They average around 2 feet (61 cm) in length and are one of the smallest poisonous snakes in their range.Mar 10, 2016[1]
Are Viper Snakes In The Us?
Occuring worldwide, this family of dangerously venomous snakes include about 290 species. Seventeen of the 19 venomous snakes in the United States belong to the Viperidae. They are represented by three genera: Agkistrodon, the copperheads and cottonmouths, as well as Crotalus and Sistrurus, the rattlesnakes.[2]
Do Vipers Live In America?
All the vipers found in North America are in the subfamily of pit vipers (Crotalinae) having a pair of heat sensing pits located between each eye and nostril. The rattlesnakes are a truly American family of pit vipers since they are not found in the Old World and all but two species are found in the U.S. or Mexico.[3]
Where Do Vipers Live In The Usa?
Striking fear into the heart of early settlers and modern-day residents alike, these snakes serve important functions in local ecosystems and thrive in the hot, arid lands of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.[4]
Are There Pit Vipers In The Usa?
Pit vipers are the largest group of venomous snakes in the United States and are involved in an estimated 150,000 bites annually of dogs and cats. Approximately 99% of all venomous snake bites in the United States are inflicted by pit vipers.[5]
What Are The Poisonous Snakes In Oklahoma Pit Viper
In Oklahoma, only seven species of snakes are poisonous and potentially toxic to humans, the copperhead, cottonmouth, plus the rattlesnakes: western diamondback rattlesnake, western pigmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, prairie rattlesnake, and western massasauga. All seven species belong to the pit viper family.[6]
Are There Pit Vipers In Oklahoma?
Pit vipers are the only Oklahoma snakes with retractable fangs in the tops of their mouths. The fangs are used to inject venom for killing prey and as a means of defense. Pit vipers have elliptical pupils like cats while Oklahoma nonvenomous snakes, except the Texas night snake, have round pupils like humans.[7]
How Poisonous Is A Pit Viper?
Large amounts of venom usually cause severe pain and severe swelling. You may have trouble breathing, moderate to severe bleeding, and signs of shock after this type of bite.[8]
What Are The 7 Venomous Snakes In Oklahoma?
The venomous snakes of Oklahoma include:Western Massasauga Rattlesnake.Prairie Rattlesnake.Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake.Timber Rattlesnake.Western Pygmy Rattlesnake.Copperhead.Cottonmouth.[9]
How Cna Viper Snakes Catch Animals In The Dark
A thin membrane within these receptors connects to the brain at the optic nerve, and having two of these front-facing organs helps them to triangulate in total darkness the direction and distance of warm-blooded prey, which radiate infrared.Jan 25, 2018[10]
How Do Snakes Find Prey In The Dark?
Snakes can ‘see’ in the dark thanks to protein channels that are activated by heat from the bodies of their prey. Vipers, pythons and boas have holes on their faces called pit organs, which contain a membrane that can detect infrared radiation from warm bodies up to one metre away.[11]
Do Vipers Hunt At Night?
Most pit vipers hunt at night when the air is cooler and the heat from rodents and other prey is most obvious to them. The ‘heat picture’ from larger animals will tell the snake that a quick escape is a good idea, too![12]
How Do Vipers Catch Their Prey?
Venom travels down through the follow teeth to be injected into prey as the viper bites. Vipers can rotate their fangs together or independently, which allows them to wait until the last second to erect their fangs.[13]
Can A Snake Be In The Dark?
Certain species of snake – think pit vipers, boa constrictors and pythons, among others – are able to find and capture prey with uncanny accuracy, even in total darkness.Oct 21, 2020[14]
Resources
[1]https://www.livescience.com/54023-vipers.html
[2]http://www.herpedia.com/snakes/viperidae.html
[3]https://sites.pitt.edu/~mcs2/herp/SoNA.html
[4]https://animals.mom.com/types-pit-viper-snakes-american-southwest-6501.html
[5]https://veteriankey.com/snake-bite-north-american-pit-vipers/
[6]https://www.laketexoma.com/news–outdoors–Is-There-Really-a-Snake-Season-in-Oklahoma-and-Texas/7369
[7]https://www.noble.org/news/publications/ag-news-and-views/2008/june/learn-to-recognize-venomous-snakes/
[8]https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx%3Fhwid%3Dth1427
[9]https://oklahomapoison.org/prevention/animals
[10]https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/news-posts/pit-vipers-can-detect-prey-via-heat
[11]https://www.nature.com/articles/news.2010.122
[12]https://www.kidzone.ws/lw/snakes/facts11.htm
[13]https://www.livescience.com/54023-vipers.html
[14]https://uh.edu/news-events/stories/2020/october-2020/10212020sharma-snake-vision.php