Do snakes run out of venom?

Webster’s dictionary describes Venom as “a toxin injected by snakes and other animals either for defense or to attack an adversary.” There are more than 3000 types of snakes in the world, and only about 25% (around 600) are venomous. Venom is from any creature created in their bodies from digestive enzymes found in the stomach. Each venomous creature creates its own specific type of venom. A spider’s venom is a nothing more than the enzymes secreted in their own stomachs. Spraying or injecting insects with the venom turns them into a gooey substance that is easy for the spider to eat. Insects mainly use venom as a defense, although some types of wasp will sting their prey to paralyze it. Stinging insects use a pure type of formic acid (the simplest form of carboxylic acid) and injected through their stings to cause an unpleasant stinging or burning sensation.

Amphibians use their venom as a different kind of defense. Their venom is secreted or “sweated “out glands and pushed through their skin. This protects them by making them taste bad to predators. There are also certain rare mammals, like the platypus. It has a spur like claw that secrete dangerous cural venom that leaves their victim temporarily incapacitated. There are also certain Bats, rat like, creatures, and apes that can secret a type of venom as well. This brings us to the most well known venomous creatures- reptiles. Snakes venom is most often used as an offense. Snake are usually slower and weaker than their prey and need to find a way to subdue it quickly. Venom is way take down prey quickly with little risk to the snake. Snake venom comes in two categories referred to as hemotoxicity and neurotoxicity.

Hemotoxic venom uses the blood stream as a direct avenue to the internal organs, upon attach it causes massive organ shutdowns in the victim’s body.
Neurotoxin venom, as the name implies, attaches to your nervous system. It works to immobilize you quickly, and is considered the more deadly of the two.



Most people fear snakebites, and believe all snakes to be deadly. In truth, a snake’s fangs do not contain any venom on their own. Snakes create venom in two glands located on the top of the snakes head. Each gland attaches directly to a small duct positioned at the end of each fang. Because venom ducts are not a storage chamber, the snake must hold on to its victim to continue injecting venom. If cornered or seriously frightened, as snake will use their bite as a defense mechanism as well. Snakes do not use venom unless they have to. Using of venom whether defensive or offensive comes with a hefty price tag. Using Venom expends lot of energy to make and a long time to replenish the supply. To make more venom, a snake must ingest a good meal, and rest for quite a while.

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Do snakes run out of venom?

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