The only truly accurate way to identify most snakes is by counting the rows of scales across the back at mid-body, and noting the pattern of scales on the head and tail.Ī few have body shapes that are quite distinctive, and some scale patterns are unique, but in general colour is very variable. Members of this family are all venomous, with relatively short fixed fangs at the front of the jaw. Taipans belong to the Elapidae family of snakes. The Inland Taipan is also known as the Fierce Snake, the Small-scaled Snake, or the Western Taipan. Put it all together and the scientific name translates as ‘small-scaled sharp-tail’. The species name ‘microlepidotus’ comes from the Greek ‘micros’ meaning ‘small’ and ‘lepis’ meaning ‘scale’. He recommended that, rather than snakes, people choose more social creatures to keep as pets.The genus name ‘Oxyuranus’ derives from the Greek words ‘oxis’ meaning sharp and ‘oura’ meaning ‘tail’. It might take weeks for the teenage snake wrangler to recover, Penning said. 'However, it does not neutralize the damage that has already taken place.' 'The anti-venom neutralizes the toxins and prevents further damage,' Penning said. Even then, the patient would require extensive medical support to recover from such an incident. 'But I have yet to read a news story about someone being bitten by a snake they didn't know was there.' The road to recoveryĪnti-venom exists to treat poisoning from this snake's bite, but according to Penning, the antidote must be administered very quickly. 'In my experience, a huge majority of situations that I see is an individual seeking to handle the animal, and in doing so, they can get bitten,' Penning said. Penning added that it's extremely rare and unlikely, if not impossible, for someone to be bitten by a snake such as the inland taipan accidentally - for example, if a person were to stumble upon the animal in nature.

I see a venomous bite from a snake as a sort of last resort.' It's a really expensive thing to create, and they are trying to use it conservatively. 'Besides, the venom is really expensive for them. 'I worked in a venom lab for four years, and I can tell you that every venomous snake I have ever met wants to be left alone,' Penning said. The inland taipan is naturally rather shy and, if given a chance, would do anything to avoid a human, he said. Though these snakes have a deadly bite, there is no reason to demonize these creatures, which are native to eastern Australia, Penning said. After that, people will experience further complications, such as hemorrhaging or ventilation shutdown,' meaning they stop breathing. 'The actual time depends on how much venom has been delivered and also on the individual person, but the first hour is really critical. 'If someone gets bitten by this type of snake, they need to get to the hospital as fast as possible,' Penning said. And hemotoxins will affect the blood's ability to clot, leading to internal bleeding and organ damage, he said. Within an hour of being bitten, a person will start experiencing symptoms such as slurred speech, seizures, difficulty breathing or an inability to control his or her limbs. Neurotoxins affect a person's ability to control his or her body, Penning said.

'Its poison has a conglomerate of different types of venom properties, including neurotoxins and hemotoxins, which attack the body on multiple levels,' Penning said. One reason the snake's venom is extremely potent is that it combines two types of toxic components that start affecting the human body very soon after entering the person's system.

Images of inland taipan