Horned poisonous snake. Horned snake. Habitats of the Persian horned viper

Horned viper (Cerastes cerastes)

Class - reptiles
Order - scaly

Family - viper

Genus - real vipers

Appearance

The horned viper is a snake 60-80 cm long, with a thick body and a sharply narrowed short tail. One sharp vertical scale sticks out above the eyes. The length of these scales varies greatly. The scales on the sides of the body are smaller than the dorsal ones, strongly keeled and directed obliquely downwards, forming a kind of saw running along each side. Coloring horned viper sandy yellow with dark brown spots along the back and on both sides of the body.

Habitat

This snake inhabits the entire Sahara Desert and the adjacent foothills and dry savannas, as well as the Arabian Peninsula.

In nature

During the day, the snake burrows into the sand or hides in rodent holes, and at nightfall it goes out to hunt for small rodents and birds. Young individuals feed on locusts and lizards.

Reproduction

The horned viper is oviparous; its clutch contains 10-20 eggs. When incubated at 28-29°, the young hatch after 48 days.

Horned vipers are kept in wooden terrariums measuring 100x60x30 cm. Inside the terrarium, a blank partition must be placed with a hole near the bottom so that only a snake can pass through it. In this case, you need to take into account a layer of sand of 5 cm, into which snakes happily burrow due to their natural “habits”. The hole should be closed with a gate; this will allow you to protect yourself during cleaning by securely locking the snake in one of the parts of the terrarium. In addition to regular cleaning of the terrarium, it is sometimes necessary to sift all the sand to remove small particles. The partition divides the volume into a “warm” chamber, in which a lamp (preferably a “DSLR”) is installed, and a “cold” chamber, since these animals need a certain temperature difference (of course, not the same as what is needed, for example, by many Vipera vipers and Pelias). Naturally, each chamber is equipped with its own door. Optimal temperature at the heating point - 37 degrees. It is recommended to place a flat stone, such as a piece of slate, under the lamp, on which the animals can bask. Be sure to install a drinking bowl! It is also necessary to maintain humidity in the dark half of the terrarium. To do this, you need to spray it with a spray bottle in the morning and evening. At night, the heating of the terrarium is turned off and the temperature drops to room temperature.
In captivity, slingshots feed on mice, juvenile rats, gerbils, hamsters, etc., which they eat without problems.
You should be extremely careful when handling these animals! Most often they sit poorly on the hook, but attack from absolutely any position and in any direction, while shooting the entire length of the body. At the same time, the teeth of horned vipers are quite long, the bite is dangerous due to its depth, powerful poison and doses that are administered during the bite. In high doses, the poison acts as a strong anticoagulant through a directed and indirect effect on plasma fibrinogen. The poison has a pronounced effect on the vascular endothelium, which determines its main hemorrhagic effect, and causes serious destructive changes in the parenchyma internal organs and in muscle tissue.
Clinic of poisoning: pain, moderate swelling, general symptoms not frequent. Sometimes nausea, vomiting, subcutaneous hemorrhages, hematuria and abdominal pain are recorded. Coagulation disorders are the same as those caused by epha poisoning, but somewhat milder. The causes of death can be disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome, intracerebral hemorrhage, renal failure, and complicated necrosis.

Life expectancy in captivity is about 18 years.

A land where there would be no representatives of the animal world. Animals live all over the world, even in deserts and uninhabited Antarctica. This article will focus on those creatures that were able to adapt to the harsh desert climate. Some of the animals presented below can be seen in other parts of the planet. Desert animals are hardy and hardworking!

Desert animals are hardy and hardworking

Horned viper

Desert Animals - Horned Viper

This type of viper belongs to poisonous species, so it is better for a person not to meet with this reptile. The venom of a horned viper can cause considerable damage to the skin and blood cells. The hemotoxins present in viper venom are especially harmful, because if they enter the human bloodstream, they can lead to fatal outcome. Currently, the horned viper is on the verge of extinction.

dromedary camel

Desert Animals - Dromedary Camel

If in the distant past dromedary camels roamed the deserts of North Africa on their own, today these animals are found only with people, since they have long been completely domesticated. Dromedary camels have excellent endurance and are very strong, which is why people use them to transport heavy loads. In addition, camels are often used for riding. There is an opinion that camels have water in their humps, which helps them survive without drinking. for a long time. This is a myth, because in fact, camels have fat in their humps, thanks to which they are able to live for a long time without food.

Gazelle Dorcas

Desert Animals - Gazelle Dorax

This gazelle has a beautiful sandy coloration, which serves as an excellent camouflage for it in the desert. The gazelle eats water-saving plants and dew-bearing plants, which means it can never drink water at all. The Dorax gazelle grows up to 65 centimeters, and its weight rarely exceeds 25 kilograms. If the animal senses the approach of predators, it instantly jumps to the side, thereby letting other gazelles know that a predator is in ambush. If necessary, the Dorcas gazelle can reach speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour.

dung beetle

Desert Animals - Dung Beetle

A more beautiful name for this creature is sacred scarab. The beetle is famous for using the droppings of other animals for its own purposes. When he sees other people's excrement, he begins to roll it with his hind legs into a small ball, which he then rolls into his underground house. Naturally, the ball serves as food for the beetle. In autumn, the beetle rolls up larger balls, which serve not only as food, but also as a place to lay eggs.

Mendez antelope

Desert Animals - Mendez Antelope

Another name for the mendes antelope is addax. Previously meet this amazing creature It was possible only in the deserts of Egypt, Sudan, Mauritania and some other countries, but today the range of the antelope has decreased significantly. Today, addax lives only in Libya, Chile, Niger, Mali and Mauritania. Antelopes have unusual paws, the structure of which helps them move easily through heavy sandy terrain. And at the same time, this makes them too vulnerable to predators, from which it is very difficult for them to escape. Today there are fewer than 500 Mendes antelopes in the world.

yellow scorpion

Desert Animals - Yellow Scorpion

Scorpios are very fond of deserts, especially the yellow scorpion. This creature is very dangerous and at the same time incredibly tenacious. Outwardly, the scorpion does not look intimidating, but in fact it knows how to use its small claws perfectly if it is necessary to remove the enemy from the road. The yellow scorpion's main weapon is neurotoxins. While an adult is unlikely to die from one scorpion sting, a bite can be fatal for children and the elderly.

African ostrich

Desert Animals - African Ostrich

Everyone knows the bird that cannot fly. Nature decided not to deprive the ostriches, so it rewarded them with very fast running. If necessary, the giant bird can accelerate at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour. Of course, this is not all that the ostrich can boast of. Ostriches are very hardy birds, capable of covering vast distances. Ostriches have very good hearing, sharp eyesight, powerful legs, which allow birds to fight off their enemies. The main diet of ostriches is grass, but occasionally ostriches can also feed on small animals.

Desert Animals - Monitor Lizard

Externally, monitor lizards are very similar to giant lizards, but unlike them they pose a serious threat to people. And yet, these animals rarely attack people, preferring to use their poison to hunt small animals and insects. In fact, monitor lizards are cold-blooded animals, but they have managed to adapt to hot climates. If the temperature becomes unbearably high, monitor lizards begin to show aggression. It is known that predators do not tolerate life well in captivity.

Desert Animals - Fennec fox

Little fox leads night look life. You can meet the animal in the deserts of northern Africa. Special sign fennec cat has large ears that help the animal survive even very high temperature. The fennec's diet consists of all small desert inhabitants, as well as various plants.

Jerboa

Desert Animals – Jerboa

This funny rodent lives in deserts, semi-deserts and steppes. The jerboa can adapt to even the harshest conditions climatic conditions. The jerboa is a nocturnal animal, distinguished by its jumps, which help it evade predators. The animal grows to only 25 centimeters in length, but this does not prevent it from accelerating at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour. Interestingly, jerboas never drink pure water, preferring to get water from the food they eat. The basis of the jerboa's diet consists of plants, seeds and some insects.

No, the snake actually doesn’t have any horns, they are false, but they look natural, right? And today, we will tell you about Persian horned viper.

Description of the horned viper

This type of snake belongs to the viper-like family. The body length of such an individual reaches 80-100 cm. The body is quite dense with a wide head and a noticeable cervical interception. Above the eyes you can see a kind of vertically standing soft growth covered with scales, which we perceive as “horns”.

What is most interesting is that not all snakes have paired “horns”; sometimes they grow only one at a time. Since the snake is constantly in the sand and soil, nature has endowed it with nostrils with valves into which nothing gets in. Color horned snake gray-brown with dark spots and transverse stripes.

HABITAT AND LIFESTYLE OF THE PERSIAN HORNED VIPER

Where does the Persian horned viper live?

The snake lives in Turkey, in United Arab Emirates(that’s why it got its name “Persian”), Pakistan, Oman, Israel, in Saudi Arabia, Jordan.

Horned viper lifestyle

Persian horned snake is predominantly nocturnal Lifestyle.
Many people have the impression that the reptile is drowning in the sand, but this is not the case. This impression is formed from the movements, but thanks to the lateral movements of the body, the snake does not fall into the sand. Yes, she often digs sand with her head, because she lives exclusively on sandy soil.

By the way, horned viper capable of reaching speeds of up to 37 km/h while moving sideways! IN diet reptiles include lizards, rodents and birds. Females and males mate, laying 10-20 eggs annually, from which after a short amount of time small snakes 15 cm long hatch.

VIDEO: ABOUT VIPERS

IN THIS VIDEO YOU WILL LEARN A LOT OF USEFUL AND INTERESTING ABOUT THE PERSIAN HORNED VIPER

Up to 70 cm long, brownish-yellow in color, with more or less clear transverse spots of dark brown color, the entire color of the snake is extremely harmonious with the color sandy desert. The number of scales in each belt is 29-33; the anal scute is undivided, and the caudal scutes are divided into two.

Spreading

A widespread species, found throughout North Africa (except Morocco) and the Arabian Peninsula.

Reproduction

Gives birth to live young.

Lifestyle and nutrition

A nocturnal animal that easily adapts to captivity and easily endures hunger for months. Feeds small mammals and birds.

Horned viper in culture

It was already distinguished by the ancient Egyptians in their hieroglyphs, from which the Greek φ (phi) was subsequently derived.

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Literature

• Yakobson G. G.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

Excerpt characterizing the Horned Viper

The North American Indians of the Huron tribe had a legend about a huge snake named Oniont. This serpent had a horn that could pierce a stone. Anyone who was lucky enough to find even the slightest piece of this horn could cure any disease with its help.

Horned snakes appear frequently in Celtic art. They are most often depicted with two ram horns rather than one. The Gundrestrup cauldron is engraved with Cernunnos (Lord of Animals) holding a snake with ram's horns by the neck. The horned serpent was very important element Celtic beliefs. Sometimes he was depicted not only with ram's horns, but also with a ram's head.

Several Babylonian paintings depict a serpent-dragon with the body and head of a snake, lion-like front legs and bird-like hind legs, and a horn located in the center of the nose. This serpent-dragon was called "mushussu" (fierce snake). The Babylonians identified three more types of horned snakes, calling them “musmakhhu”, “usumgallu” and “basmu”.

The one who has learned to work with the energy of the chakras.

Magic properties: cures any ailment.

Lamia

In ancient texts, lamia are mentioned as a species of siren-like creatures. These creatures prefer dry places and live in ruined cities, caves and remote abandoned areas. The lamia had the body and head of a woman and the lower part of a snake. They combed their hair with a golden comb and loved to eat the meat of children. The lamia was swift, powerful and lured the victim into its networks with the help of spells.

In ancient Greek myths, lamia was the name given to several creatures. In one legend, this name was given to a mortal maiden who bore Zeus several children. In another legend, it is a creature with the face of a gorgon who feeds on children. Another legend tells how Hermes transformed a snake with crimson, gold, green and blue spots into a beautiful girl. The happiness of this girl was destroyed by the philosopher Apolonius, she screamed and disappeared.

Catholic Bishop Martin of Braga wrote that lamias lived in rivers and forests and were devils. Johann Weir dedicated an entire book to these creatures, De Lamiis Liber (On the Life of the Lamies), published in 1577.

By the beginning of the 17th century, the lamia changed its appearance and became a scaly four-legged creature. Her hind legs had hooves and her front legs had claws. She had woman's face and breasts and male penis.

Psychological characteristics: one who deliberately lures victims and gains complete control over them.

Naga

Indian naked, perhaps, are the most amazing magical snakes. They were demigods in nature, children of the goddess Kadru, and usually appeared in the form of a half-snake, half-man (cobra). However, they could take on human form, and females did this much more often than males. Nagas were both water and earth spirits.

Apparently, there were several types of nagas, and each of them had its own characteristic external features and coloring. The body of nagas living in ruins, places with a depressing atmosphere or underground is covered with black scales with crimson stripes. Their faces are similar to humans, they have the same colors of skin, eyes and hair. However, this type of naga is hostile towards humans. They can charm anyone who meets their gaze; They can spit poison, and their bite is also poisonous. You shouldn't expect any help from these nagas.

Other earth nagas are wise, friendly, and guard sacred places or treasures, as well as control their black counterparts. These cobra people can also spit venom, although they do so only for self-defense. They have golden eyes and green and gold scales with silvery triangles along their backs.

The dwellings of the Nagas, who prefer to live in various bodies of water, are located deep under the clean, fresh water of ponds, lakes or rivers. They usually do not interfere in people's affairs, although a sincere request may help gain their help. They are curious about everything that happens to people. Water nagas are the most colorful of all species. The color of their scales ranges from emerald green to turquoise, and the patterns that are often found on them can be deep Brown in combination with pale jade to dark gray with olive. The shade of their eyes can vary from pale green to bright amber. Even though their bite and saliva are poisonous, these nagas prefer to resort to magical spells.

Nagas could cause or prevent rain, they had enormous power and wealth, as well as power over all water, including rivers and seas. Myths claim that nagas received their semi-divine status when gods and demons churned the seas to prepare soma, a divine drink. While the gods and demons were fighting for soma, a few drops of this drink fell to the ground. The nagas drank them greedily, but this was not enough to gain strength sufficient for the gods.

It is believed that nagas live in a country that is either under water or underground. The capital of their state and main habitat is located in underground kingdom Bhagavati (“rich in treasures”), which is probably located deep under mountain system Himalayas. According to legends, they live there in beautiful houses, decorated with precious stones and metals. The streets of their cities are paved with mosaics of emeralds, rubies, sapphires and other brightly colored gemstones. Nagas also keep books of great mystical knowledge. In the throat or forehead of every naga sparkles gem immeasurable value that gives them their supernatural powers.

Female Nagas are called nagini. These snake women are very beautiful and wise. There are many stories about how they fell in love and married mortal princes. According to Cambodian legend, this country was formed through the union of a nagini and a prince. IN ancient city Angkor images of nagas are everywhere - in sculpture and home decoration. Pairs of nagas guarded the entrances to temples, palaces and tombs, and their seven-headed statues bowed over all who entered.

On the lands adjacent to the palace, back in the 13th century, a golden tower stood. At the top there was a special room where, as it was believed, the king spent every night. The people of Cambodia believed that there lived a nine-headed nagini who ruled the country with the help of a king. If the nagini does not come, the king will die, and if he spends even one night not in the tower, misfortune will befall the country.

In India, nagini is still worshiped to this day - this is Naga Kanya, the goddess of the three kingdoms. She is the keeper of underwater treasures and spiritual achievements. She has the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a water snake. Above her head rises a dome in the shape of a five-headed cobra, symbolizing the spiritual powers of Kanya. She has wings behind her back above her shoulder blades, and a jewel sparkles in her forehead. In her hands, Naga Kanya holds a clam shell, symbolizing her desire to shed blessings on those who seek her wisdom.

Although most nagas can combine both good and bad qualities, some of them accomplished great deeds and achieved enlightenment. Naga Sesha led such a righteous life that the god Brahma granted him immortality. It is believed that Sesha now supports the universe, and on the rings of his curled tail the god Vishnu sleeps in the shadow of his seven heads.

When Buddha was born, the nagas sprinkled him with fragrant Naga Kanya water. After Buddha achieved enlightenment, he remained in a state of meditation for several weeks. His great piety attracted Naga Muchalinda (sometimes called Musilinda), a many-headed cobra. Muchalinda surrounded the Buddha with the rings of his body and sheltered him from the storms with his huge hood so that the Buddha could meditate calmly and nothing would disturb him.

After the death of Buddha, one of the tombs built to honor his memory ended up in the land of the nagas.

At least one type of naga is not kind to humans. The demon Naga-Sanniya causes nightmares associated with snakes.

Some tribes living in India consider themselves descendants of the Nagas and pay respect to their ancestors by leaving sacrifices on the banks of certain ponds and rivers. In Indian mythology, snakes are associated with the element of Water and the seas. It is also believed that they can bestow upon people they like the ability to become invisible when they enter any water.

In addition, nagas protected doors and thresholds, and also guarded treasures, both physical and spiritual. Doors, thresholds and physical and spiritual treasures are considered dangerous things for unprepared people. The nagas open these places and allow only those they deem worthy and ready to enter.

Psychological characteristics: positive- one who sincerely strives to acquire spiritual treasure. Negative- a person who can use charms to make others do anything, but also has a bad habit of spewing poisonous gossip and rumors.

Magic properties: acquisition of spiritual wealth; a hidden treasure of spiritual search, revealed only to sincere people. If you encounter trouble or complex problems, ask the nagas to help you understand where exactly you have gone astray from the spiritual path. Helpful nagas can sometimes help you find hidden treasures, win contests and lotteries, or receive unexpected money, but their help can only be achieved with sincerity.