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OK, you guys have killed me, enough with the swinging from a chandelier. (I never did understand how people equated that with sex?)

You have had your fun, now its' time to step right up to the Round Table and get your Education, that I have had ready for about a week.

(Also sorry this is late) I had it ready but had a family emergency in Illinois, and I had to make the trip. So I am just now getting a reply to you.
I also know 'you know how I feel about the wildlife, but did not know if you had all this Information. OK? BTW, I was a 'Girlscout for about 2 years, but we did not skin rabbits or snakes.'

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic542.htm

Another US coral snake is Micruroides euryxanthus (Sonoran or Arizona coral snake); but this is a relatively innocuous snake, and no deaths have been attributed to its bite.

Coral snakes tend to be relatively shy creatures, and bites are uncommon. Coral snakes account for fewer than 1% of venomous snakebites in the United States. Most people bitten by coral snakes are handling them intentionally. Most bites occur in the spring or fall.

Pathophysiology
The coral snake venom apparatus is composed of a pair of small, fixed, hollow fangs in the anterior aspect of the upper jaw through which the snake conducts venom via a chewing motion (see Image 2). Unlike pit vipers, such as rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths, which strike quickly, coral snakes must hang on for a brief period to achieve significant envenomation in humans.

Coral snake venoms tend to have significant neurotoxicity, inducing neuromuscular dysfunction. They have little enzymatic activity or necrotic potential compared to most vipers and pit vipers. These venoms tend to be some of the most potent found in snakes, yet the venom yield per animal is less than that of most vipers or pit vipers. Because of the relatively primitive venom delivery apparatus, as many as 60% of those bitten by North American coral snakes are not envenomed.

Frequency
United States
Probably fewer than 20 bites per year (though 99 alleged bites were reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers in 2004)

International
No accurate information available

Mortality/Morbidity
No deaths related to coral snake bites have been reported in the United States since coral snake antivenom became available. Before that time, the estimated case fatality rate was 10%, and the cause of death was respiratory or cardiovascular failure. Patients who survive the bite may require respiratory support for up to a week and may suffer persistent weakness for weeks to months.

The spate of recent coral snake bites has emergency doctors sounding an alarm - not about the abundance of the colorful snakes, but about the dearth of antidote.

Florida's the coral-snake-bite capital of the United States, with about 45 of the nation's annual 60 bites. The bite of a coral snake packs a venom so toxic it's akin to a cobra's, but with treatment, it's survivable.

While there was a time when most every emergency room in South Florida kept the antidote on hand, those days have passed.

Drugmaker Wyeth quietly stopped making it three years ago, leaving the state's poison control system to parse out dwindling supplies.

It's not an ideal situation, said Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein, medical director for the Florida Poison Information Center in Miami. Coral snake bites are best treated before the onset of symptoms.

Bernstein keeps a spreadsheet with the location of every vial of antivenin in the region, and when a call comes in, he routes it by ambulance or air.

In the case of the Vero Beach teen, the nearest vials were in Melbourne, at Holmes Regional Medical Center. It took two hours and 15 minutes for their two vials to arrive at the boy's hospital, Indian River Medical Center.

But he needed more than two vials, said Glenn Tremml, medical director of emergency services at Indian River.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Venom Response unit marshaled 10 more and airlifted them to the boy, an operation that took two and a half hours.

Fortunately, the antidote arrived in time, and by Wednesday night, the teen had recovered enough to return home.

But Tremml worries about the future.

"What antivenin we have left on the shelf will expire in October of 2008. Our only pharmacy Wyeth is not going to make it any more? The only place we will be able to get any is Mexico. (not quite the same but close and seems to work)

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/local_news/epaper/2008/04/12/0412snakes.html?cxntlid=inform_artr

Yes they are poison but without the antivenum, that 1% bite a year will more than likely be a sure death. Lets just hope the antivenum from Mexico will work and if needed get here in time.

Oh Six