It’s been quite a while since the SkinNYC took a look at the freaky and scary side of the animal kingdom. In most cases, anything that’s scary in nature usually comes wrapped up in ugly, freaky, creepy or just plain strange. In the case of snakes; the topic of today’s discussion, there are many well known species that could plausibly be contenders today. Take the anaconda, the largest constrictor in the world, or the rattlesnake, known for their deadly bite and unique rattle. There’s even the whole burmese python scare. But alas, none of these legless reptiles made the cut. Today I decided to go for a more exotic snake, specifically the bush viper.
No doubt you’ve never even head of the bush viper. It’s a snake that lives in subsaharan Africa, and is arboreal, which means it lives mainly in trees. One of the few things that sets bush vipers a part from other snakes is that they are surprisingly beautiful! They come in a wide variety of colors, all the way from black to verdant green to bright red. Another thing that is odd about these vipers is that unlike other reptiles they give birth to live young, and do not lay eggs.
Their beauty has made them quite the commodity in the exotic pet trade, where there are a large amount of snake fanatics, like this man on Animal Planet.
One thing that’s not so obvious though, is that the bush viper has a deadly venomous bite! Because these snakes are so rare, it was thought that their bites were actually less dangerous than that of other snakes, but new information has proven that wrong. A bush viper’s bite causes pain, swelling, and intense hemmoraging.
Now with a venom that strong, you’re likely expecting a pretty big snake. Nope! Some of the largest species of bush vipers reach 30 inches, which is less than three feet! Most species fit easily in the palm of your hand as an adult! Just think about that the next time you go to pick up a tiny animal that looks pretty! The bush viper is a perfect example of why looks can be deceiving!
One brave owner of a bush viper even posted a video of his little deadly pet:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wfKNrLJjTw[/youtube]