Poisonous snakes can definitely cause fear and some of the most negative feelings towards some this crawling part of the animal world. The toxic secretion of poisonous snakes has such a lethal impact that it can kill one in less than thirty minutes, not to mention the chances of losing eye sight if venom gets into your eyes. Though the risk of bites remains high when you accidentally come across them, poisonous snakes are creatures like all others but rely on their venom to survive: snakes only bite to hunt or defend themselves . The rest of the negative aura surrounding snakes comes from a faulty perception nurtured by ancient myths.

The venom structure difficulty is amazing: the paralysis and eventual death of the prey are caused by a smart blending of proteins and toxins. The toxin weakens the muscles, the lungs and the heart, and starting from this action mode scientists have classified poisonous snakes into species that destroy blood vessels and start an unstoppable hemorrhage, venomous species that paralyze the heart and, last but not least, others that only cause excruciating muscle pain. The poisonous snakes with the most terrifying of reputations are corals closely followed by cobras.

The complex structure of the snake venom still fascinates scientists, and lots of tests are still conducted on it. The only remedy for poisonous snakes bites is the emergency antivenin administration. There are however some factors that influence the victim's chances of staying alive: thus, knowing the type of snake that caused the bite and its exact location prove crucial. If too much time lapses between the moment of the bite and the administration of the antivenin, the victim will suffer extensive health damage or even die. Furthermore, Sometimes patients showed allergic reactions to both the venom and the antidote, increasing the lethal exposure even more.

Rattlesnakes cause most of the bites in the United States, yet lethal outcomes of such incidents have become a rarity in our times since medical help is not a problem anymore. The water moccasin, the copperhead and the cottonmouth belong to the same poisonous family as the rattlesnake; they are highly poisonous snakes which you should avoid by all means possible. Snake phobia could thus be developed because of a dangerous encounter with some poisonous snakes or this excessive fear can have roots in sociological ancestral beliefs that are manifest even with people who have never come across a snake in their life.

The snake is also a symbol not just an animal people feel abhorred by. The representations of snakes in our arts and cultures go back to the ancient mythical beliefs. Thus, regardless of the types of snake varieties, we are talking about important elements of ecosystems, with a well-established role in the development of certain species, and secondly they remain figurative spokesmen of profound meanings. Their hunting mice and rats limits the risk of pest and prevents the over-breeding of these rodents. Yet, in the ancient traditions, types of snake worshiping did exist, with the serpent representing deities, or the immutable circle of life and death or wisdom.

All types of snake-related beliefs have been identified around the globe: for the ancient Greeks the snake was the symbol of fertility; Mesopotamians and Semites considered this animal immortal because it moulted and it rejuvenated its appearance periodically; Indians, Siamese and Burmese considered the snake the embodiment of a demon that is not entirely bad.