kitten 's joy ( foaled may 8 , 2001 in kentucky ) is a thoroughbred racehorse who was a multiple graded stakes winner and the american champion turf horse of 2004 .

since retiring to stud , he has become one of the leading sires in north america .

kitten ' s joy

running third was kitten ' s joy daughter fancy kitten owned by juan centeno .
“that’s all pretty much from one stallion – kitten’s joy , ” he said .
kitten ' s joy ' s big year was highlighted by an historic feat aug . 17 when
footage of kitten ' s joy , who led the general sire list for 2013 .
oscar nominated by kitten ' s joy takes the l . mcknight handicap ( g3t )
ktdf turf male : big blue kitten ( kitten ' s joy ) breeder : kenneth l . & sarah k . ramsey
2 yo gendarme by kitten ' s joy 2 for 2 winning the g2 daily hai nisai s . at kyoto
in 2016 , yearlings by kitten ' s joy sold for up to $ 500 , 000 .
kitten ' s joy has his own personal spa at ramsey farm , which includes an underwater treadmill .
you got my attention with catonabalancebeam . first because he is out of zeny ' s half balance by kitten ' s joy and secondly because i suggested the name balancebeam kitten for the ramsey ' s two - year - old by kitten ' s joy out of agility . my name wasn ' t picked . maybe because they knew there was going to be a kitten ' s joy with the name catonabalancebeam ?
the trick , it appears , to producing a successful kitten’s joy runner is to cross him with a mare who looks very much like him on the page . of kitten’s joy’s five north american grade 1 winners in 2013 , four of them – admiral kitten , big blue kitten , real solution , and stephanie’s kitten – are inbred to northern dancer and roberto in the fourth or fifth generations . kitten’s dumplings is inbred to northern dancer .
reachfortheheavens was bred back to kitten’s joy for 2014 , marking her fifth trip to the sire in six seasons .
that colt was kitten ' s joy , who has become the franchise stallion for nicholasville - based ramsey farm .
an old saying goes , “behind every great man , there’s a great woman . ” for kitten’s joy , there have been several .
it was a “joy” - ful weekend for ken and sarah ramsey and their star stallion kitten’s joy , who stands at their farm on harrodsburg road south of lexington , ky . already established as a leading american sire , kitten’s joy had a career - making day on saturday .
in addition there were 3 more winners for kitten ' s joy today : silver magnolia at arlington , wandering kitten at thistledown and royal blessing at churchill .
with his victory in saturday’s grade 3 lexington stakes at keeneland , derby kitten emphasized the point that his sire , the el prado stallion kitten’s joy , is one of the more underrated sires in the bluegrass . on the same keeneland card , kitten’s joy had the winner of the listed giant’s causeway stakes ( holiday for kitten ) and the second - place finisher in the g3 ben ali stakes ( dean’s kitten ) .
iteration was bred to kitten’s joy again for 2014 , making it her sixth pairing with the stallion in eight seasons .
it was a “joy” - ful weekend for ken and sarah ramsey and their star stallion kitten ' s joy , who stands at their farm on harrodsburg road south of lexington , ky . already established as a leading american sire , kitten ' s joy had a career - making day on saturday .
claimed primarily for the ramsey farm broodmare band , granny franny has been married to farm stallion kitten’s joy , and kitten’s dumplings is the mare’s second foal by that stallion . all of granny franny’s three foals to race by kitten’s joy are winners , and in addition to the queen elizabeth winner , the mare’s 2 - year - old , a full sister named granny mc’s kitten , is the winner of the p . g . johnson stakes .
that c - section resulted in the birth of kitten ' s joy in 2001 . ( kitten ' s first had two more that followed before she foundered and was euthanized in 2006 . )
many of kitten ' s joy ' s offspring resemble their old man physically , and the best of his runners share his hickory - tough attitude .
ramsey farm announced today that champion sire kitten ' s joy ' s fee will remain unchanged at $ 100 , 000 for the 2017 breeding season .
still owned by the ramseys , granny franny was bred to kitten’s joy again for 2014 , her fifth time in six matings .
kitten ' s joy also ranks fourth on the general sire list with more than $ 10 . 5 million in progeny earnings .
ramsey said kitten’s joy is too valuable to him to sell or shuttle , and he eschewed the idea of partners in ownership .
one of the central factors in the stallion success of kitten’s joy is that he has towered over most of his mates in class . while generally well - pedigreed , the mares sent to kitten’s joy have tended to be only fair performers on the racecourse .
once on the track , the progeny of kitten’s joy created their own luck , to the tune of 24 stakes winners in 2013 .
he is a son of kitten ' s joy , one of america ' s most sought - after stallions and whose son bobby ' s kitten is to be the foundation sire at olly and amber tait ' s twin hills stud at cootamundra this year .
because his dam , kitten ' s first , suffered a pelvic injury as a juvenile that restricted the size of her birth canal , kitten ' s joy and his subsequent siblings were born by caesarian section .
kitten ' s joy and other leading sires of 2013 will be profiled in the jan . 11 issue of the blood - horse magazine .
“i had plenty of competition for bobby’s kitten , particularly from ireland , ” admits rausing . “he is the first son of kitten’s joy to stand in europe and it’s exciting to have him here . he is certainly creating some interest . ”
the ramseys own 100 percent of kitten’s joy , who stands this year for $ 50 , 000 at ramsey farm near nicholasville , ky . ramsey homebreds have accounted for most of kitten’s joy’s laurels this year . his leading earner , stephanie’s kitten , won the alcibiades and breeders’ cup juvenile fillies turf for the ramseys . holiday for kitten and derby kitten were graded winners last season , and dean’s kitten took the dallas turf cup before placing in a pair of grade 1’s on the grass , the joe hirsch turf classic and the arlington million . a few other ramsey - breds campaigned by other owners also were among kitten’s joy’s best runners last season , most notably banned , a multiple graded winner in 2011 who was euthanized after an injury last fall .
rausing , a staunch supporter of her stallions , will no doubt have admired from afar the approach of the ramseys in their support of kitten’s joy . their rewards have been reaped on the track via such top - class gallopers as big blue kitten , admiral kitten and gi breeders’ cup filly & mare turf winner stephanie’s kitten . kitten’s joy’s record at the breeders’ cup thoroughbred world championships was further enhanced this year by amerman racing stables’ gi breeders’ cup juvenile turf winner oscar performance and , while bobby’s kitten’s brother , the dual grade ii winner camelot kitten , missed his intended appearance at santa anita , he remains in training for next season .
it was an extremely close race , but it appears ramsey farm ' s kitten ' s joy has secured the title of leading north american sire by earnings for 2013 .
kitten’s joy is undoubtedly the driving force behind the rise of owners ken and sarah ramsey’s breeding program , based in nicholasville , ky . in 2013 , an army of racehorses by kitten’s joy carried the ramseys to a pair of eclipse awards , as the couple won both outstanding owner and outstanding breeder by landslide margins .
kitten’s joy goes to the spa - here is a talk of the track exclusive video of one of the premier stallions in the world and known around the world , kitten’s joy . in 2013 he produced 24 stake winners and in 2014 he has had 25 through november . his pedigree goes very deep . the resounding success of kitten’s joy as a sire follows an eclipse award - winning racing career in which kitten’s joy himself won nine of 14 starts and earned $ 2 , 075 , 791 which helped elevate ken and sarah ramsey’s racing and breeding operation to the highest levels of the sport . visit urltoken
but ramsey isn’t the typical owner who simply bought his way into prominence ; he deserves much of the credit for his success . he is responsible for a phenomenon that defies most of the precepts of the horse breeding business : the success of kitten’s joy . the stallion’s progeny are as ubiquitous as ramsey himself , and even fans oblivious to pedigrees can hardly fail to notice what breeders’ cup entrants such as bobby’s kitten , big blue kitten , granny mc’s kitten , kitten’s dumplings and kitten kaboodle have in common .
ramsey estimated that he and his wife , sarah − whose nickname , kitten , gives kitten’s joy his name − owned about 80 percent of the mares in the stallion’s first few books . but this year , he said , that’s likely to change .
camelot kitten takes the g2 national museum of racing and hall of fame s .
“kitten’s joy has exceeded all expectations , ” ramsey said . “he’s got five grade 1 winners this year and he’s on top of the general sire list . it’s something i never expected , so we’re over the moon with it . ”
2013 breeders ' cup entrants : big blue kitten ( turf ) , real solution ( turf ) , kitten ' s dumplings ( filly & mare turf ) , kitten kaboodle ( juvenile fillies turf ) , granny mc ' s kitten ( juvenile fillies turf ) , bobby ' s kitten ( juvenile turf ) , we miss artie ( juvenile ) .
rated fourth by bailey around the first turn and down the backstretch , kitten ' s joy was in a bit tight around the final turn when pacesetter gold shield began tiring . but bailey guided kitten ' s joy outside that one and inside west virginia before cruising to a clear lead down the stretch .
champion turf horse in 2004 , kitten’s joy won the secretariat during his 3 - year - old campaign , and it was one of two g1s among his nine victories . a winner of more than $ 2 million , kitten’s joy also ran second in the g1 breeders’ cup turf and the arlington million .
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kitten’s joy , with just five crops racing , captured the north american title , as mentioned by a margin of just $ 15 , 000 . kitten’s joy had 24 bt winners last year , speightstown 23 . each had 10 gsw , while kitten’s joy had five gisw , speightstown four . unlike other versions of the general sire list , we do not count jumps earnings in north america , which is why kitten’s joy’s margin of victory over speightstown is smaller on our list than on the other guys’ . moreover , there is a case that speightstown - who was also second on our list in 2012 - really should be called the winner .
ramsey and partridge discussed six of the mares who helped establish kitten’s joy as an upper - echelon sire in 2013 . they are presented in alphabetical order .
kitten ' s joy ' s first 2 - year - old winner is in seoul , korea . munhak joy ( c , 2 , kittens joy - crimson ore , by exchange rate ) . won his first start and in doing so , he defeated older rivals . he was bred by the ramsey ' s and is trained by jung ho ik .
the leading turf sire in america for four years running , kitten ' s joy is the sire of 3 g1 winners in 2016 including recent grade 1 breeders ' cup juvenile turf winner oscar performance , who marked the fourth time that a son or daughter of kitten ' s joy entered the winner ' s circle after a breeders ' cup race .
the dams of the best runners by leading sire kitten’s joy largely include horses claimed by owners ken and sarah ramsey , or purchased privately for a modest fee .
it proved to be the right strategy , with kitten ' s joy developing into a dominant force . running exclusively on grass , the colt captured six of his eight 2004 races . in the secretariat stakes ( gr . it ) , kitten ' s joy rallied four wide entering the stretch while cruising to a 3 1z
luck of the kitten was second in the prairie bayou s at turfway , kitten ' s roar was second in the blushing k d s at the fair grounds and granny ' s kitten was third in the buddy diliberto memorial s also at the fair grounds . all have significant earnings with granny ' s kitten in the lead with earnings of $ 385 , 851 , luck of the kitten , who was second in the breeders ' cup juvenile in 2014 , has earned $ 366 , 960 and kitten ' s roar has earned $ 271 , 958 .
commercial acceptance after kitten ' s joy ' s retirement in 2005 was a different matter . precocity and dirt form have long been the desired traits sought by north american breeders , so trying to lure the market toward an unproven turf sire resulted in kitten ' s joy getting only about 14 non - ramsey mares from the 127 he bred his initial season .
sarah named their now - prized stallion kitten’s joy , despite her husband’s objections , because she sensed that the horse would bring them great happiness . her faith in kitten’s joy remained after his racing career , even though potential buyers dismissed him as a long - distance turf specialist whose offspring would be ill equipped for american racing , which emphasizes shorter dirt races .
kitten ' s joy has two entries in small - purse races at turfway this evening , and both runners are favorites . the combined winner ' s share of those races equals $ 9 , 000 , meaning the battle between kitten ' s joy and speightstown could have come down to literally hundreds of dollars in the final hours . alas , it ' s all hypothetical at this point .
“granny franny is a little bit lighter in bone than what i’d like to breed to [ kitten’s joy ] , and if you look at kitten’s dumplings , she’s the same way . she’s a little light - boned , not a real big filly , but when they’re grade 1 winners , it doesn’t matter . ”
champion turf horse in 2004 , kitten ' s joy won the secretariat during his 3 - year - old campaign , and it was one of two g1s among his nine victories . a winner of more than $ 2 million , kitten ' s joy also ran second in the g1 breeders ' cup turf and the arlington million .
kitten ' s joy , a homebred son of el prado out of kitten ' s first , the first mare ramsey ' s wife sarah purchased , covered a firm 11 / 8 - mile turf course in 1 : 48 . 76 to remain undefeated in four starts across the weeds .
kitten’s cat ran second in the g3 palm beach at gulfstream . earlier this year , he provided a fitting tribute to his sire when scoring his second stakes victory in the kitten’s joy at gulfstream . graduating at second asking at kentucky downs sept . 15 , kitten’s cat checked in third behind subsequent gi breeders’ cup juvenile turf winner oscar performance ( kitten’s joy ) in belmont’s giii pilgrim s . over a yielding course oct . 1 . he was victorious in the juvenile turf sprint s . on gi breeders’ cup classic day at santa anita . he is closing on a quarter of a million dollars in earnings .
william’s kitten , dk b / c , by kitten’s joy . raced 3 yrs in na , 11 sts , 2 wins , $ 170 , 280 ( ssi = 4 . 2 ) . won sunday silence breeders’ cup s . ; 2nd kentucky jockey club s . ( gr . 2 ) ; 3rd holy bull s . ( gr . 3 ) .
kitten ' s joy ended his 2004 campaign in the john deere breeders ' cup turf ( gr . it ) . the heaviest favorite on the world thoroughbred championships card , the colt got caught in traffic during the roughly run race and finished second . john velazquez , his rider , also reported that kitten ' s joy had trouble handling lone star park ' s yielding course .
this entry was posted in bloodstock and tagged horse racing , ken & sarah ramsey , kitten ' s joy , ramsey farm , thoroughbred by press release . bookmark the permalink .
champion sire kitten’s joy will stand the 2015 breeding season for a fee of $ 100 , 000 stands and nurses independent of the outcome of his runners in the breeders’ cup . the # 1 sire of stakes winners in 2013 with 24 , kitten’s joy is once again the leading sire of stakes winners in 2014 , already with 23 . [ … ]
one of the central factors in the stallion success of kitten ' s joy is that he has towered over most of his mates in class . while generally well - pedigreed , the mares sent to kitten ' s joy have tended to be only fair performers on the racecourse . real solution and admiral kitten , for example , are the first foals of their dams , who are winners by pulpit and grand slam .
kitten ' s joy will stand at ramsey farm in 2014 for $ 100 , 000 , twice what he stood for this year . winstar farm has set speightstown ' s 2014 fee at $ 80 , 000 .
on friday , kitten kaboodle and granny mc’s kitten will race in the $ 1 million juvenile fillies turf , and bobby’s kitten is set for the $ 1 million juvenile turf . on saturday , we miss artie will race in the $ 2 million juvenile , kitten’s dumplings is set for the $ 2 million filly and mare turf , and real solution and big blue kitten are entered in the $ 3 million turf .
the eclipse award winner as champion turf horse in 2004 , kitten’s joy won nine of 14 starts , including seven stakes . his most important victories came in the g1 turf classic at belmont and the secretariat at arlington . the winner of slightly more than $ 2 million , kitten’s joy went to stud at the ramsey farm of owners and breeders ken and sarah ramsey .
“i can’t use a turf horse” is probably the most perplexing and commonplace remark from stallion managers , who took another tumble over that directive , as turf champion kitten’s joy rang up yet another grade 1 winner with kitten’s dumplings in the queen elizabeth ii challenge cup at keeneland on saturday .
those are qualities frequently associated with the sire of kitten’s joy , the outstanding sadler’s wells stallion el prado , who began his stud career at airdrie stud , then spent the remainder as a leading sire for adena springs .
in complete contrast to his own racing and breeding career , double form’s full sister belle époque became the third dam of kitten’s dumplings .
the kitten ' s joy stakes is a listed turf race for 3 - year - olds . inaugurated in 2013 , it is carded over one mile at gulfstream park as of 2016 .
from daughters of the sadler’s wells horse , el prado , tapit has sired grade one winner laragh and graded winner white rose . this would suggest trying mares by el prado sons medaglia d’oro , kitten’s joy and artie schiller .
but other stats for the two stallions are neck - and - neck as well . going into today , each sire had 257 runners . speightstown produced 153 winners to 133 for kitten ' s joy , but kitten ' s joy held a slight edge ( 24 - 23 ) in the number of stakes winners and graded stakes winners ( 11 - 10 ) . the top bread - winner for kitten ' s joy was big blue kitten , who won a pair of grade 1 races and racked up $ 902 , 800 in earnings . for speightstown , it was reynaldothewizard , winner of the $ 2 million g1 dubai golden shaheen .
saturday’s g1 coral - eclipse at sandown threw up a barnstormer as qatar racing’s roaring lion ( kitten’s joy ) edged out old rival saxon warrior ( jpn ) ( deep impact { jpn } ) to prevail by a neck and survive a subsequent lengthy stewards’ inquiry .
courtesy of the tdn celestial woods ( forestry ) has already produced a pair of talented turf colts for ken and sarah ramsey and the breeders hope they have a third on their handsin first timer starstruck kitten ( kitten ' s joy ) . he is conditioned by chad brown , who also trained the juvenile ' s full - brothers , gi breeders ' cup turf sprint winner bobby ' s kitten and mgsw camelot kitten , who is entered in the giii saranac s . later on the card .
angst : stephanie ' s kitten claims filly & mare turf a son of el prado bred by owners ken and sarah ramsey , kitten ' s joy had a 9 - 4 - 0 record from 13 starts with grade i wins in the joe hirsch and secretariat stakes , both in 2004 .
at laurel generous kitten ran second in the laurel turf cup s for the ramseys and gaining black - type and raising his earnings over $ 160 , 000 . at louisiana downs , g3 sw coalport , another kitten ' s joy ran second in unbridled s also for the ramseys . his earnings stand at $ 578 , 283 .
the progeny of kitten’s joy will seemingly be everywhere as the ramseys send a loaded seven - horse lineup into the breeders’ cup on friday and saturday at santa anita park in arcadia , calif .
stephanie’s kitten was unfold the rose’s second foal , after the mare produced winner lady kitten in 2008 . stephanie’s kitten became one of the 2 - year - old filly division’s most imposing figures in 2011 , winning the grade 1 alcibiades stakes and the grade 2 breeders’ cup juvenile fillies turf . stephanie’s kitten has continued to excel , scoring multiple stakes wins at 3 and 4 , including the grade 1 just a game stakes at belmont park last year .
ramsey and his wife , sarah , bred kitten ' s joy and knew he had a pedigree that strongly suggested success on grass . the colt ' s dam , kitten ' s first , had been a winner on the turf , and she is by european group i winner lear fan . el prado was a champion in ireland .
he employs several top trainers — the current roster includes chad brown , michael maker and dale romans ( who trained kitten’s joy ) — but he takes an active involvement in decisions about his horses .
kitten’s joy was an outstanding racehorse , to be sure ; in 12 starts on grass he scored nine wins and finished second in the other three . he was at his best in races at 1
the progeny of kitten’s joy rewarded her faith , and the ramseys reveled in their success on the racetrack . then , during what began as a carefree morning in florida , their storybook lives changed .
rausing confirms that ken and sarah ramsey have already placed 10 mares , all in foal to kitten’s joy , in quarantine in america in order to travel to england to visit their homebred next year .
in analyzing only north american earnings , kitten ' s joy still ranks number one with $ 10 , 930 , 824 , about $ 900 , 000 clear of spendthrift farm ' s malibu moon , sire of kentucky derby winner orb .
a case of strangles , an upper - respiratory disease , afflicted nearly every ramsey farm - born foal in kitten ' s joy ' s first crop . but from that initial crop came grade ii winner dean ' s kitten , who came within a nose of defeating eventual champion cape blanco in the 2011 grade i joe hirsch turf classic .
however , the mare’s biggest success has come with her fourth foal , the grade 1 - placed stakes winner charming kitten . the colt is the most recent offspring of kitten’s joy to run in the kentucky derby , and the most successful , finishing ninth in 2013 . charming kitten has won three races and placed in five graded stakes for earnings of $ 521 , 850 .
with 13 members of sea the moon’s first crop selling this week at tattersalls for an average of 44 , 231gns and top price of 160 , 000gns , and with the imposing bobby’s kitten becoming an appealing addition to the team , there’s plenty of cause for joy at lanwades .
after a decade , the ramseys reached the zenith of the business . they were honored with the eclipse award as the nation’s leading owners in 2004 , largely because kitten’s joy had been the country’s champion turf runner and roses in may the second - best dirt runner . ramsey sold roses in may to japan and kept kitten’s joy , planning to manage his career as a stallion . people who understand the breeding industry had reason to think he was making a naïve and expensive mistake .
groom flavio bueno led a blanketed kitten ' s joy across the grounds last week at ramsey farm in nicholasville .
he is treated like the king that he is ,
owner ken ramsey said of the farm ' s signature stallion .
those are qualities frequently associated with the sire of kitten ' s joy , the outstanding sadler ' s wells stallion el prado , who began his stud career at airdrie stud , then spent the remainder as a leading sire for adena springs .
in a single afternoon , the stallion had three grade 1 winners : big blue kitten ( sword dancer invitational ) at saratoga , then real solution ( arlington million ) and admiral kitten ( secretariat stakes ) at arlington . so far this year , kitten’s joy has 15 stakes winners and racers with total earnings of nearly $ 7 . 5 million .
it looked like he was going to be strictly a grass horse , and i ' m looking for dirt horses , so i decided to sell him ,
said ramsey of kitten ' s joy .
bobby ' s kitten will have a covering fee at twin hills of $ 16 , 500 , including gst .
while big blue kitten was still an unraced 2 - year - old , ramsey farm parted with spent gold at the 2010 keeneland november breeding stock sale for $ 1 , 000 . however , the mare remains a frequent visitor to kitten’s joy and was bred to him for 2014 .
bobby ' s kitten is possibly one of kitten ' s joy ' s most notable performers , winning the group 1 breeders ' cup turf sprint as well as having a european success in ireland by 8 . 5 lengths . the family is proven on turf tracks , a great plus for the sire especially with 99 per cent of australian races conducted on grass .
ramsey credits pedigree adviser john frato for planning the mating that produced kitten’s joy . kitten’s joy’s dam is the lear fan mare kitten’s first , who won her first start by a nose before a broken hip ended her career . the ramseys’s decision to breed her has paid off for several breeders . her first foal , the stakes - winning broad brush mare justenuffheart , went on to produce champion dreaming of anna and graded winner lewis michael for frank calabrese and graded winner justenuffhumor for mt . brilliant . in 2000 , frato recommended a short list of stallions from which ramsey and farm manager mark partridge chose el prado .
in a single afternoon , the stallion had three grade 1 winners : big blue kitten ( sword dancer invitational ) at saratoga , then real solution ( arlington million ) and admiral kitten ( secretariat stakes ) at arlington . so far this year , kitten ' s joy has 15 stakes winners and racers with total earnings of nearly $ 7 . 5 million .
whatever the explanation , once - skeptical people in the breeding industry can no longer be dismissive of kitten’s joy . even with his stud fee likely to rise to $ 100 , 000 next year , breeders will be mating high - class mares to him , which will almost insure the stallion of even greater success . the demand will be further proof that ramsey was right about kitten’s joy and the conventional wisdom was wrong .
multiple graded stakes - placed and msw kitten ' s cat , scored his second stakes victory in the kitten’s joy at gulfstream this spring , at two he was victorious in the juvenile turf sprint s . on gi breeders’ cup classic day at santa anita . today the ramsey homebred trained by mike maker finished third in the woodchopper s , at the fair grounds . he has earned $ 328 , 576 .
instead of looking back , the man with the widest smile and some of the biggest ambitions in thoroughbred racing spends all of his time making sure kitten ' s joy and his homegrown operation reign above all others .
for the second consecutive winter , bailey has ridden a ramsey - owned colt into the winner ' s circle in both the tropical park derby at calder and the palm beach stakes at gulfstream . last year it was with nothing to lose . this year it ' s with kitten ' s joy .
at 3 : won coolmore lexington s . ( gr . 3 ) ; 2nd overnight s . , alligator alley s .
we broke dubai sheikh off five or six lengths in front of kitten ' s joy , and kitten ' s joy ran him down and beat him about a length and a half or maybe two lengths going away ,
ramsey said .
but jerry said , ' ken , he changed gears like he always changes gears , but he struggled over the dirt and he ' s exhausted . i think he ' s better on grass , and i wouldn ' t try him on the dirt again . ' i took jerry ' s advice .
all due credit aside , kitten’s joy represents only one - third of the equation that produces a prominent runner , much less a stable full of them – the other pieces being the broodmare and a lot of luck .
“the secret to kitten’s joy isn’t like trying to decipher the secret to coca - cola or the recipe for kentucky fried chicken , ” ramsey said . “you take the pedigrees and see what the common thread is . ”
with 16 current graded stakes winners from five crops of racing age , the commercial bandwagon has filled up as well . of the 184 mares kitten ' s joy covered in 2013 , 93 were non - ramsey mares .
were the additional grade i winners for their sire last year . in addition to his stakes winners in the upper echelon of racing , kitten ' s joy had five 2 - year - old stakes winners of 2013 .
ken ramsey wants to win the kentucky derby ( gr . i ) more than any other race , and he tried to make kitten ' s joy a derby horse . he didn ' t achieve his goal with the son of
home run kitten takes the off the turf the american h . at santa anita
foaled in kentucky , kitten ' s joy raced as a homebred for ken and sarah ramsey . he was trained by dale romans . he entered stud in kentucky in 2006 at ramsey farm and has stood there throughout his stud career .
from kitten joy ' s
kitten spa ,
featuring an underwater treadmill on which he walks for 15 minutes a day five days a week , to the two paddocks at the horse ' s disposal , to the scrutiny of mares in his book , it ' s hard to find a segment of the ramsey operation not devoted to protecting the interest of a stallion with a history of trumping odds .
as has been well - documented , kitten ' s joy ' s success has been directly linked to the confidence his owners had in him when he retired to their farm in 2006 after he earned more than $ 2 million on the track . to support their new stallion , the ramseys bred from 90 to 122 mares to kitten ' s joy , and as the number of other breeders have sought a piece of his success , his book has continued to expand , with 190 mares bred to him this year .
reachinforthestars was claimed by the ramseys in her debut start for a $ 25 , 000 tag in september 2007 at calder . after winning two of 11 starts over two seasons of racing , she was sent to kitten’s joy for a mating that produced admiral kitten , the winner of the grade 1 secretariat stakes in 2013 .
there were a pair of starters in the keeneland race by freshman sires , and the best effort came from cater to kitten ( by champion turf horse kitten’s joy ) . he was seventh at the start , seventh at the quarter , then rolled past the remaining competition to finish second by 5 1 / 2 lengths .
one of the appeals of el prado was that , as a son of sadler’s wells and a grandson of northern dancer , he brought a five - deep line of male champions to the mating , ramsey said . kitten’s joy added another generation of champions with his 2004 eclipse award .
kitten ' s joy enjoys the best of both nature and technological advances . along with his daily jaunts on the underwater treadmill , he spends time beneath a heat lamp while on an equine vibration plate designed to increase bone density and circulation .
winx ' s staying power as one of the world ' s top rac . . .
tdnhighlighted by an almighty duel which saw ramsey farm’s kitten’s joy ( el prado ) nip winstar’s speightstown ( gone west ) by no more than $ 15 , 000 for the title of leading north american sire for 2013 , according to calculations for tdn sire lists , these two were still outdistanced by two european sires , coolmore’s galileo ( sadler’s wells ) and juddmonte’s dansili ( danehill ) , on the final tdn 2013 general sire list , combining european and north american sires .
ranked among the top 5 sires on the general sire list in 2016 , world class sire kitten ' s joy is also represented by multiple graded / group winners in the us , france and england in 2016 including sheikh mohammed ' s group 1 coral - eclipse stakes winner hawkbill and sheikh hamdan ' s multiple french group winner taareef .
operations such as claiborne , phipps stables and juddmonte have long enjoyed top - level racing success with homebreds . however , in recent times , no single stallion has so thoroughly powered a farm the way kitten ' s joy has the ramseys ' .
while there’s no shortage of sadler’s wells’ sons and grandsons at stud in this part of the world , an intriguing recent addition to the stallion ranks in newmarket represents a diversification of the line which is thriving in america . the gi breeders’ cup turf sprint winner bobby’s kitten , a son of the champion turf horse and five - time us champion turf sire kitten’s joy , arrived at lanwades stud earlier this autumn and has received a stream of visitors ahead of his covering debut next february . while his retirement was not announced until september , lanwades principal kirsten rausing had been in negotiation with bobby’s kitten’s owner - breeders ken and sarah ramsey since the spring .
this entry was posted in ray ' s paddock and tagged claiborne farm , gainesway , giant ' s causeway , horse racing , kitten ' s joy , leading sires , malibu moon , ramsey farm , sires , speightstown , stallions , tapit , thoroughbred breeding , thoroughbred racing , war front , winstar by scott jagow . bookmark the permalink .
calumet farm’s real solution , a multiple ( g1 ) winner and millionaire by kitten’s joy out of reachfortheheavens by pulpit , will stand at dex comardelle’s blue star racing stallion facility in scott , louisiana . on lease from calumet , comardelle and calumet hope to offer louisiana a premium product and provide real solution a competitive book of mares that [ … ]
for all the honors ken and sarah ramsey ' s racing and breeding operation has earned during the past two decades , the two have never held their current position — the nation ' s leading owners in earnings , stakes wins and graded stakes victories — while also standing the leader on the general sire list — their homebred stallion kitten ' s joy .
kitten’s joy stood for $ 50 , 000 this year , but “i’m sure we’ll raise his stud fee to $ 75 , 000 , maybe more , ” he said , adding that no decision will be made until after the breeders’ cup in early november .
with medaglia d’oro siring a champion in his first crop , there was no doubt the dark brown son of el prado was a major new force in the stallion corps , and kitten’s joy confirmed el prado as a sire of sires to be reckoned with .
grade 1 winners real solution and big blue kitten will join their sire , kitten’s joy , on the stallion roster at ramsey farm in 2015 , the daily racing form reports . both horses , which race as homebreds for ken and sarah ramsey , are scheduled to remain in training for the remainder of the year . chad brown trains [ … ]
the proposition was not an easy one , but ramsey rose to the challenge and put money into making kitten’s joy a success as a sire . he did not get much outside help early on . ramsey said , “in his first book , we got 16 outside mares , i believe , and we bought some mares , claimed some more , and used a lot of the money we got from roses in may to buy up a broodmare band that we could breed to kitten’s joy . we currently have 128 . ”
kitten ' s joy was busy . mr luck won the kranji stakes in singapore . closer to home 3 - year - old filly really proud ran thid in the cedar key s . at gulfstream sprinting 5 furlongs on the turf . she is a homebred for brereton jones and trained by christophe clement . additionally , both fro the ramseys , sniper kitten won an allowance race at keeneland - his 2nd win in 3 starts and sippin kitten broke her maiden in a msw also at keeneland .
so he decided to build a large breeding operation on the cheap . he studied the form of fillies in claiming races and tried to identify ones who — though they may have been mediocre runners — had ancestors who would mesh with the pedigree of kitten’s joy .
a horse who showed brilliant ability as a turf runner , kitten ' s joy was nonetheless considered a longshot to make a top sire in kentucky due to a long - standing bias against staying turf horses . owners ken and sarah ramsey supported him strongly with their own mares , however , and were well rewarded as kitten ' s joy rose to the top of the american general sire list in 2013 . to the surprise of many , the horse also became an american champion juvenile sire , leading that list in 2011 .
granny franny has a yearling colt by kitten’s joy and has shown her value as a producer already . by doing that , granny franny took the measure of the breeding prescription “not to breed to mares with a blank dam . ” another one bites the dust .
unfold the rose was sold at the 2011 keeneland january sale of horses of all ages for $ 7 , 000 , just months before stephanie’s kitten began her breakout 2 - year - old campaign . the mare was consigned by ramsey farm , as agent , at the 2013 keeneland november sale in foal to kitten’s joy but did not meet her reserve , with a final bid of $ 325 , 000 .
reachfortheheavens’s first foal , a kitten’s joy colt , was in the field when ramsey farm sold the mare for $ 11 , 000 at the 2010 ocala breeders’ sales co . fall mixed sale . one breeding season later , reachfortheheavens was back under the ramsey colors and that foal had become italian stakes winner real solution .
“i owe it to kitten’s joy , ” ken ramsey said when explaining his success . “without kitten’s joy , i’m certainly not going to be standing on that stage at the eclipse awards two times . i was actually overwhelmed when i found out what the actual vote was [ 235 - 4 for owner , 221 - 21 for breeder , among the finalists ] . i was astonished at how lopsided the voting was . we did have a truly good year , the best year we’ve ever had since we’ve been in horse racing . ”
iteration was purchased privately in 2006 for $ 10 , 000 and was part of the first book for kitten’s joy . her first big hit came with her second foal , queen’splatekitten , who was a multiple grade 3 - placed stakes winner of $ 387 , 313 .
owner ken ramsey will be a prominent presence at the breeders’ cup on friday and saturday , with seven starters in turf races , six of them offspring of his stallion kitten’s joy . this will be no surprise to racing fans because ramsey has seemed ubiquitous all year .
making his 29th start , 7 year old msw coalport ( kitten ' s joy ) ran a good third in the g3 - tropical turf h at gulfstream park west . he has earned over $ 621 , 000 for his owner / breeders ken and sarah ramsey .
calumet farm announced today that three - time grade 1 winner big blue kitten , the morning line favorite for saturday’s arlington million ( g1 ) , will take up stud duty at the famed lexington , ky . , farm at the end of his racing career . he will join another son of kitten’s joy , 2013 arlington million ( g1 ) winner real solution , who was recently acquired from his [ … ]
more than 56 % of his stakes performers are graded stakes horses : oscar performance , 2016 winner breeders’ cup juvenile turf - g1 , etc . stephanie’s kitten , 2015 winner breeders’ cup f & m turf - g1 , 2011 breeders’ cup juvenile fillies turf , etc . big blue kitten , 2015 ncr winner joe hirsch turf classic - g1 , etc . bobby’s kitten , 2014 winner breeders’ cup turf sprint - g1 , etc . divisidero , 2016 , woodford reserve turf classic - g1 , etc . h awkbill , 2016 coral - eclipse s . - g1 , etc . real solution ( g1 ) , kitten’s dumplings ( g1 ) , admiral kitten ( g1 ) , etc
a fearless gambler at the windows , ken ramsey went deep into the pool of risk with his stallion . he continued to buy mares that fit the profile of being good crosses with kitten ' s joy , keeping the stallion heavily booked in those crucial first few years .
tait , a former lieutenant of godolphin ' s founder , sheikh mohammed bin rashid al maktoum , gained the southern hemisphere breeding rights to bobby ' s kitten in setting up his own breeding farm .
in electing to stand a stallion , ken ramsey said that “i had a big decision to make . i wanted to keep only one stallion . the japanese wanted to buy kitten’s joy to take to japan , and they also wanted to buy roses in may . i did the pedigree research and decided that , of the two , kitten’s joy had the best chance to become a leading sire . the first five stallions in his male line were all champions , and we decided that he had all the genetics required to be a leading sire . ”
that the ramseys ended up being the primary supporter of kitten ' s joy meant they had control over how a majority of those foals were raised . and being at the helm of the decision - making process is a spot in which ken ramsey thrives as few others do .
kitten’s joy had a remarkable year in 2011 with his third crop of runners . he edged out smart strike by $ 906 to become leading juvenile sire , finished the season in second to smart strike on the turf sire rankings , and was 10th on the general sire list .
with medaglia d ' oro siring a champion in his first crop , there was no doubt the dark brown son of el prado was a major new force in the stallion corps , and kitten ' s joy confirmed el prado as a sire of sires to be reckoned with .
“based on this horse’s race record and his pedigree , his performance was all predictable , ” ramsey said of kitten’s joy , who is a son of el prado . “there’s nothing fluky about it . the secret to our success is very simple . what’s really helped kitten’s joy is that myself and my team have been able to define and shape the destiny of this world - class sire . we have carefully selected every single mare that’s been bred to him , and we own most of them . we’ve raised most of his offspring , and we’ve placed them where they can perform their best . we have orchestrated the thing ourselves by keeping the best ones , racing them , giving them to top - notch trainers . we flat put these horses where they can win . ”
heading into today ' s cards , according to the widely - recognized general sire list at bloodhorse . com , kitten ' s joy runners had collected $ 11 , 320 , 523 in earnings , giving him a slim $ 89 , 342 advantage over speightstown , who sat in second with earnings of $ 11 , 231 , 181 .
graded stakes placed , granny ` s kitten held down the racing fort , adding more black type running third in the robellino s at penn national for the ramseys . he has earned $ 282 , 371 .
as if the two graded stakes wins by sons of kitten ' s joy were not enough , his 3 year old filly noble beauty ran second in the honey ryder s in her second start lifetime ! she was bred by the ramseys and is now owned by great point stables llc and trained by chad brown . watch for this one .
in addition to his top ranking on the general sire list , kitten ' s joy was the overwhelming leading sire of turf runners last year , with progeny earnings of $ 8 . 2 million on grass , far outpacing the $ 3 . 7 million in turf earnings by runner - up
depending on how their runners perform this weekend , ken ramsey said he could raise kitten ' s joy ' s stud fee from the $ 50 , 000 he commanded this year to at least $ 100 , 000 in 2014 . in lieu of birthday presents , ramsey wants more evidence that his horses and his stallion can rule the world championships .
“i try to cater to a range of mare - owners and indeed mares , ” explains rausing of her decision to secure bobby’s kitten . “being a relatively small operation standing four or five stallions i have to offer breeders something they can’t find elsewhere . i was very fortunate to have hernando and selkirk , and leroidesanoimaux is sadly missed . nowadays when i look through the stallion register in europe it is so permeated with galileo and danehill , and as great a combination as it seems to be , you can’t keep going forever . although bobby’s kitten of course comes from the sadler’s wells sireline it is , one would hope , sufficiently distant and it’s another branch through el prado and kitten’s joy . i think it’s rather complementary rather than just being the same thing again . ”
his plan seemed fanciful — until the progeny of kitten’s joys started winning everywhere . this year the stallion’s offspring have won 22 stakes and earned in the vicinity of $ 10 million . on aug . 17 , ramsey won the arlington million with real solution ( a son of kitten’s joy and a mare who had been claimed for $ 25 , 000 ) ; the $ 500 , 000 secretariat stakes at arlington ; and , within the same hour , the $ 600 , 000 sword dancer handicap at saratoga .


the indochinese spitting cobra ( naja siamensis ) also called the thai spitting cobra , siamese spitting cobra or black-and-white spitting cobra , is a species of spitting cobra found in southeast asia .

indochinese spitting cobra

also known as : black spitting cobra , malayan spitting cobra , golden spitting cobra , sumatran spitting cobra ; naja ( naja ) sputatrix ( malaysia ) , naja naja miolepis ( borneo ) .
the indochinese spitting cobra is a species of spitting cobra snakes belonging to southeastern asia . with a decline in population , this snake has been grouped under ‘vulnerable’ species .
ashe’s spitting cobra is closely related to the mozambique spitting cobra in terms of certain morphological and behavioral characteristics .
indochinese spitting cobra — the indochinese spitting cobra has white spots or stripes . it is nocturnal and aggressive at night , but during the day , it is timid and quickly runs away . talk about a snake with dual personality !
seven species of african spitting cobras exist today . they are ashe’s spitting cobra ( n . ashei ) , the mali cobra ( n . katiensis ) , mozambique spitting cobra ( n . mossambica ) , zebra spitting cobra ( n . nigricincta ) , black - necked spitting cobra ( n . nigricollis ) , nubian spitting cobra ( n . nubiae ) , and the red spitting cobra ( n . pallida ) .
the smallest species of spitting cobras is the mozambique while the largest being the ashe’s spitting cobra .
the indochinese spitting cobra ( naja siamensis ) eat mouse ( feeding ) in feeding terarium . this empty terarium is great for feeding : )
also known as : black and white spitting cobra , isan spitting cobra ; naja ( naja ) isanensis , naja ( naja ) sputatrix .
whenever a indochinese spitting cobra gets the chance , it will try to flee and spare its venom . the ‘hood’ is only visible in defensive posture .
indochinese rat snakes are silver , black , grey , brown , or orange in color .
equatorial spitting cobra ( naja sumatrana ) with spread hood . by angusticeps cc4 . 0
javan spitting cobra ( naja sputatrix ) . by department of sustainability & environment cc2 . 0
ashe’s spitting cobra — this is the largest spitting cobra , normally growing about 6 . 5 feet ( 2 meters ) long , and so it is also known as the giant spitting cobra . the largest specimen to date was almost 9 feet ( 2 . 7 meters ) long !
zebra spitting cobra — once thought to be a subspecies of the black - necked spitting cobra but now considered a species of its own , the zebra spitting cobra is light brown , pink or yellow , with ( of course ) black stripes . that’s how it got its name .
captive care and reproduction of the red spitting cobra
, erik attmarson , reptilia 33 .
indonesian spitting cobra — also known as the javan spitting cobra , this snake is nocturnal and spends most of its time on the ground . it is a common prey for the komodo dragon , the largest monitor lizard .
snake getting a quick snack – think this is a mozambique spitting cobra . by i love trees cc2 . 0
the head can be elliptical or depressed like in the case of the equatorial and the mandalay spitting cobra . while few show distinct hood marks like the javan spitting cobra there are others that don’t show any mark like the equatorial spitting cobra . however , many african spitting cobras portray dark cross bands located around the neck like the nubian spitting cobra . they do possess an inflatable neck hood which is the flap of the skin located behind the head of the cobra . when spitting cobras feel threatened they can expand their movable ribs by drawing in air from its lungs , a defense mechanism often used to frighten or warn predators .
also known as : black pakistan cobra , sri lankan cobra ; naja naja karachiensis , naja naja polyocellata .
now , you might wonder , how does spitting protect the cobra ? sure , it’s disgusting . but is it dangerous ?
mozambique spitting cobra ( naja mossambica ) dysmorodrepanis 01 : 09 , 29 may 2008 ( utc ) . by chris eason cc2 . 0
indochinese spitting cobra ( naja siamensis ) spits at the camera , covering it with venom . note : spitting cobras don ' t actually ' spit ' their venom . they use muscles to squeeze their venom glands , squirting the venom from the hole in the fang . the hole isn ' t at the very tip of the fang , it ' s faces forward slightly . the hissing noise they make plays no part in ' spitting ' .
equatorial spitting cobra — the equatorial spitting cobra comes in two colors , black ( in singapore , malaysia , indonesia and the philippines ) and yellow ( in thailand ) . it is particularly common in singapore , where it often wanders near humans — not good news for those living there .
the red spitting cobra is a medium - sized cobra that may reach a length of up to 4 feet . originally , it was thought to be a subspecies of the mozambique spitting cobra , but is now considered its own species . it is favored by venomous snake keepers due to its coloration , which is typically a salmon to red color with black banding .
spitting cobras do have teeth so , yes , they can bite . besides , they still need to eat , and spitting isn’t a very good hunting technique .
of the elapidae family that also showcase the same spitting behavior . however , the
spitting cobras showcase defense mechanisms like their upright postures followed by a threatening hood .
red spitting cobra ( naja pallida ) from africa . original uploader was pogrebnoj - alexandroff at ru . wikipedia cc - by - 2 . 5 .
the most potent venom is that of the philippine spitting cobra , one of the world’s most dangerous true cobras whose venom is completely composed of neurotoxins .
is classified under a different genus hemachatus and due to the major differences between genus hemachatus and naja , we will only focus on the 14 naja spitting cobra species in this article . spitting cobras are dominant in the naja genus , further characterized by two distinct types according to their location – the asian and african spitting cobras .
other than the monocled cobra morphs , the indochinese spitting cobras are probably the most commonly kept and bred cobras in the usa . we purchased the cb ' 99 female , now deceased , from a friend on 10 / 26 / 02 . we bred the cb ' 99 female to a cb ' 02 male in 2006 and 2007 .
spitting cobras are capable of spraying venom consecutively 40 times in a very short time span .
what makes spitting cobra venom so scary ? well , it often contains a combination of neurotoxins and cytotoxins — substances that can damage nerve tissue and shut down individual cells . on human skin , spitting cobra venom isn’t harmful , but if it gets in the eyes , inside the nostrils or into a cut in the skin , it can cause serious damage .
a 28 - year - old thai male who was clearing debris at a construction site when he encountered a spitting cobra . the reptile spat venom into his right eye before trying to escape . a colleague who was also at the site managed to kill the cobra [
lethal injection : thailand . king cobra grabbed , hugged and kissed goodbye in the wild
red spitting cobra — the red spitting cobra starts out as salmon red or reddish - orange , with a black or dark blue band around its throat , making it an attractive snake . as it grows , however , it becomes a darker shade of red and the throat band disappears . young red spitting cobras are diurnal , meaning they are active during the day , while adults are nocturnal , or active at night . this prevents the adults from eating the young ones .
spitting cobra fang anatomy is different compared to other cobra species , as they possess a more forward and circular opening to their fangs compared to other cobras . this specialized structure allows the venom stream expelled by spitting cobras to travel forward , rather than downward . amazingly , when spraying , spitting cobras are able to match venom distribution to the size of the target , regardless of distance . these snakes are very unlikely to bite as a defensive behavior ; however , envenomations from bites have been reported .
the king cobra is not considered to be a true cobra species , such as the other cobras in the naja genus ; instead , it belongs to its own genus , ophiophagus .
philippine cobra — the philippine cobra is considered one of the world’s deadliest snakes . why ? because its venom is purely neurotoxic and the second - most toxic among all cobra venom . one bite can kill within 30 minutes , without the victim even displaying any symptoms at all !
black - necked spitting cobra — the black - necked spitting cobra doesn’t always have a black neck . sometimes it can be pure copper or olive brown , and sometimes it can have black and white stripes . it is a very adaptable snake that can thrive in different environments . also , it can be nocturnal or diurnal , depending on the time of year , whichever is more favorable for the snake .
spitting cobras are any species of venomous snakes that can project venom from their fangs , hence the name ‘spitting cobras’ . this unique ability to project venom with a precise aim is a defensive mechanism found in most cobra species , specifically of the genus naja and few others . such species of cobras that are recognized for possessing a set of spitting fangs use specialized muscles that contract the venom gland forcing the venom out through the fangs .
a killed juvenile javan spitting cobra , naja sputatrix ( tl ca 50 cm ) ; head close up , note the fang position . from banyumas , central java , indonesia . by wibowo djatmiko cc3 . 0
once the venom of a spitting cobra gets in your eyes , you will feel pain and be forced to retreat . if left untreated , victims can even go blind . that’s how potent the venom of a spitting cobra is . in this case , an antivenom won’t work . the best thing to do is quickly wash the venom out of your eyes , and then get to a doctor for antibiotic eye drops .
philippine cobra . by mario lutz [ cc by - sa 3 . 0 urltoken via wikimedia commons
king cobra skull showing large teeth and thick , rather short fangs for injecting venom during envenomation .
the fangs of the mozambique are modified with channel openings at the tip and directed forward at right angles for spitting venom .
despite preferring open grasslands , thick woodlands and agricultural fields , spitting cobras are often encountered near human settlements in southeast asia .
the holes present within the fangs of spitting cobras are tear dropped shaped to ensure spraying of a narrow stream of venom .
a 23 - year - old chinese male who was gathering fallen tree branches when he uncovered a spitting cobra under the branches that spat into his left eye . the snake , which managed to escape , fitted the description of the
cham g , pan jc , lim f , earnest a , gopala krishna kone p . effects of topical heparin , anti - venom , tetracycline and dexamethasone treatment in corneal injury resulting from the venom of the black spitting cobra (
king cobra eating a red - tailed racer ( oxycephalum gonyosoma ) snake – thailand . copyright 2009 vern lovic .
the diet of a spitting cobra doesn’t differ much from the diet of other snakes . frogs and toads are on the menu , as well as lizards , birds , bird eggs , chickens , rats , mice , other snakes and even insects .
first , don’t forget that their spit is actually venom . second , spitting cobras aim for the eyes , an extremely vulnerable part of the body . third , studies show that spitting cobras hit their target at least eight out of ten times — that’s deadly accuracy !
just as rattlesnakes only rattle when they sense danger , spitting cobras only spit in order to defend themselves — this self - defense mechanism is a deep - rooted instinct . spitting cobras are able to spit immediately after hatching , and some say they can even do it after they’re dead !
ptyas korros can be silver , grey , or brown – orange looking in color . scales on the posterior part of the body and on the tail often yellow and edged with black . underbelly is light yellow . juvenile indochinese rat snakes have a transverse series of round whitish spots or narrow yellow transverse bars .
morphologically , the king cobra has a larger head and more narrow hood compared to other cobra species . a key to identifying them is the presence of a pair of large scales , known as occipitals , located at the back of the top of the head . these are behind the usual “nine - plate” arrangement typical of colubrids and elapids , and are unique to the king cobra .
another interesting bit of information is that the king cobra is said to be able to see as far as 100 meters during daylight .
twelve cobra species live in asia . in contrast to african cobras , who exhibit great adaptive diversity , most asian cobra species are similar in behavior , lifestyle and habitat preference . the prevalence of cobras in asia is reflected by their frequent appearance in the region ' s religions and mythology .
naja siamensis possesses a deadly venom . in addition , the spitting of venomous can lead to damage to the corneas . strong venomous , deadly , corrosive for the eyes !
wuster , w . ; warrell , d . a . ; jintakune , p . 1997 . redescription of naja siamensis ( serpentes : elapidae ) , a widely overlooked spitting cobra from s . e . asia : geographic variation , medical importance and designation of a neotype . journal of zoology 243 ( 4 ) : 771 -
in thai language , it sounds like ngoo how chang ( literally “snake cobra elephant” , or ngoo chong ahng . there are many names for this snake .
recently tom charlton and i found a 3 - meter king cobra in krabi and got some great shots and video of it . facebook photo of it here .
wolfgang wuster ' s asiatic cobra systematics page is extremely detailed and helpful , covering not only species descriptions but also some of the problems in identifying asian naja species .
to describe three presentations of spitting cobra venom induced ophthalmia in urban singapore . case notes and photographs of three patients with venom ophthalmia who presented to our clinic between 2007 and 2012 were reviewed . two patients encountered the spitting cobra while working at a job site while the third patient had caught the snake and caged it . the venom entered the eyes in all 3 cases . immediate irrigation with tap water was carried out before presenting to the accident and emergency department . all patients were treated medically with topical antibiotic prophylaxis and copious lubricants . the use of anti - venom was not required in any case . all eyes recovered with no long - term sequelae . if irrigation is initiated early , eyes can recover with no significant complications or sequelae .
may be quite common in places . all are oviparous . diet is other vertebrates , with regards to which the african species at least are overall fairly catholic . some species have the ability to spit venom , a fact worth remembering as the venom can cause pain and blindness . o ' shea notes that often a spitting and non - spitting species may occur in the same location in africa and continental se asia .
chu er , weinstein sa , white j , warrell da . venom ophthalmia caused by venoms of spitting elapid and other snakes : report of ten cases with review of epidemiology , clinical features , pathophysiology and management .
the king cobra ( ophiophagus hannah ) is the longest venomous snake species , with adults ranging from about 8 to 18 feet in length . they may live up to 25 years .
the egyptian cobra gained notoriety in the u . s . in 2011 , when mia , a resident of the bronx zoo , escaped . she was eventually discovered in the reptile house .
these are the true cobras , and the most widespread of cobra genera , covering all of africa , arabia , the indian subcontinent and se asia including china , the philippines and indonesia .
despite rapid urbanization , spitting cobra venom ophthalmia - a condition which is more commonly encountered in the wild and rural environment - can be seen in urbanized areas . as far as possible , these snakes should not be handled , caught or held captive as presented in our last case . captive snakes can be aggressive and still cause spitting injuries . we strongly discouraged captivity of these and a public education campaign or warning should be issued . ophthalmologists such are cognizant of such occurrences . regardless of the venom or toxin that the eye is exposed to , it is well - documented that prompt and copious irrigation is the key to preventing any chronic visual morbidity .
the forest cobra ( n . melanoleuca ) is considered the largest true cobra species , and specimens have been documented at up to 10 feet in length . it occurs mainly in western and central africa , where it can be found from senegal in the west to angola , western kenya , uganda and rwanda in the east . it can also be found in some parts of south africa .
description : first aid for bites by elapid snakes which are likely to cause significant local damage at the bite site as their major clinical effect ( see listing in comments section ) . this includes venom spat into eyes by spitting cobras .
spitting cobras are predominantly found in southern africa and southeast asia . in southern africa , they are found in dry savanna and semidesert areas . in southeast asia , they are found in forests , fields , grasslands and even near human settlements .
the mangshan pit viper , from china , is also known to spit venom , though not as far as spitting cobras can . this snake mostly uses its white - tipped tail to lure prey close , and then delivers a deadly bite .
slowinski , j . b . & w . wüster ( 2000 ) a new cobra ( elapidae : naja ) from myanmar ( burma ) . herpetologica , 56 ( 2 ) : 257 - 270 . pdf
deraniyagala , p . e . p . ( 1939 ) a new colour variety of cobra from ceylon & south india . ceylon journal of science ( b ) , 21 ( 3 ) : 233 - 235 .
deraniyagala , p . e . p . ( 1945 ) some new races of the python , chrysopelea , binocellate cobra and tith - polonga inhabiting ceylon and india . spolia zeylanica , 24 : 103 - 113 .
venom extraction from indo - chinese spitting cobras , naja siamensis . we use the term ' malayan ' spitters in the video - that ' s what these snakes have been called for a long time in the animal trade , and old habits die hard !
the monocled cobra is found relatively frequently throughout thailand . naja kauthia , which is also found in india , nepal , south china and indochina , is called „keautiah” in calcutta . this led to the name „kauthia “ .
as its common name indicates , the forest cobra lives primarily in forest or woodlands , and it is the only cobra species found in such areas in africa . due to its ecological niche , humans do not often encounter forest cobras , and the species is one of the least frequent causes of snakebites in africa ( it possesses a primarily neurotoxic venom ) . it is primarily a diurnal species , and it exhibits some arboreal tendencies due to its natural habitat .
does not quickly run out of venom , can spit surprisingly often . and as noted in the introduction , they do not first have to get in a good pose before spitting . they can spit instantly as it turns its head towards you when you grab the tail . beware .
thais are a bit crazy about cobras – it is the most easily recognized snake , and though i have met few people that can identify other snakes , most know what a cobra looks like . there are even amulet necklaces of cobras !
this cobra is primarily found in east africa , including somalia , southern egypt , ethopia , tanzania , kenya and sudan . there is much variation to the coloration throughout its range , and animals from kenya and northern tanzania exhibit an orange to red coloration with a very broad black throat band . when interacting with any spitting species of cobras , it is , naturally , imperative to wear protective eye gear , or even an entire face shield , to prevent any venom from entering your eyes if the animal decides to spit venom .
wüster , w . & r . s . thorpe ( 1989 ) population affinities of the asiatic cobra ( naja naja ) species complex in south - east asia : reliability and random resampling . biological journal of the linnean society , 36 : 391 - 409 . pdf
nearly everyone , whether or not they are knowledgeable about reptiles , recognizes a cobra . this is due primarily to the fact that cobras display one of the most—if not the most—iconic snake poses : the rearing , hooded display . for proof of this , look no further than ancient egypt . in ancient egyptian culture , the uraeus was a hooded cobra symbol used to represent sovereignty , royalty , deity , or divine authority . cobras belong to the family elapidae , the members of which are characterized by proteroglyph dentition , meaning they have two short , fixed fangs in the front of the mouth , which channel venom into their prey like hypodermic needles .
taxonomic comment . the
suphan cobra
(
n . k . suphanensis
) is a colour variety of n . kaouthia known from central thailand . all intermediates between
typical
suphan cobras and
typical
n . kaouthia are known , and a molecular genetic study showed no differences bewteen these colour forms .
reproduction cobra breeding season is between the months of april and july . females can lay 12 to 30 eggs in an underground nest which hatch 50 to 70 days later . newly hatched cobras measure between 20 to 30 cm ( 8 12 inches ) and already have fully functional venom glands . however , they cannot control how much venom they release when they are still young .
very toxic , but monocled cobras ( naja kaouthia ) and kraits ( genus bungarus ) are more potent on the ld50 scale . the power of the king is in the volume of venom it can inject in one bite – maximum around 7ml ! kings can ( and have ) killed elephants with a good bite . more information on venom constituents and treatment for king cobra snakebite here .
this article will provide a brief introduction to several cobra species , including some that are commonly available in the reptile trade ( at least where venomous reptiles can be kept legally ) , as well as some discussion on some of the defining characteristics of cobras . naturally , only extremely experienced keepers who have training with elapids , including cobras , should even think about maintaining these amazing snakes in captivity .
so this page will be a collection of all the best information i can source about my favorite species of snake , king cobra – ophiophagus hannah . if you have some article , book , documentary , photo , video , or other bit of information you’d like to see listed here , just write via the contact form at this link . it is found under the home menu at the top of all pages .
i’ve seen a few king cobras ( hamadryad ) in the wild . one i saw in a park in krabi – just the tail as it crossed the road behind me . i’m guessing it was an eight meter long snake . i know it is probably impossible , but i’m not joking . the tail was absolutely massive , longer and thicker by nearly double that of other 5 - meter kings i’ve seen many of . this was quite possibly the biggest king cobra in the world .
in thailand i’ve watched just one snake show take over fifty king cobras each year out of the wild . they ‘rescue’ them from homes , yards , businesses , gardens , and farms . the kings spend a couple weeks or months rubbing their faces raw and bleeding against the fence trying desperately to escape . some of them are put in the king cobra show – where they are teased mercilessly three to ten times each day for tourists that are interested in seeing snakes , but don’t really understand the state of the kings that are held there .
i mentioned earlier having seen many dozens of king cobras run through the snake show here in our local area . that is just one king cobra show out of perhaps a dozen in the country . if every show caught and disposed of 50 king cobras annually , that’s 600 adult king cobras yearly that are being depleted from the forests just here in thailand . kings mate once per year and their eggs are highly vulnerable to predators like monitors , other snakes , rats , and weather phenomena like high humidity and monsoon rains . kings lay eggs just before the rains start .
ophiophagus hannah is the only snake known in the world that creates a nest ( usually of bamboo and other leaves ) . this snake lays eggs which they stay with in the nest until ready to hatch . when the eggs begin hatching , the female king leaves because it eats other snakes primarily – and would likely eat the young . the young are fast , and deadly from the time they hatch . juvenile king cobras from thailand have yellow bands across their black bodies and heads . they look radically different from adult king cobra snakes . there is a danger of mistaking them for mangrove cat snakes ( boiga dendrophila ) .
update 7 / 20 / 2016 – i’ve seen a number of king cobras in the wild now over the years . four of them have been hundreds of meters high on mountains . many snake enthusiasts want to come to thailand to see king cobras , and i have to tell them… the chance of seeing one is slight . i’ve lived in thailand for ten years and i’ve seen only a handful , and i’m in the rainforest often . your best bet is to come to the country and stay for a couple of months . stay at urltoken in a bungalow , and hike during the days around there . that’s my best advice . your chance at seeing a king cobra is not high – you would probably need weeks of walking around during the day to see one . it’s all luck !
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urltoken
thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
stuart , b . , thy , n . , chan - ard , t . , nguyen , t . q . & bain , r .
de silva , r . , milligan , ht , wearn , o . r . , wren , s . , zamin , t . , sears , j . , wilson , p . , lewis , s . , lintott , p . & powney , g .
justification : this species is listed as vulnerable on the basis that this species has experienced high rates of decline throughout its range , estimated at over 50 % in parts of its range and likely to be between 30 - 50 % globally over the past 15 - 18 years , which equals three generations assuming a generation length of 5 - 6 years , and the cause of decline ( overharvesting ) has not ceased .
this species has a very wide distribution throughout mainland southeast asia , with an extent of occurrence of over 800 , 000 km 2 that encompasses cambodia , southern laos , central and all of southern vietnam , northern thailand and eastern myanmar .
this species inhabits lowland and upland forest and cultivated areas , including rice paddies . it is found in deciduous , disturbed and open forest , and is absent from closed - canopy evergreen forest ( b . stuart and q . t . nguyen pers . comm . 2011 ) . generation length in this species is uncertain , but captive specimens have been reported to exhibit generation lengths of 4 - 5 years . generation length in the wild is probably longer , and is here estimated at 5 - 6 years .
like other cobras , this species is heavily harvested in vietnam , cambodia , and lao pdr where it is used for traditional chinese medicine ( b . stuart pers . comm . 2011 ) . this is the primary cause of observed population declines in this species , which is highly tolerant of habitat modification . this species is sometimes harvested for the skin trade , but this is only a minor threat as the skin quality is not high .
this species is listed on appendix ii of cites . in places the distribution of this species coincides with protected areas , probably providing small safeguards from high levels of harvesting . further research into the harvest levels of this species is needed , as is population monitoring . it is a protected species in vietnam , where it is listed as endangered in the national red data book ( dang
stuart , b . , thy , n . , chan - ard , t . , nguyen , t . q . & bain , r . 2012 .
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distribution . india ( except assam ) , pakistan ( except most of baluchistan ) , sri lanka , bangladesh , nepal .
identification . pattern : dorsal colour brown , grey or black ; often light , chevron - shaped bands across dorsum , which are frequently split into double or quadruple bands ; hood mark shape variable : spectacle , mask , horseshoe or o - shape , often linked to light throat area on at least one side ; clearly defined light throat area , usually a pair of clearly defined lateral spots . scalation : 23 - 29 scale rows around hood ( usually 25 - 27 ) , 19 - 21 just ahead of mid - body ; 161 - 180 ventrals , 37 - 51 subcaudals ; often only two posterior temporals .
distribution . northern laos , northern vietnam , china ( north - east to the mouth of the yangtze river ) , taiwan , hainan . .
taxonomic comment . easily confused with naja kaouthia . most easily distinguished by virtue of having lower ventral and subcaudal scale counts , particular when sex is taken into account .
identification . pattern : variable ; hood mark o - or mask - shaped , may be faint , but absent only in few populations ; dorsal colour yellow , brown , grey or blackish ; plain or with ragged or clearly - defined cross - bands ; throat pattern usually clear ; one pair of lateral throat spots , encroach only on lowest dorsal scale row . ventral colour usually similar to dorsal colour , may be light . underside of tail light , subcaudals usually dark - edged . scalation : 27 - 33 scale rows around hood , 21 just ahead of mid - body ; 170 - 197 ventrals , 46 - 61 subcaudals , normally all divided ; often more than one cuneate on each side ; frontal scale short , often almost square .
distribution . northern india ( east of delhi ) , assam , nepal , bangladesh , burma , thailand , northern malaya , cambodia , southern half of vietnam , probably southern laos , china ( yunnan , sichuan ) .
identification . pattern : medium to dark brown , with lighter interstitial skin , sometimes with more or less obvious lighter cross bands , mostly on interstitial skin ; a spectacle - shaped hood mark may be present , especially in some juveniles ; ventral side creamish , with two or three dark brown cross bands ; throat heavily mottled with dark brown pigment in adults . scalation : 27 - 31 scale rows around hood , 19 - 21 at midbody , usually 21 just ahead of midbody ; 173 - 185 ventrals , 50 - 58 paired subcaudals .
distribution . myanmar ( burma ) - confined to the dry zone surrounding the city of mandalay .
distribution . turkmenistan , uzbekistan , tadzhikistan , ne iran , northern and eastern afghanistan , northern half of pakistan , kashmir , e to himachal pradesh ( india ) .
taxonomic comment . naja naja specimens without a hood mark are often confused with n . oxiana , especially in pakistan and northern india . naja oxiana is never fully black , although some specimens may be quite dark . also , n . oxiana normally has several dark bands under the throat , whereas in black n . naja from pakistan , almost the entire throat is black .
identification . fairly stockily built . pattern : adults uniformly light or medium brown , occasionally some lighter variegations ; juveniles dark brown , with lighter variegations , sometimes a dark band behind the throat . scalation : 23 - 27 ( usually 25 ) scale rows around neck , 21 ( rarely 23 ) just ahead of mid - body ; 182 - 193 ventrals , 36 - 49 subcaudals , basal pairs sometimes undivided .
distribution . philippine islands : known with certainty from luzon , mindoro , catanduanes and masbate , likely to occur on other neighbouring islands . records from the calamianes group and palawan require confirmation .
identification . pattern : dorsal ground colour dark ; juveniles have a series of light lines ascending along the side , giving a series of a - shaped marks when seen from the side ; monocle hood mark present ; adults tend to be uniform . scalation : 175 - 183 ventrals , 60 - 64 divided subcaudals , 27 - 29 dorsal scale rows around hood , 21 - 23 scale rows at midbody .
distribution . philippine islands : recorded from mindanao , samar , leyte , bohol and camiguin . likely to occur on other nearby islands .
distribution . thailand ( except on malayan peninsula ) , western laos , cambodia , southern vietnam .
taxonomic comment . often mislabelled as naja sputatrix . the latter is never black and white , and normally lacks any clearly defined pattern .
identification . pattern : javan adults usually uniform yellowish , brown or blackish ; juveniles often have throat band and lateral throat spots , sometimes a hood mark , which is most often chevron - shaped , rarely mask - , spectacle - , horseshoe - or o - shaped ; specimens from the lesser sunda islands usually medium or light brown , with lighter scale bases ; throat band and heart - shaped hood mark persist into adulthood . scalation : 19 - 28 scale rows around hood , 18 - 21 just ahead of midbody ; javan specimens have more scale rows than lesser sunda specimens ; 162 - 183 ventrals , 42 - 54 subcaudals , normally all divided .
distribution . southern indonesia : java , bali , lombok , sumbawa , komodo , flores , lomblen , alor , possibly other islands in the group . the occurrence of this species on timor and sulawesi requires confirmation .
distribution . equatorial south - east asia : malaysia , extreme southern thailand , indonesia ( sumatra , borneo , bangka , belitung , the riau archipelago ) and the philippines ( palawan , culion ) ; may occur on other islands in the region ; possible remnant population in western java .
taxonomic comment . populations from the malayan peninsula were long mislabelled as naja ( naja ) sputatrix . populations from borneo were formerly known as naja naja miolepis . the systematics of this species need further analysis . naja sputatrix lacks any clearly defined pattern on the throat , and usually has fewer ventral scales .
matters are further complicated by the fact that the old subspecies of naja naja , as previously recognized , did not always correspond to the species currently believed to exist . in other words , some of the old subspecies were either trivial local variants , and their names are no longer used , or they were found to be heterogeneous , and encompass populations of several currently recognized species . relating the older nomenclature to that currently used is therefore not straightforward .
the appended table provides a kind of
taxonomic conversion table
for the older and newer literature . note that if the locality of origin of a snake is unknown , it may not be possible to determine which currently recognized species an animal mentioned in the literature belongs to .
n . n . atra ( common ) , n . sputatrix atra ( china , northern vietnam - lingenhöle and trutnau , 1989 )
n . n . kaouthia ( common ) , n . n . siamensis ( common in the toxinological literature ) , n . n . sputatrix ( vietnam , rare ) , n . n . leucodira ( reid , 1964 ) , n . kaouthia suphanensis ( yellow form from central thailand , rare )
n . n . naja ( common ) , n . n . oxiana ( patternless specimens from northern india ) , n . n . indusi ( nw india , northern pakistan , rare ) , n . n . karachiensis ( black form from southern pakistan ) , n . n . polyocellata ( sri lanka , rare ) , n . n . caeca ( patternless specimens from northern india - rare )
n . n . kaouthia ( thailand , cambodia , vietnam , through confusion ) , n . n . sputatrix ( thailand ) , n . n . isanensis , n . n . atra ( thailand ) , n . atra ( thailand ) , n . sputatrix atra ( rare , thailand ) , n . sputatrix isanensis , n . isanensis .
n . n . sumatrana ( sumatra ) , n . n . sputatrix ( common , malayan peninsula , bangka , belitung ) , n . n . miolepis ( borneo ) , n . n . leucodira ( malayan peninsula , sumatra ) , n . n . kaouthia ( yellow form from northern malaysia - reid , 1964 ; tweedie , 1954 ) , n . sputatrix sputatrix ( malayan peninsula , java - lingenhöle and trutnau , 1989 )
deraniyagala , p . e . p . ( 1960 ) the taxonomy of the cobras of south - eastern asia . spolia zeylanica , 29 : 41 - 63 .
deraniyagala , p . e . p . ( 1961 ) the taxonomy of the cobras of south - eastern asia , part 2 . spolia zeylanica , 29 : 205 - 232 .
lingenhöle , s . and trutnau , l . ( 1989 ) über die kobras der gattung naja laurenti , 1758 in thailand . herpetofauna 11 : 6 - 13 .
wüster , w . ( 1992 ) a century of confusion : asiatic cobras revisited . the vivarium , 4 : 14 - 18 . pdf
wüster , w . ( 1996 ) taxonomic changes and toxinology : systematic revisions of the asiatic cobras ( naja naja species complex ) . toxicon , 34 ( 4 ) : 399 - 406 . pdf
wüster , w . ( 1998 ) the cobras of the genus naja in india . hamadryad , 23 ( 1 ) : 15 - 32 . pdf
wüster , w . & r . s . thorpe ( 1991 ) asiatic cobras : systematics and snakebite . experientia , 47 : 205 - 209 . pdf
wüster , w . & r . s . thorpe ( 1992 ) asiatic cobras : population systematics of the naja naja species complex ( serpentes : elapidae ) in india and central asia . herpetologica , 48 ( 1 ) : 69 - 85 . pdf
wüster , w . & r . s . thorpe ( 1994 ) naja siamensis , a cryptic species of venomous snake revealed by mtdna sequencing . experientia , 50 : 75 - 79 . pdf
wüster , w . , r . s . thorpe , m . j . cox , p . jintakune & j . nabhitabhata ( 1995 ) population systematics of the snake genus naja ( reptilia : serpentes : elapidae ) in indochina : multivariate morphometrics and comparative mitochondrial dna sequencing ( cytochrome oxidase i ) . journal of evolutionary biology , 8 : 493 - 510 . pdf
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general shape medium in length , heavy bodied snake with long cervical ribs capable of expansion to form a hood when threatened . body is compressed dorsoventrally and sub - cylindrical posteriorly . can grow to a maximum of about 1 . 60 metres . head is elliptical , depressed and slightly distinct from neck with a short , rounded snout and large nostrils . eyes are medium in size with round pupils . dorsal scales are smooth and strongly oblique .
general : other these snakes can spit their venom , causing venom spit ophthalmia .
treatment summary bites can cause both local tissue injury and systemic effects , principally flaccid paralysis . treatment is therefore twofold ; good wound care and control of secondary infection , plus watch for flaccid paralysis . if severe paralysis present , with respiratory failure , requires intubation & ventilation . specific antivenoms available , which should be given at first sign of developing paralysis .
general approach to management all cases should be treated as urgent & potentially lethal . rapid assessment & commencement of treatment including appropriate antivenom ( if indicated & available ) is mandatory . admit all cases .
antivenom therapy antivenom is the key treatment for systemic envenoming . multiple doses may be required .
( cc by - sa 3 . 0 ) , or the attribution - noncommerical - sharealike
( cc by - nc - sa 3 . 0 ) , or the attribution - share alike
( gpl3 . 0 ) , or in the public domain ( pd ) , as shown in the caption to the image displayed on www . toxinology . com .
copyright 2001 - 2018 toxinology , wch . all rights reserved . best viewed in 800x600 resolution or higher .
naja siamensis laurenti 1768 : 91 naja naja kaouthia smith 1943 naja naja kaouthia , variety c taylor 1965 naja tripudians — nootpand 1971 naja oxiana — nootpand 1971 naja naja isanensis nutaphand 1982 naja naja sputatrix — nutaphand 1982 naja naja atra — nutaphand 1982 naja isanensis — nutaphand 1986 naja sputatrix atra — lingenhole & trutnau 1989 naja sputatrix isanensis — lingenhole & trutnau 1989 naja atra — wüster & thorpe 1991 naja cf . atra — wüster & thorpe 1992 naja siamensis — wüster & thorpe 1994 naja siamensis — cox et al . 1998 : 28 naja ( naja ) siamensis — wallach et al . 2009 naja siamensis — wallach et al . 2014 : 462
note : tdwg regions are generated automatically from the text in the distribution field and not in every cases it works well . we are working on it .
venomous ! in the toxinological literature , the name
naja naja siamensis
is more likely to refer to naja kaouthia than to this species . not listed by golay 1985 .
chan - ard , t . , parr , j . w . k . & nabhitabhata , j . 2015 . a field guide to the reptiles of thailand . oxford university press , ny , 352 pp . [ see book reviews by pauwels & grismer 2015 and hikida 2015 for corrections ] - get paper here
chan - ard , t . ; grossmann , w . ; gumprecht , a . & schulz , k . d . 1999 . amphibians and reptiles of peninsular malaysia and thailand - an illustrated checklist [ bilingual english and german ] . bushmaster publications , würselen , gemany , 240 pp . [ book review in russ . j herp . 7 : 87 ] - get paper here
cox , merel j . ; van dijk , peter paul ; jarujin nabhitabhata & thirakhupt , kumthorn 1998 . a photographic guide to snakes and other reptiles of peninsular malaysia , singapore and thailand . ralph curtis publishing , 144 pp .
das , i . 2012 . a naturalist ' s guide to the snakes of south - east asia : malaysia , singapore , thailand , myanmar , borneo , sumatra , java and bali . oxford j , ohn beaufoy publishing - get paper here
geissler , peter , truong quang nguyen , nikolay a . poyarkov & wolfgang böhme 2011 . new records of snakes from cat tien national park , dong nai and lam dong provinces , southern vietnam . bonn zoological bulletin 60 ( 1 ) : 9 - 16 - get paper here
golay , p . 1985 . checklist and keys to the terrestrial proteroglyphs of the world ( serpentes : elapidae - hydrophiidae ) . elapsoidea , geneva . - get paper here
grismer , l . l . , neang , t . , chav , t . & grismer , j . l . 2008 . checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of the cardamom region of southwestern cambodia . cambodian journal of natural history 2008 ( 1 ) : 12–28 - get paper here
laurenti , j . n . 1768 . specimen medicum , exhibens synopsin reptilium emendatam cum experimentis circa venena et antidota reptilium austracorum , quod authoritate et consensu . vienna , joan . thomae , 217 pp . - get paper here
lillywhite , harvey b . 2014 . how snakes work : structure , function and behavior of the world ' s snakes . oxford university press , new york , 256 pp
lingenhöle , s . & trutnau , l . 1989 . über die kobras der gattung naja laurenti 1758 in thailand . herpetofauna 11 ( 58 ) : 6 - 13 - get paper here
pauwels , o . s . g . ; david , p . ; chimsunchart , c . & thirakhupt , k . 2003 . reptiles of phetchaburi province , western thailand : a list of species , with natural history notes , and a discussion on the biogeography at the isthmus of kra . natural history journal of chulalongkorn university 3 ( 1 ) : 23 - 53 - get paper here
sang , nguyen van ; ho thu cuc , nguyen , quang truong 2009 . herpetofauna of vietnam . chimaira , frankfurt , 768 pp .
teynié , alexandre and patrick david . 2007 . additions to the snake fauna of southern laos , with the second laotian specimen of naja siamensis ( laurenti , 1768 ) and the forst country record of oligodon taeniatus ( günther , 1861 ) ( squamata , serpentes ) . russ . j . herpetol . 14 ( 1 ) : 39 - 44 - get paper here
vonk , f . j . et al . 2008 . evolutionary origin and development of snake fangs . nature 454 : 630 - 633
wallach , v . ; wüster , w . & broadley , d . g . 2009 . in praise of subgenera : taxonomic status of cobras of the genus naja laurenti ( serpentes : elapidae ) . zootaxa 2236 : 26–36 - get paper here
wallach , van ; kenneth l . williams , jeff boundy 2014 . snakes of the world : a catalogue of living and extinct species . taylor and francis , crc press , 1237 pp .
wuster , w . ; thorpe , r . s . 1994 . naja siamensis , a cryptic species of venomous snake revealed by mtdna sequencing . experientia 50 ( 1 ) : 75 - 79
wüster , w . 1996 . taxonomic changes and toxinology : systematic revisions of the asiatic cobras ( naja naja complex ) . toxicon 34 ( 4 ) : 399 - 406
wüster , w . ; thorpe , r . s . ; cox , m . j . ; jintakune , p . ; nabhitabhata , j . 1995 . populuation systematics of the snake genus naja ( reptilia : serpentes : elapidae ) in indochina : multivariate morphometrics and comparative mitochondrial dna sequencing ( cytochrome oxidase i ) . j . evol . biol . 8 : 493 - 510
this database is maintained by peter uetz ( database content ) and jakob hallermann , zoological museum hamburg ( new species and updates ) .
very dangerous , bites potentially fatal , and able to spit venom possibly causing blindness ; fixed front - fanged , potent venom , and a fast agile snake .
we have encountered this species in different seasons , both in the winter and in the wet season .
our personal experience with this species has been primarily during the day , mostly in the mornings . many books however state they are nocturnal . this could perhaps vary per season / or even habitat .
image credit : urltoken staff . “blausen gallery 2014” . wikiversity journal of medicine . doi : 10 . 15347 / wjm / 2014 . 010 . issn 20018762
protobothrops mangshanensis , also known as mangshan pitviper at the los angeles zoo . image credit : junkyardsparkle cc0
according to urltoken they live up to about 20 years . http : / / urltoken / cobras - all - you - need - to - know /
habitat elevations up to about 1500 metres in mainly tropical primary and secondary forest ( including dense jungle terrain ) but has been found in gardens and parks in urban areas .
prey feeds mainly on rodents and amphibians but will also eat snakes , lizards and small mammals .
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all animals pictured on this page are in our collection , and owned by us . the photos were taken by us , unless otherwise labeled . we are still looking specimens of naja philippinensis , and extra specimens of species we already have . if you have something for sale , please contact us , at the link above .
the 7 photos below were taken by me , unless otherwise labeled , of some animals that used to be in our collection . the animals pictured below those 7 , are in our collection now .
the female at left died on 01 / 04 / 13 . she was a great girl and when bred to high - white males , produced some very nice offspring , including sia - 003 - 07 - f above .
they are easy to keep and work with , and most don ' t spit very often at all .
our male id # sia - 019 - 06 - m , below , was produced by us from a clutch of 11 . 6 hatchlings back in 2006 from completely black parents . we got him back in may 2013 . he is almost completely black having only a few white dots in the center of some of his ventral scales . he is also very big at 68
/ 172 . 7 cm long . maximum length is considered to be about 160 cm . his mother and father are shown below . .