I've heard a rumor that Kingsnakes are impervious to the effects of other snake venom (ie. from a rattlesnake). I've tried to find info on the subject via scientific papers and Google, but to no avail. Anybody out there that can back up this rumor and possible direct me to the source that has proven/disproven it? Thanks alot.

i'm not sure that they are impervious to it as much as they have a higher tolerence for it, they can take some bites from a rattle snake pretty easily, thats a good question. i dont know if this has any scientific proof on it but here is a link that talks about it.

http://whozoo.org/Intro2000/vansibor...aKingsnake.htm

Hmmm...different web sites say various things...

I found the statement that they are immune to venom on the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium web site:

http://www.calusanature.com/Animal%2.../KingSnake.htm

and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo web site says they're "highly resistant to the venom of pit vipers" : http://www.fresnochaffeezoo.com/animals/kingSnakes.html

National Geographic has a photo of a scarlet king with the information that they are "very resistant to rattlesnake venom": http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...2_snakes4.html

Without seeing actual documented evidence as to the degree of resistance or immunity, I would lean toward thinking that they are more likely to be resistant than totally immune...

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Zane Neher.

The great and strong man is one who bears within his character many contradictions.
Crocodilian care.

i have read a paper on the immunity of rattlers to their own species venom.... they died. Not that this helps much but thought I will throw it in there

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Zane Neher.

The great and strong man is one who bears within his character many contradictions.
Crocodilian care.

In my studies with marine life, and other herps, I have heard of species tolerating venom, and metabolizing venom with minimal issues, but as far as being totally immune, I have never heard that. People always confuse tolerance with immunity.

I think it is like a bee sting to a person, some people tolerate it, others could die from it, but no one is immune to it. It could also be the same as the shots people get to develop the ability to fight disease. You aren't immune to the disease after you get the shot, your body just knows how to beat it into submission and gradually fight it off after dealing with weakened or dead strains of the disease

I will have to do some digging. I'll see what I can turn up.

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TKE:TT:118

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Zane Neher.

The great and strong man is one who bears within his character many contradictions.
Crocodilian care.

First off, Poison is different than venom.

Secondly, if a Snake is bitten by a venomous snake, they would die unless they have an innate ability (in the form of antibodies) to nullify venom. Therefore, I'd say that it's an evolutionary response to eating other snakes, which includes venomous snakes.

I do appreciate your input on the analogy to disease, MRHicky. I realize that I did make the mistake of stating that Lampropeltis may have been impervious; rather they may be (more) tolerant to other snake vemon. I'm a bit skeptical on the suggestion that the snake may be resistant in the same way a human is affected differently by a bee sting (depending on the person or in the snakes case, different individuals of the same species); unless there is an authority that states otherwise.

I don't know about immunity to a bite delivered venom but since they regularly injest the venom in the practice of consuming venomous snakes it wouldn't surprise me.

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