Let me just start off by saying that this is by far the cutest venomous animal I have written a post about. The southern short-tailed shrew is a small, gray, mouse-looking mammal found on the eastern part of the United States. It looks like a rodent; however, it is a member of the order Soricomorpha. They have a long, pointed snout and ears you can barely see because of the fur they are covered in.
Shrews are commonly found in forests and meadows away from society. They eat insects, snails, scorpions, rodents and reptiles. Their venomous saliva is injected into the wounds of their prey with their teeth. With the strength of their venom, they can kill animals up to their size, like mice for example. Humans will not die from being bitten, but they can be in a severe amount of pain.
In 1889, C.J. Maynard shares his story when he got bitten twice by one on his right hand. He says, “The burning sensation, first observed, predominated in the immediate vicinity of the wounds, but was now greatly intensified, accompanied by shooting pains, radiating in all directions from the punctures but more especially running along the arm, and in half an hour, they had reached as high as the elbow.” Does that disturb you too?
A platypus is a long and skinny, duck-billed, beaver-tailed and otor-footed semi-aquatic mammal from eastern Australia. It’s probably going to be one of the most strangest things you’ll ever see. Definitely something you’ll want to walk up to. But wait, they’re venomous.
They have great advantages over their prey. First, they’re fast swimmers. It’s been recorded that a platypus can swim up to 40 feet per minute. Second, they can detect electrical fields generated by their muscular contractions. Lastly, they have sharp stingers located on the heels of their rear feet that deliver venom capable of severely hurting humans.
The pain a human goes through is excruciating and can last for months. There’s a chance of getting edema, effusion of fluid into body cavities. The infected area will be swollen and lumpy, overall just uncomfortable. Furthermore, they are venomous enough to kill animals the size of a dog. At least they can’t kill you, right?
In Tennessee, there are four venomous snakes you should be watching out for. A few weeks ago, I wrote about one of them. For this week, I chose to write about the timber rattlesnake because I didn’t know there were rattlesnakes here.
A timber rattlesnake can be up to 74 inches with a triangular head, vertical eyes and heat-sensitive pits. The color of their body can be yellow, gray, brown or black. Across their back you will find V-shaped crossbands unless their color is too dark to see them. When they are young, their tail is only a small button that later grows. When older, their tail will have a rattle that will create a buzzing sound when vibrated.
Be careful when going into forests, for timber rattlesnakes like the thick atmosphere a forest has. They hunt at night for mice, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, moles, weasels and birds. When starting to feel threatened, they shake their tail as loud as they can, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to miss. They are not the most aggressive snakes, and a bite from them is rare. Nevertheless, their bite is venomous, and I’m sure there are a few surprisingly aggressive ones in some of the forests. Have you ever seen a snake while in a forest?
There are many different types of cone snails living in oceans all around the world. They live in tidal waters, coral reefs and mangroves. Usually, found under the sand with their siphon sticking out.
All of them are poisonous to a point and are the size of average-sized shells. The most dangerous type uses their harpoon-like teeth and poisonous gland to hunt other fish while the others eat worms or molluscs. They have an arm-like proboscis with a harpoon tip that injects enough venom to paralyze and at times kill a human.
If you ever get the chance to be around one or catch one, I advice you not to hold it. There have been many cases in which people die from picking them up completely unaware that they are dangerous. They are actually one of the world’s most deadliest venomous creatures.
It just shows how you can never be too careful when it comes to unknown creatures or different looking things. Cone snails are tricky because they really do look like shells. Next time you are at the ocean keep a lookout for any warning signs and be aware of what you get close to. Have you ever heard a story about a cone snail in the paper or on the news?
I don’t like spiders, but if I have a shoe and there’s one on the ground, it’s going to die. I’ve never seen a because they are mostly found in South America, but if I did I would have trouble getting anywhere near it. Tarantulas are the biggest spiders ranging from the size of a dime to a dinner plate. They have 8 legs, are usually hairy and have two scary fangs.
You’ll rarely come across them on account of the fact they roam around desserts and rainforests. They prey on insects, rodents and even small birds! They are a lot faster than you’d think; therefore, they sneak up on you and attack vigorously. Venom is then injected into the victim’s bloodstream, and the spider sucks the insides out. One more advantage they have is their fur, it comes off easy and can leave an animal very itchy.
Many people believe a tarantula can kill you; that’s only the case if you are allergic. Realistically, their bite is no more harmful than a bee sting for most people. Once in a while, you’ll see one in the bananas of a grocery store. The chances are very slim, so I wouldn’t worry about it. However, don’t underestimate them. Remember, they are speedy and have a sharp bite. Did you think one bite could kill you?
Most people view lizards as colorful, curious little creatures. Most of them are harmless, but there is one little-known species with venom strong enough to seriously injure or even kill an adult human. The Gila monster, a fat, pink, venomous lizard that can grow to up to two feet long, is slow and sluggish; therefore, it does not usually pose a threat to humans.
It lives in remote areas and avoids encounters with man. However, if bitten, a human can suffer pain, dizziness, nausea, paralysis and in extreme cases, death. The Gila monster is native to the southwestern United States and the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. Beware when visting the Grand Canyon! Have you ever seen a Gila monster?
You may never see a tsetse fly because they only live in Africa, but I want to write a post about them because they kill up to 250,000 victims a year. They transmit a disease called trypanosomiasis, an infection in the nervous system, through their saliva. After they bite an animal or person who has the disease, their next bite will infect someone or something, if it’s not infected already. When activity in the forest disturbs them, they move to more populated areas. This insect has been taken more seriously in past years. If you ever do go to Africa, you can prevent this disease by using insect repellent, wearing thick clothes and avoid wearing bright colors.
The Western cottonmouth is a venemous snake most commonly found in north central Texas. Since they live in the water, people mistaken them for harmless water snakes. Cottonmouths are about two to three feet long with a flat head, upward snout, thick body and thin tail. Their color varies from brown to black with a pale stripe starting behind their eyes to the back of their head. Throughout Texas, cottonmouths have been seen in many aquatic environments including swamps, streams, lakes, ponds and rivers. They prey on fish, salamanders, turtles, frogs, birds, other water snakes and sometimes road kill. When a cottonmouth feels threatened it moves its tail and squirts a musk. It is their wide-open-mouthed warning that gives them their title as a cottonmouth. Only one person a year dies from a cottonmouth, but the snake’s bite is painful and medically harmful. They are found in Tennessee, so be careful when you are near any body of water.
Fire ants travel long distances together following the Queen Ant. When they stop in the desired area, they eliminate all other insects in the region. The land they choose usually has a high population of people. An estimated 40 million people are near fire ants almost every day. Fire ants respond most aggresively when their territory is bothered and will sometimes attack in groups of hundreds. They have a powerful bite and a stinger located in their abdomen. The sting will cause a red mark, later turning into a blister. The worst pain is when the sting occurs, but you may experience itchiness after; however, if the blister pops, an infection is possible. Since fire ants are common, wear thicker clothing when outdoors or maybe use some insect repellent.
Octopuses are known as cute sea creatures with eight legs. Well, that’s how I see them anyway. And an octopus the size of a golf ball with blue rings all over it may look harmless but has enough poison to kill twenty-six humans in minutes. These beautiful-looking creatures are found around the reefs of Australia and the western Indo-Pacific. When at rest, they’re a light brown or yellow color. Their blue rings light up as a warning for when they feel threatened. Once the blue-ringed octopus bites into its prey, it starts to inject toxic saliva. The bite doesn’t feel deadly, but it rapidly weakens your muscles, causes numbness, then stops your breathing. As for reproducing, the male transfers his sperm packets into the female’s. Her eggs are delivered in unattached clumps, and after the eggs hatch she dies. So if you ever are in the presence of this octopus, stay cautious and don’t touch them.
Poisonous animals and insects 