Burrowing asp(Atractaspis bibronii

[MrG]

Great post.
A few years ago a friend of BV also thought she was handling a wolf snake and ended up in hospital. I thought on that day, one would learn not to just pick up any snake. Guess what, a few months later the same happened again.

[vuduman]

Yes,the Atractaspis is the only one that has the short blunt tail with the terminal spine protruding through the tip of the tail.You can clearly see it in the third photo,comparing it to the more tapered tail of the wolfsnake.The Natal black snake is a more bulky snake and is usually very docile and the tongue is red.

[Puff the Magic Adder]

Very useful info that! Atractaspis has always been one of the harder snakes to accurately identify.

Another interesting fact I heard about these snakes is that they have the longest fangs in proportion to head size of any snake.
They've also had quite a taxonomical trip around different snake families. They once fell under Viperidae (Mole Adders, or Burrowing Adders), but other than being solenoglyphous they bear no resemblance to vipers at all. So they were moved to Colubridae, but that wasn't correct either. Now they've got their own family - Atractaspididae, which also now includes Centipede Eaters and Harlequin Snakes (and Natal Black Snakes too I think... not 100% sure there) Stiletto Snake, or Bibron's Stiletto Snake are their most popular common name these days.

I suppose they can be safely tubed, but I guess there is no safe way of dealing with the business end of these guys.
How well do they react to tongs?

[Jamster]

Ive only ever handled them once with a long pair of forceps, either they wriggle or they coil and uncoil rapidly. Just have to be careful not to hurt them by sqeazing too hard.

[Rishaad]

Awesome pics and great info dude. Well done.

[vuduman]

Thanks guys.And special thanks to Puff the magic adder for your contribution.
Im sure that there are alot of herpers out there that has been tagged by this one.Im one of them too.It was my very first venomous snakebite.

There is another old Afrikaans name for the too witch I think is a very good description :"sy pik slang" Side striking snake(direct translation)

The ones I'm keeping stays on a hookstick,but I prefer to use a little cage grabstick on them as sometimes they move out of control.
I don't think these snakes gets the respect that they deserve and I'm sure there are still lots to learn about them.

[Durban Keeper]

I once made the huge mistake of picking a stiletto up. It was the fists one I had ever seen. I gripped it mid body between my thumb and index finger and placed it flat on my other hand. The person who these snakes belong to was herping along with me. I must have held the snake for 15 or 20 seconds when I heard him shouting 'what the F*** are you doing' i got such a frigt I just dropped it. I feel incredibly lucky. I happened to find the only chilled stiletto in SA.

[vuduman]

I think, so many people has been bitten by stiletto snakes that the true figure will be alarming.If you ask someone"do you know stiletto snakes?"In most cases if they do know it,it's because they took a bite form one before.
I knew a guy who was herping with me,that took two drybites in one day by two different stilettosnakes!His gaurdian angels where working hard that day!
And I never took him herping with me again.lol

[Hennie]

You will also know Stilettos if you did BV's course. LOL

[Bushviper]

You will also know Stilettos if you did BV's course. LOL

Yip I have a number of photos taken of bites from this species. Every year the number of photos grows.

[elizebekker]

My brother was bitten by one last night. Is suffering in hospital in Newcastle. There was a veld fire and it was on its way into their house. His 8-year old son nearly picked it up (behind the neck etc. - farm boy who has seen his dad do this with a "molslang"'. Fortunately my brother jumped forward but was then bitten himself. I spoke to the ICU nurse this morning and she said "the poor man - I have given him every conceivable painkiller but nothing is helping. He says it feels like there is a burning lighter under the finger." Fortunately he killed the snake and my sister-in-law made him take it along when they drove to town.

[Graeme]

Shame, that's terrible. Holding thumbs for him and hoping he gets well soon.

[Bushviper]

Elizebekker I am sorry to hear that. Trying to pick this species up by the neck will get your bitten. The pain will subside but he should be okay.

Dont let the doctors cut the finger at all. Even if it looks beyond hope get a second or third opinion before allowing amputation.

When your brother gets home make sure he does not have alcohol for quite a while as his liver is taking strain at the moment.

[haree]

Its all about the poison....Well you really captured great views and I really like to your work.
Keep it up and keep sharing.

[vuduman]

Thank you haree