Duvernoy's gland (thought this was a good read)

[EasternGirl]

An interesting topic. Steve recently sent me a book on medical uses of venom...awesome book. In the book the author does discuss the Duvernoy's gland and the fact that snakes with this gland can actually be classified as venomous, although they do little actual damage. The book cites a couple of cases in which people bit more than once...over an extended period of time...began to show symtoms, including systemic symptoms of envenomation. The author states that it is actually envenomation that occurs and not an allergic reaction (we actually had a discussion on here about this before). He states that the venom produces from the gland actually helps in subduing prey upon ingestion. I know that I am allergic to just about everything. Even carefresh makes me get red and itchy. But, I have been bit by my snakes many times recently...enough to draw blood...and I have never had any kind of reaction to date.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

That's the thing i've noticed with mine after being bitten many times that i never have a reaction, but this one time when she thought my finger was food and she chewed for at least a minute and worked her rear teeth in good and that's when i had a reaction and i have very few allergies so im thinking that it was envenomation. I cleaned the area very well with alcohol and put neosporin on it, but it starting swelling almost immediately.

an interesting topic. Steve recently sent me a book on medical uses of venom...awesome book. In the book the author does discuss the duvernoy's gland and the fact that snakes with this gland can actually be classified as venomous, although they do little actual damage. The book cites a couple of cases in which people bit more than once...over an extended period of time...began to show symtoms, including systemic symptoms of envenomation. The author states that it is actually envenomation that occurs and not an allergic reaction (we actually had a discussion on here about this before). I know that i am allergic to just about everything. Even carefresh makes me get red and itchy. But, i have been bit by my snakes many times recently...enough to draw blood...and i have never had any kind of reaction to date.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Attachment 7474Attachment 7475 SHAWN'S PICS 2 169.jpg

I didn't think to take pictures or do a thread about it until i talked to steve on the phone and he suggested i take some pics of the area, but this was like 4 days after the bite. I did get some pics, but at this point it was almost healed so it's hard to tell by the pics.

[jaleely]

An interesting topic. Steve recently sent me a book on medical uses of venom...awesome book. In the book the author does discuss the Duvernoy's gland and the fact that snakes with this gland can actually be classified as venomous, although they do little actual damage. The book cites a couple of cases in which people bit more than once...over an extended period of time...began to show symtoms, including systemic symptoms of envenomation. The author states that it is actually envenomation that occurs and not an allergic reaction (we actually had a discussion on here about this before). He states that the venom produces from the gland actually helps in subduing prey upon ingestion. I know that I am allergic to just about everything. Even carefresh makes me get red and itchy. But, I have been bit by my snakes many times recently...enough to draw blood...and I have never had any kind of reaction to date.

Very good post!

Yes they have duvernoy's gland, and rear fangs, which in a "threat" bite do not have a chance to "chew" with and envenomate you...however if they think you're food you're in for it!
Also the saliva being an anticoagulant is under speculation. I'll have to look that one up specifically for garters.

I have been bitten by my garters but they are still so small they don't even break the skin...and now are so used to their actual food they've improved their aim to go right for that lol

I have however been chewed on twice by one of my hognose snakes. They are rear fanged and have a duvernoy's gland with poor delivery as well (no hollow teeth or groves in the fangs to deliver into the wound). First time i let him chew too long because it was funny...and i wanted a photo LOL he was just a baby, and i didn't expect it...this was of course due to lack of education.
Second time he bit me, i was holding him while i cleaned out his cage and apparently....i still smelled like FISH from feeding the garters!!! He was much bigger this time, got a really squishy bite on my fatty finger, so it got right in the back there. I held him underwater thinking he'd let go...and just kept holding him thinking..okay dude it's not food, you need to breathe, let go! But he wouldn't!! Stared right at my face the whole time and all it did was make him bite harder. I finally had to have my hubby come help me unhook him from my finger (which was a last resort as i didn't want to hurt him).

Anyway, I get into this because their bites are the same as a garter's would be. So the first time, i had some numbing and swelling on my thumb near the site. The puncture marks actually got little blisters on them. There was no bleeding.
The second time...my entire hand had swollen up, almost to my elbow. There was immidiate swelling, and i took photos. No excessive bleeding. In fact no bleeding but just a tiny bit after we got him off.
He got to chew a long time, AND it was the second time i'd had the venom in my system, so the reaction was pretty strong.

Anyway, needless to say i learned a bit about the duvernoy's gland that day. I missed two days of work because i couldn't TYPE in the office LOL kind of not funny, but also kind of funny.
I'm much more careful with him now. The first time i didn't know what he was doing when he wanted to bite me, the second time i wasn't looking at him to see his interest. He's the little jerk i can't get to eat mice actually..he only wants FISH lol