Intriguingly, opossums shrug off snake bite venom with no ill effects. Claire F. Komives, Ph. D., who is at San Jose State University, explains that initial studies showing the opossum's immunity to
Opossums eat fruits, snakes (opossums are immune to all types of snake venom, except that of the coral snake), insects, snails, slugs, eggs, mice, rats, fish, frogs, crayfish, carrion and TICKS!
So far scientists fully understand venom resistance in only four mammals - mongooses, honey badgers, hedgehogs and pigs - as well as several snakes. The golden poison frog is one of the most toxic animals on Earth, deadly to almost all animals except one.
Antivenom (often spelled “antivenin”) is an antibody product that can disable a particular venom's toxins. If injected quickly after a bite or sting, the antibodies in antivenom neutralize the venom, potentially saving the victim's life or limb.
And while they're not totally immune to rabies, they rarely carry it. As a marsupial, possums have a lower body temperature than most other mammals, so their bodies don't provide a suitable environment for the virus.
On the bright side, opossums are very unlikely to carry rabies. Their body temperature is too low for the rabies virus to thrive in, thus they are less prone to the disease. Speaking of resistance, opossums are immune to some heavy-duty snake venoms.
While it is unlikely for possums to transmit rabies, they are known disease carriers. Their bodies harbour germs and pathogens that can cause illnesses. Leptospirosis is one of the diseases transmitted through the urine or other body fluids of infected possums. The disease is harmful to both pets and humans.
Vinegar: Vinegar is effective at repelling snakes near bodies of water including swimming pools. Pour white vinegar around the perimeter of any body of water for a natural snake repellent.
Sea snake venom is extremely stable. Research has shown that boiling for 30 minutes and dissolving venom in both acidic and basic solutions to a pH range of 1 to 11, respectively, did not significantly change LD50 levels after administration in rats.
Recent studies have found that Mucuna pruriens leaves are more effective than the standard drug, anti-venin, for curing snakebite.
We have noted at Walkabout Park that most kangaroos bitten by snakes are hand-raised kangaroos. We have seen a disproportionately larger number of hand-raised kangaroos bitten, relative to wild raised kangaroos.
The antivenom relies on a sequence of just 11 amino acids, copied from an opossum protein.
Anti-venom is most often made from sheep's blood. The sheep swelled for about 2 days but the blood of the lamb destroyed the venom of the serpent.
In 2015, a family in Brisbane photographed a similar incident. It was the second python-vs-possum report from that year. Small animals like rats, birds and possums make up the bulk of the carpet python's diet, although younger snakes usually prefer to dine on lizards.
The most poisonous animal in the world lives off the coast of Australia: the box jellyfish. This jellyfish - also known as cube jellyfish or stinger - has 15 long tentacles that are full of deadly poison.
Milk is not a remedy or antidote for poisons, nor does it protect the stomach from an ingested chemical or toxin.
If there's a family of snakes you don't want to anger, it would be the vipers. While these snakes don't always have the most deadly bites, they have the most painful ones. Van Wallach of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology has had several viper bites; the worst one, he said, "came from an African bush viper.
The study found that venom samples stored for 35 years were stable, with only a few enzymes showing any sign of degradation. The research also suggests that snake venom from specific species does not vary over time or with location.
In locations where water is scarce, a diluted solution of nicotine sulphate is a good poison. Strychnine in eggs works for snakes that raid poultry houses. Calcium cyanide is a good chemical for killing snakes taking refuge in burrows, while there are several gases that sometimes work in fumigating dens.
Garlic and onions.
Garlic and onions not only work when planted in your yard, but they also work as a natural snake repellent product as they both contain sulfonic acid which is known to repel snakes. Chop up both garlic and onions and mix them with rock salt. Sprinkle the mixture around your yard to repel snakes.
Cinnamon Oil: Cinnamon oil is a natural repellent that can be used to keep snakes away because it contains cinnamaldehyde, which snakes find unpleasant.
Do not feed possums almonds, cheese, onions, dairy products, green potatoes or junk food. Put food in containers in high, sheltered areas.
Possums are repelled by the stench of garlic, ammonia and mothballs. So go ahead and scatter those around where you think possums might hang out. Garlic works best when it's crushed. If you decide to use ammonia, be careful!
Opossums also keep rats and cockroaches at bay by competing with them for food. In fact, it's common for opossums to kill cockroaches and rats if they find them in their territory." Not only do they take care of pests, they do so without spreading disease to humans.