangerous snake, it prefers to escape unless it is provoked. Despite its aggressive reputation, the king cobra is actually much more cautious than many smaller snakes. The cobra only attacks people when it is cornered, in self-defense or to protect its eggs.
The inland or western taipan, Oxyuranus microlepidotus, is the most venomous snake in the world, according to Britannica. Native to Australia, this snake has the deadliest venom based on median lethal dose, or LD50, tests on mice.
If there's a family of snakes you don't want to anger, it would be the vipers. While these snakes don't always have the most deadly bites, they have the most painful ones. Van Wallach of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology has had several viper bites; the worst one, he said, "came from an African bush viper.
A human can collapse within 45 minutes of a Black Mamba bite. Without treatment it can take 7 to 15 hours for a Black Mamba bite to kill you. The sooner a person is treated after the bite, the better his chances of survival. A Black Mamba antidote is administered where necessary, but some people may be allergic.
Like other cobras, spitting cobras will bite attackers in self-defense. Spitting is their signature move, however, and the snakes are crack shots. They can direct a stream of venom into an attacker's face from more than 2 meters away, aiming for the eyes.
Fortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible. It will also flare out its iconic hood and emit a hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog. King cobras can reach 18 feet in length, making them the longest of all venomous snakes.
A king cobra bite can kill a human in 15 minutes and a full-grown elephant in a few hours. What makes these cobras kings is not just their size, or their deadliness — after all, they don't eat humans or elephants — it is that they eat other snakes.
It feels like a lot of sand in the eyes. Horrible feeling. I've unfortunately been spat at a few times in my line of work. I'd like to never experience it again," Evans said.
How Far Can Spitting Cobras Spit Venom? Spitting cobras can spit anywhere from 4 to 8 feet away. Spitting cobras can shoot their venom anywhere from 4 to 8 feet away from their bodies. However, some spit their venom in a fine mist rather than jets.
Naja ashei, the largest spitting cobra, averages around 1.3–2.0 m (4.3–6.6 ft) in total length (including tail). The largest specimen of this species to date, caught in Kenya, was 2.7 m (8.9 ft) in total length.
Hemotoxic venom works slower than other types of snake venom, though. That means a person can often survive with proper medical attention. Rattlesnakes, Russell's viper, and copperheads are all snakes with hemotoxic venom.
A man is lucky to be alive after doctors say he was bitten by one of the world's most venomous snakes and needed 44 doses of antivenom to survive.
Introducing the most venomous snake in the world and epic predator of the Australian outback! The inland taipan is otherwise known as the fierce snake or small scaled snake.
Some fun facts about the Black Mamba:
They are some of the world's fastest snakes and are capable of speeds of more than 12 miles (19 km) per hour and hence will be the one which can kill the fastest. In the wild, a black mamba can live for up to 11 years.
The Eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) has a venom LD 50 value of 0.053 mg SC (Brown, 1973) and a value of 0.0365 mg SC (Ernst and Zug et al. 1996). According to both studies, it is the second most venomous snake in the world.
The average human is faster than a king cobra on land. A king cobra can slither at about 5 mph over short distances. The average human can walk at 3 mph and run up to 8 mph. Yet, the fastest person alive can run at speeds of 27.5 mph, but only during a sprint.
Mongoose
Mongooses are noted for their audacious attacks on highly venomous snakes, such as king cobras. The Mongoose is a snake killer by nature. These small mammals have some immunity to cobra venom, so they are one of the most successful animals that hunt cobras.