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Cobra vs. Mongoose - Lightning reflexes
If the Mongoose eats the cobra where does the venom go? Please comment
Posted 14 years ago by twenty2 in category: animals
Comments (7)
FriendlySocks - 14 years ago [ Reply ]
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Surely for the venom to be lethal it has to be injected into the bloodstream but if the mongoose eats the cobra then it can digest the venom without any harm? Or perhaps the mongoose has a natural immunity?

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bigbadmotherfucker - 14 years ago
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  That's exactly the same thing I first thought... 

gaah2 - 14 years ago [ Reply ]
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From Wikipedia: The Indian Mongoose and others are popularly used to fight and kill venomous snakes, including vipers. They can do this because of their agility and cunning, their thick coat, and mutations in their acetylcholine receptors which render them resistant or immune to snake venoms

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Masterkism - 14 years ago [ Reply ]
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You're confusing poison and venom, two different things. Poisons are substances that are toxic (cause harm) if swallowed or inhaled. Venoms are generally not toxic if swallowed, and must be injected under the skin (by snakes, spiders, etc.) into the tissues normally protected by skin in order to be toxic. So unless the Mongoose has some Ulcerations (open sores) in it's mouth, throat, or stomach that the venom could enter the tissue through before it can be digested the mongoose will be just fine. Please forgive any spelling errors

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screwtape - 14 years ago [ Reply ]
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Both things said are indeed true. The venom in question is a protein, therefore will be digested just like any other protein and made harmless once the venomous glands are eaten. Moreover, on an evolutionary point of view, the mongoose is typically resistant to cobra venom. And this helps in case it gets bitten (but does not play any role if the venom is swallowed, as it will be fragmented by digestive enzymes, as said before by other people)

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jakemg - 14 years ago [ Reply ]
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You're all wrong. The mongoose carefully removes the venom sacs from the snake using a #15 scalpel blade. He then calls his friends over and syncs up Dark Side of the Moon with The Wizard of Oz, and they smoke the venom. This is a commonly known fact.

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smithsc - 14 years ago [ Reply ]
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@jakemg although screwtape and Masterkism are both 100% correct, I do like your answer much better. :-) Is Ozzy there too (eating bat heads)?

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