Bearded Dragons have Venom (don't panic, you aren't dying)

[xenziffen]

This is the first I've ever even heard it suggested, but that's what they found.

"To find the classic rattlesnake toxins in the bearded dragon - a hugely popular pet - was a huge surprise," Fry says.

I was looking for an article on if there was any toxin in a gecko tail. Found this instead. I thought others might like to see it. Might be common knowledge on this board. There is a thread about it from two years ago, titled 'Venom', but I hadn't seen the thread. I'm hope the link is useful to others.

Now you can post a large, 'Warning, Venomous Reptile, Keep Out,' sign on your bedroom door kids.

 

[tempusfugit]

They have venom? Or they have vestigial venom glands?

The journal referenced was in french with only an abstract in english, so finding anything is a little tough... But, considering the article linked calls venom poison, I'm not apt to believe much they say.

Producing venom is very expensive as far as nutrients and energy required to create it.. Its worth it for snakes and gilas/beadeds, because they eat very differently from iguanas and beardies. They eat anywhere from once every 2-3 weeks to a couple times a year. They also eat larger meals they can't kill with just jaw strength or mechanical damage alone. It would almost be an evolutionary impossibility for bearded dragons to evolve to eat insects much smaller than them, AND keep their venom.

Finally, I have a feeling if this where true, there would be more info on it than a handful of links referencing the same article(but never linking to it).

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

I will wait until there is more hard published info. Not saying nay, but not buying in at all.

 

[munchkins9802]

Not buying it. If they do it isnt one that would harm the humans. And being it was done in another country do they even know truly what a bearded dragon is? (I had someone call a gecko a bearded dragon and another called an anole a bearded dragon). So unless I see an american scientific study not believing a word of it

 

[xenziffen]

They have venom? Or they have vestigial venom glands?

The journal referenced was in french with only an abstract in english, so finding anything is a little tough... But, considering the article linked calls venom poison, I'm not apt to believe much they say.

Producing venom is very expensive as far as nutrients and energy required to create it.. Its worth it for snakes and gilas/beadeds, because they eat very differently from iguanas and beardies. They eat anywhere from once every 2-3 weeks to a couple times a year. They also eat larger meals they can't kill with just jaw strength or mechanical damage alone. It would almost be an evolutionary impossibility for bearded dragons to evolve to eat insects much smaller than them, AND keep their venom.

Finally, I have a feeling if this where true, there would be more info on it than a handful of links referencing the same article(but never linking to it).

Yeah, you're right. You'd have to pay $32 to get a legit copy of the publication article from Nature. Does come in English. But the abstract has enough to see where the quote from this Fry was headed.

Even though both the upper and lower glands are absent in advanced snakes and anguimorph lizards (incl. BDs), and what's left of a venom delivery system is about as useful as that third eyelid in humans [Nictitating membrane], either the tissue appears one endocrine juice away from appearing and producing the venom proteins, or the presence of tissue that does produce venom is so ill-equipped to do anything that it doesn't try to function.

But, what if you feed your baby beardie crickets that have somehow become laced with the right hormone from a rattler? Or if your hatching tray or vivarium is involved in a spill from the industrial waste company next next door? I'd keep a dose of rattle snake anti-venom on hand just in case. It might not work, but you can't be too careful.

 

[fresnowitte]

I will wait until there is more hard published info. Not saying nay, but not buying in at all.

:lol: My thoughts exactly!

 

[trinity040400]

Not buying it. If they do it isnt one that would harm the humans. And being it was done in another country do they even know truly what a bearded dragon is? (I had someone call a gecko a bearded dragon and another called an anole a bearded dragon). So unless I see an american scientific study not believing a word of it

I think I would "buy into" a study done in another county since they are not native to America :roll: .

Not that I think it is true.

 

[munchkins9802]

well if it is a scientific study done in Australia then yes I would think more seriously about it. Some of the people I mentioned by the way were people from another country thus my comments. But still not buying it just yet --as wouldnt those who have been bitten by the beardie be sick by the bite

 

[EmpNortonII]

Yeah, you're right. You'd have to pay $32 to get a legit copy of the publication article from Nature. Does come in English. But the abstract has enough to see where the quote from this Fry was headed.

I actually have a pdf copy of this article on my computer. If anyone is interested, pm me, and I'll see what I can do to get it to ya.

 

[AHBD]

Whatever connection there may possibly be, there is no evidence that anything about a bearded dragon bite is harmful in the sense of being venomous. They bite each other all the time with just typical consequences, sometimes infection at the bite sight, sometimes not and they even will take an entire foot / part of a tail from a cage mate....and the bitten dragon is only wounded in the sense of a typical wound with no presentation of symptoms of any venom/ toxin. Same goes for the few owners that are ever bitten by these gentle lizards....no real problems there.