The species of snake called the spitting cobra is very unusual as it not only has a poisonous bite but it also spits venom into the eyes of its prey and aggressors. Contact of this venom with your eyes is very painful and can even blind you temporarily, therefore, if you get cobra venom in your eyes, irrigate them with water at once in order to prevent permanent tissue damage.

The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is also remarkable in this large family of snakes (elapidae) because it feeds almost entirely on other snakes with mice and small birds also falling prey to its poison.

The King Cobra is also a record-holder because of its size - it can reach almost twenty feet (585 cms) in length, which makes it the largest poisonous snake in the world. The most recent discovery of a new species of cobra was made in 2003 as part of an illegal shipment of exotic pets at London Zoo.

DNA studies revealed that this new species of snake is similar to the red spitting cobra but has different genes. It seems to originate from an area between Sudan and Egypt and it has been called the 'Nubian Spitting Cobra'.

Though highly dangerous when it senses a threat, a cobra will not attack if you leave it in peace, although the venomous spit can travel very accurately for two meters. If compared to the strike of a rattlesnake, the cobra is pretty slow in attack, and many bites prove blank, that is without envenomation.

According to a study conducted on Malaysian cobra snake victims only 55% of the bites involved venom release and the same statistics indicate a mortality rate of 10% for people bitten, since the toxins injected into the blood of the prey destroy the nerves (neurotoxin) , which induces respiratory failure half an hour after being bitten, giving you 30 minutes to get help.

The colouration of this snake is variable from light green-grey to black, whereas juveniles have alternate yellow and black bands.This snake is to be found all over south-eastern Asia.

Are you interested in the Cobras? To learn more about snakes visit Caring for Snakes our brand-new online resource.. This article, Spitting Cobras is available for free reprint.

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Written by Owen Jones using tags: animals, Asia, body-structure-of-spitting-cobra, california, exotic, fauna, florida, outdoors, Pets, reptiles, snakes, spitting-cobras-as-pets, Thailand, tropical, unusual

Dogs are just about the most intelligent of domestic pets. If you take the time to look, you will see that they have the ability to communicate with humans, other dogs and even other animals. They do this with body signs and voice. Their signs are made with the their eyes, ears, eyebrows, head, mouth and tail.

Their voice is clearly not the same as ours, but they use pitch in their barks, whines, whimpers, pants, growls and howls and their gestures are made with their entire body and every element of it.

You can always tell a self-assured and therefore higher ranking dog, because they hold their tails aloft. Dogs, like all other animals, including we humans, have an inborn sense or their place in society. This is because dogs evolved in packs in the wild, just as we evolved in communities. which is why they fit well into our human society.

There is a pecking order within their group, as within human society. The subservient dogs submit themselves to the stronger dogs, which is why dogs lower their tail when they feel unsure of themselves. When dogs fight for dominance, the fur on their tails stands up and they have this trait in common with other animals. They do it to show that they are being serious in front of their adversary.

A dog that is unsure what to do will wag its tail slowly. A bit like you or I might give a weak smile, unsure whether to smile openly or glower. They are in a process of working out whether they should recognize the status quo or fight. Excited dogs wag their tails very fast and if the dog's hip moves along with the tail, it means that the dog is in submissive mode to a higher ranker. A pet should do that to its owner, as you have become the leader of its surrogate pack.

When dogs become aggressive they show their teeth, the same as humans. If all of the teeth are visible, it indicates that the dog is prepared to bite or attack. We do the same unconsciously. People often bare their teeth and snarl insults, before a fight. However, they also show teeth when they smile but this is an indication of compliance, again as we do - submissiveness here meaning a recognition that a fight is superfluous.

With a dog, the number of teeth on display differentiates between a smile and a snarl. In a smile, a dog only shows the front teeth, but in a snarl the dog reveals all his teeth and gums and makes an aggressive noise.

Ears are a good sign of the dog's level of attention. When the ears are erect and forward facing, it means that the dog is concentrating. But if the dog is relaxed, its ears will lie flat. However, some breeds do not have as much control over their ears.

Dogs bark to defend their territory, which comes to mean their boss' territory, which should signify your property. However, barking is their usual speech so you will have to learn the difference between friendly play barking and aggression in your dog. It is pretty obvious though.

Study of your pet is the key, because, although all dogs are the same as in all humans are the same, there are small differences. They are not hard to learn, just spend some time with you dog and keep your mind open and it will become very obvious to you.

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categories: dogs,communication,animals,evolution,education,how to,history,evolution,fauna,environment,happiness,mammals,other,uncategorized

Written by Owen Jones using tags: animals, communication, Dogs, education, environment, evolution, fauna, happiness, history, how to, mammals, uncategorized