Puff adders in Tokai forest....

[Delgado]

I heard that the other day as well. It kinda freaked me out a little as most of the Adder family are quite dangerous. 

 

MOST?? All of them are dangerous' date=' the cousins, aunts, uncles and close relatives aswell not just the Adder family.

[/quote'] Nowhere near as "dangerous" as mankind I can assure you my friend!!

oh no, here we go!! yes global warming bla di blaaaaaaa

go tell this to my friend who has NO CALF MUSCLE left from a puff adder bight!

Sorry to bla di blady dissappoint you!! Only suggesting that man kills for fun!! This time..... nothing to do with the weather.

[Hendrik_S]

The Puff Adder, bitis ariens, is considered Africa?s most dangerous snake. Its widespread habitat, large fangs, potent venom, mean disposition and willingness to bite are the reasons why this snake is responsible for more fatalities than any other snake in Africa. It can be mainly found throughout southern Africa, except in true deserts and dense forests. They thrive in rocky grasslands.

Adders are nocturnal and eat rodents, birds, amphibians, lizards and small mammals. Their enemies include man, badgers, warthogs, other snakes and some birds of prey.

Morphology

The average length for the puff adder is approximately one meter. They can weigh up to six kilograms and can have quite a wide girth. Males tend to be larger than the females and have longer tails. Color patterns on this snake vary by the geography it inhabits. All species have dark bands around the eyes.

Behavior

This snake is a rather sluggish snake that doesn?t move fast. As a result, it relies on camouflage to hide itself. Its ability to hide in its surroundings explains why it?s reluctant to move and why so many individuals get bitten. When it does move, it moves in a fashion similar to the way caterpillars move. Although slow, they are very quick when it comes to attacking for food or prey. If disturbed the snake will hiss loudly and form a tight coil, holding its head in an ?S? shaped position. This enables the snake to strike sideways or forward with lightening speed. The fangs tend to be long and have the ability to penetrate soft leather. Puff adders additionally are good swimmers and climbers.

Reproduction

This species is viviparous or gives birth to live young with relatively large litters. Fifty to sixty newborns are the average number for a litter. The baby snakes can range from twelve and a half to seventeen and a half centimeters in length.

Venom

As mentioned, puff adders have toxic venom. In humans serious local and systemic symptoms can be seen. Severe pain, tenderness and hemorrhages can occur. These can lead to shock, nausea, hypotension, weakness, dizziness and periods of unconsciousness. Skin and tissue necrosis can occur in the most serious situations. Most fatalities are associated with poor clinical management or neglect to be treated.

The puff adder is a bad tempered snake. Long fangs, potent venom and excellent camouflaging ability make it extremely dangerous. Their reluctance to flee and habits of sunning by footpaths, lying quietly when approached are the reasons why this snake is responsible for the most snake bite fatalities in Africa.

[Iwan Kemp]

Saw one Sunday in Bridal's Vail. S &$#&^%(^%(( T myself.

[bustthesickness]

 

http://www.wildlife-pictures-online.com/image-files/puff-adder-knp-p3311774.jpg

 

Note the short, fat body, and the backwards arrow pattern on it's back. This is an teen/adult puff adder.

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_zSm_99Nvb8Y/R4sui8KIbrI/AAAAAAAAB1k/YJuq7CiqHfc/s720/Baby%20Puffadder_001%20%28Large%29.JPG

 

A baby puff adder. Not newly hatched though. The arrow patterns are there too, but the shape of the head and the short body is the tell tale sign in any case. Be careful of the little guys. They often look like sticks. I once bush whacked through an area and in the middle of this area, realized that I was in a nesting area. I nearly shat my pants.

On a climbing trip once, we were using a black and white striped rope, and only realized at the end of the day, that a baby puffy had been chilling in our rope bag, amongst the rope, ALL DAY!

 

 

 

bustthesickness2008-12-03 03:19:08

[bustthesickness]

 

 

 

Only thing isif you're out there on your MTB' date=' you're gonnalook helluva funny elevating your leg if you get bit by one of these nasties.

[/quote']

haha, the idea is to STOP riding! if that is what you mean? You should get a medivac/chopper rescue immediately. Keep the patient very calm. Try to breathe slowly with the person to keep the heart rate down.

 

BUT, if you mean that you'll look like an ass with your leg in the air in those pathetic spandex tights that some MTB'ers love to don, then I hate to inform you, but it looks just as dumb when you are on the bike too!

 

oops, I'll get my coat now....!

bustthesickness2008-12-03 03:15:10

[Slave]

Frogs tase like tsieken too.

[Kranswurm]

They do taste like chicken

[Joe Low]

We're creepy & we're crawly;

Our bite will make you poorly;

Better run from Tokai, surely;

 

We're the Adder family

 

Bom, bom, bom, bom, clap, clap.

[Sammajoor]

Used to have one as an anti theft device on my Isuzu when I was in the Army.   did Environmental management.  Helped keep the affirmative shoppers away from my vehicle even in the centre of Pretoria no one wanted to guard my bakkie

[bustthesickness]

 

Used to have one as an anti theft device on my Isuzu when I was in the Army.   did Environmental management.  Helped keep the affirmative shoppers away from my vehicle even in the centre of Pretoria no one wanted to guard my bakkie

 

[Speed Devil]

A friend of mine was bitten by a puff adder....She had a baby nine months later

[Slave]

No Speed Devil, that was the one-eyed trouser snake.

 

 

[Slave]

One-eyed trouser snake.

 

Habitat.

 

Found in all known geographical areas of the world. Inhabit mens trousers and other garments worn by men ranging from loin cloths to kilts.

 

Identification:

 

Vary in size and are very rarely examples are known to reach around twelve inches. Average size is around six inches.

 

When aggravated they become agressive and are known to attack women in the lower front abdoment although recorded to attack men in the lower rear abdomen as well at times. 

 

The venom is not usually fatal but there are some documented cases of fatalities. In women, the symtoms are usually identified as morning sickness, followed by abdominal swelling which increases in size, followed by excrutiating pain after nine months. Babies usually follow this pain and afterwards, the swelling goes down markedly.

 

When teased they capable of spitting.

 

Care should be exersied particularly by men when confronted by this beast as fatalities are becoming more and more common.

 

Antidote:

 

Escape is the best know cure although antidotes vary from snake covers to medication which should be taken daily by women in particular.

 

 

 

[Sammajoor]

 

One-eyed trouser snake.

 

Habitat.

 

Found in all known geographical areas of the world. Inhabit mens trousers and other garments worn by men ranging from loin cloths to kilts.

 

Identification:

 

Vary in size and are very rarely examples are known to reach around twelve inches. Average size is around six inches.

 

When aggravated they become agressive and are known to attack women in the lower front abdoment although recorded to attack men in the lower rear abdomen as well at times. 

 

The venom is not usually fatal but there are some documented cases of fatalities. In women' date=' the symtoms are usually identified as morning sickness, followed by abdominal swelling which increases in size, followed by excrutiating pain after nine months. Babies usually follow this pain and afterwards, the swelling goes down markedly.

 

When teased they capable of spitting.

 

Care should be exersied particularly by men when confronted by this beast as fatalities are becoming more and more common.

 

Antidote:

 

Escape is the best know cure although antidotes vary from snake covers to medication which should be taken daily by women in particular.

 

 

 

[/quote']

 

Do you still have to suck out the poison

 

[L'Bie]

I heard that the other day as well. It kinda freaked me out a little as most of the Adder family are quite dangerous. 

 

MOST?? All of them are dangerous' date=' the cousins, aunts, uncles and close relatives aswell not just the Adder family.

[/quote']
Not the Night Adder, which will give you a nasty headache after a bite. But it's not fatal.

The Berg adder also has no confirmed deaths, but they are not found here. Mostly above 2000m!

[pastapouch]

No Speed Devil' date=' that was the one-eyed trouser snake.

 

 

[/quote']

 

aka the red head snake...