King Cobra - Ophiophagus hannah - Largest Poisonous Snake - Pictures, Captivity, Baby King Cobra

King Cobra - Ophiophagus hannah - Largest Poisonous Snake

The King Cobra - Ophiophagus hannah , is the largest poisonous snake in the world and is truly the “King” of all venomous snakes. King Cobras are placed in the “Elapidae Family”, which has an identifying trait of having “Fixed Fangs” set at the front of the mouth. It is not uncommon for the King Cobra to reach a length over 18 feet. I have heard stories of 20 foot + specimens still being found on occasion in Northern India. I have been fortunate to work with these remarkable venomous reptiles in the past and all I can say is WOW! Of all the Poisonous Snakes I have worked with, these guys are the most impressive. King Cobras are not only extremely large, but they “Hood Out”, with their face 4-5 feet in the air. When a King Cobra strikes at you, your heart almost stops just from the loud hiss! One's body instantly produces adrenalin upon 1st glance at a towering, hooded King Cobra locking stares with you. They almost seem to mesmerize you with their swaying bodies, trance, and eyes (almost like a beautiful feminine woman). One thing for sure is, of all the poisonous snakes in captivity that I have worked with, the Cobras are by far the most intelligent. They almost seem to have “Problem Solving” capabilities. CLICK HERE TO SEE ANIMAL WEBCAMS

King Cobra - Largest Poisonous Snake Speaking of King Cobras in Captivity, a little known interesting fact about these snakes is that they feed almost exclusively on other snakes. In fact, the 1st part of their scientific name “Ophiophagus Hannah”, even points out this dietary preference of consuming snakes “Ophidian”. In captivity King Cobras are very difficult to care for, as “Feeder Snakes” are hard to come by in quantity and are very expensive. For these reasons, some King Cobra keepers have been successful with a feeding technique called “Odor Manipulation”. With this technique, some snakes have slowly been converted to eat other easier obtained food items by rubbing dead snakes over them 1st. I thought our readers would find this bit of King Cobra Husbandry helpful in managing their own King Cobra collection, haha! ;-)

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As most of the Tigerhomes Sanctuary visitors and readers are aware, I love to talk about and make reference to an individual species of animal's “Claim to Fame”, or something that really separates it from other species. Well, the King Cobra is no exception to that rule and besides being the largest venomous snake; it also has the “Claim To Fame” as being the only snake to construct a nest for the sole purpose of laying their eggs! I love these kinds of facts. So in a way, the King Cobra is the “Ruffed Lemur” of snakes. (Ruffed Lemurs are the only primates to make a nest specifically for the purpose of rearing their young.) A King Cobra Nest is constructed by the female typically from rotten leaves and vegetation. The female King Cobra will loop her coils over loose debris and drag the material to create her nest. In most cases, a Cobra nest is nothing more then a simple pile of leaves mounded above the ground were she will lay between 40 and 60 eggs. In some cases however, maybe due to experience, the female actually constructs a lower “Egg Chamber”, with an upper area for her to lay and incubate. King Cobra eggs incubate after 65 to 80 days.

A Baby King Cobra is born measuring an extraordinary 18 inches in length on average and possesses a snake bite that is deadly from day 1. Baby King Cobras are highly banded with bands of white and black. These bands disappear as they mature into adults. If you look at Pictures of King Cobras, you will see the blatant difference between adult King Cobras and baby Cobras. Looking at King Cobra Pictures is definitely the safest way to enjoy these beautiful and regal snakes. As deadly as the King Cobra bite is, these animals like all others, serve a definite function and deserve our respect and protection. David and I encourage wildlife protection and conservation for all species of life, both plant and animal. It is the Tigerhomes.org “Mission” to create and encourage an interest in our readers and Web Cam viewers to protect nature. We invite you all to visit the Sanctuary’s “Education Center” and of course our world renowned Animal Habitats featuring White Tiger Cams, Lion Cams, Leopard Cams, and Lemur Cams.