Milking a snake takes careful work. Scientists don’t just jam their hands in the snake’s mouth. A snake will bite anything that is pushed into its fangs!
Instead, a scientist holds a snake near a glass container. The scientist must press the snake’s head. The scientist has learned to squeeze the snake’s head just right, so that the snake opens its mouth. Then the snake bites down on the container. As the snake bites, the venom squirts out of its fangs and into the container.
Snakes are milked many times after the initial, or first, collection. The venom is saved and used to make medicine. That makes milking a snake worth the risk of being bitten by one!
Activities:
1. Draw pictures to illustrate how snakes are milked.
2. Snake milking is a very dangerous job. Do you think that it is worth taking risks to do it? Discuss with your learning partners.
3. Snake venom have been used as medical tools for thousands of years especially in tradition Chinese medicine. Are you curious about the medical benefits snake venom? Watch the video to learn about it.
