King Cobra

King Cobra is the world's longest venomous snake. It is extremely fierce and can rapidly secrete a large amount of highly toxic venom. It preys on its own kind, so it is difficult to see other species of snakes in the territory of King Cobra. Due to various factors, it is considered one of the most dangerous and terrifying snakes in Asia.

Compared to other cobras, King Cobra is more ferocious and has extremely agile reactions. Its neck and head are flexible, making it one of the most dangerous snakes in the world. It is often found in southwestern and southern China, usually inhabiting grasslands, open slopes, and forests. Sometimes, King Cobra can also live in deserts and is known as the "Golden Snake of the Desert".

Chinese scientific name:

眼镜王蛇 (King Cobra)

Chinese aliases:

山万蛇 (Mountain Ten Thousand Snakes), 过山风波 (Mountain Wind and Waves), 大扁颈蛇 (Big Flat-necked Snake), 大眼镜蛇 (Big Spectacled Cobra), 大扁头风 (Big Flat-headed Wind), 扁颈蛇 (Flat-necked Snake), 大膨颈 (Big Puffed Neck), 吹风蛇 (Wind-blowing Snake), 过山标 (Mountain Marker), etc.

English name:

King Cobra

Binomial name:

Ophiophagus hannah

Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Chordata

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Class:

Reptilia

Subclass:

Diapsida, Lepidosauria

Order:

Squamata (formerly included in the family Elapidae, now placed in the family Colubridae)

Suborder:

Serpentes

Family:

Elapidae

Genus:

Ophiophagus

Species:

Ophiophagus hannah

Distribution:

It can be found in various regions of China, such as Yunnan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan. It is also distributed in Southern Asia and East Asia. King Cobra lives on the edges of forests at altitudes of 1800-2000 meters, near water sources.

In 1975, the number of species in India declined by 30%, due to habitat destruction and human hunting. In this situation, protecting the natural habitat of King Cobras, and preventing or eliminating the hunting of wild King Cobras, is the only hope for their survival. However, King Cobras are still not included in the national key protected wildlife list, which means they are not protected by national laws. If this continues, there is a danger of extinction for King Cobras in China.

It is recommended to raise King Cobras as pet reptiles. Generally speaking, most of the King Cobras kept as pets have had their venom glands removed, so you can feel a little more at ease when handling them. There are also some dietary considerations to keep in mind. Other than that, they are no different from wild King Cobras.

Artificially raised King Cobras are prone to gastrointestinal diseases and parasitic diseases. When suffering from diarrhea, a few tablets of tetracycline and chloramphenicol can be added to the feed for treatment. If the snake is infested with parasites and appears thin, some levamisole can be added to the feed for deworming. If the snake is infested with external parasites, a 10%-15% potassium permanganate solution can be used for spraying and deworming.

There are various parasites in the body of the King Cobra. Mild parasitic infections weaken the physical condition and can cause other diseases, while severe cases can directly lead to death.

Treatment and prevention methods:

1. Scolex is the larva of the tapeworm, and snakes are the second intermediate hosts for the scolex of Moniezia. Scolex larvae mostly parasitize under the skin and generally do not cause much harm to snakes.

If the scolex larvae parasitize under the snake's skin, the skin can be cut open with a scalpel and the larvae removed, followed by applying a 1%-2% iodine tincture to the wound. If the scolex larvae parasitize in other areas, no special treatment is needed and it can be treated when treating other parasitic infections.

2. Whipworms parasitize in the lungs and trachea of snakes and cause serious harm, leading to suffocation and death.

This type of parasite can be treated with a solution of dichlorvos for veterinary use, administered by gastric lavage at a dosage of 0.01 grams per kilogram of body weight, for 3 consecutive days.

3. Ascaris suum parasitizes in the alveolar cavity of the lungs, often densely covering the affected areas, causing the snake's lungs to become necrotic and die.

For treatment, administer 0.1-0.2 milligrams of thiabendazole per kilogram of body weight.

4. Centrocestus sinensis parasitizes in the snake's gallbladder.

5. Ticks and lice are infectious diseases caused by poor environmental sanitation in enclosures and breeding environments.

Ticks and lice can reduce the levels of serum proteins in the snake's body, transmit pathogens, cause strong irritation to the host, weaken the immune system, and often lead to systemic diseases.

King Cobra Feeding Knowledge

Like other snakes, King Cobras shed their skin every year. After female King Cobras shed their skin, they emit a scent to attract male King Cobras. Sometimes, in order to compete for mates, female King Cobras will attack each other until one is defeated.

In April each year, they usually build a nest using dried bamboo leaves. After mating for 2 months, the female snake will lay about 20-50 eggs, which take 60-80 days to hatch. The female snake will stay in the nest until the hatchlings break out of their shells, and then instinct drives her to leave to avoid eating the hatchlings. There is no clear evidence that male snakes protect the nest during the incubation period. This job is usually done by female snakes, which is unique among snakes. It is said that female King Cobras are exceptionally fierce in order to protect the nest and hatchlings. This is not groundless talk. The "Chinese Animal Records, Reptiles" has recorded observations by researchers on the egg-guarding behavior of King Cobras. Hatchlings are born venomous, with a body length of 45-50 centimeters and black and white patterns.

Key Points for Feeding King Cobras

In the wild, King Cobras mainly feed on their own kind and live animals. Therefore, many snakes dare not appear in their habitat. So what should be fed to pet King Cobras?

Whether it is a pet or a breeding King Cobra, frogs and loaches should be raised. You can also feed them according to the method of feeding chickens, with slaughterhouse waste from pigs, cattle, chickens, and ducks. First, cut the waste into small pieces and cook them, then store them at regular intervals and quantities. During the peak selling season in the market, you can first release some live chicks, ducklings, frogs, etc. a day in advance and feed them 1-2 times a day until they are full.

King Cobras eat live animals, and they should gradually transition to animal waste and feed as their main food source, and pay attention to timely replacement of feed.