Venomous Lizards... anyone else heard this??

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Dovii
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Aug 4, 2008
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I remember reading an article in NatGeo, directed there by a fellow MFK'er, that stated that Monitors, Agamids (ie Beardies), Iguanids, and Legless Lizards all posess semi-developed venom glands. It said that the most venomous are the Lace and Timor Monitors, and their bite only causes numbness and tingling in the area around the bite site, as in, a bite on the hand would make your arm tingle. Anyone else heard this?:eek:
 
Technically, anything with specialized Protein in their Saliva can be considered "Venomous".........And it makes your arm tingle because you just got your ass kicked by a Lizard.......Don't read that far into it........
 
I know a few have bacteria(Maybe the protein Eric is talking about) in their saliva, that cause infections when bit.
 
EricIvins;4162607; said:
Technically, anything with specialized Protein in their Saliva can be considered "Venomous".........And it makes your arm tingle because you just got your ass kicked by a Lizard.......Don't read that far into it........
Click to expand...

This research was conducted by Bryan Greg Fry from nat geo and he is saying that there are signs specialized venom glands developing beyond just producing proteins that break down the food to proteins that are actually developed to attack the nervous system or muscular systems of their prey. I was bit by an adult Blue tail monitor last year and was swollen for three days with limited movement in that hand. There were no signs of infection either.
I know that his research is accurate.

Read his paper before you start bashing it.
 
That's interesting...None of these venoms are developed enough to be of much of a worry though, correct? Obviously if a bite was enough to swell up your hand, there'd be some discomfort, but nothing to call a doctor about?
 
correct. it certainly is not anything lethal.
 
snakeguy101;4162760; said:
This research was conducted by Bryan Greg Fry from nat geo and he is saying that there are signs specialized venom glands developing beyond just producing proteins that break down the food to proteins that are actually developed to attack the nervous system or muscular systems of their prey. I was bit by an adult Blue tail monitor last year and was swollen for three days with limited movement in that hand. There were no signs of infection either.
I know that his research is accurate.

Read his paper before you start bashing it.
Click to expand...

I've read it, so what?.......I was just bit by a hatchling Caimen today, and my finger is swollen 4x its normal size and I can't move it either........The same thing has happend with numerous other Reptiles, none of which have even rudementary venom glands..........I've also never had an infection from any Reptile bite, even with the nasty carrion feeders.......
 
So you're basing your conclusion on a bite from a lizard, while disagreeing with a study written by someone who holds a Ph.D in Biochemistry and has devoted the majority of his research towards the study of the evolution of venom in reptiles...?
 
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