A cobra look-alike, the ringhal has a passive-aggressive personality all its own. If confronted, the snake will roll over and play dead until the attacker leaves. If that doesn't work, the snake spits venom from several feet away, straight into its enemy's eyes. When hunting, the ringhals turns completely aggressive, chases down prey and strikes with its deadly fangs.
Hood-lum: Like a cobra, the ringhals can flex small bones in its neck to create a wide hood behind its head. This makes the snake look bigger and more vicious to an enemy that has the snake cornered.
Distant Cousin: Although it looks like one, the ringhals is not a cobra. The main difference is in its "keeled" scales, which have rough ridges rising in the center and give the snake's skin a dull finish. Cobras have smooth, shiny scales.
Snake Mace[]
A ringhals rears up like a cobra.
The ringhals prefers to avoid confrontation with any animal larger than itself. If a predator persists, however, the snake will whip around and spit venom into its eyes. Ringhals can hit an enemy directly in the eyes from up to eight feet away. The snake pumps venom through its fangs and hisses strongly at the same time to produce a fine spray that can leave a victim blind for hours, days or even weeks.
Slim Pickings: This slender snake has a thin neck, so it's limited to hunting small prey that it can swallow. A ringhals that lives in a swamp may feed exclusively on toads.
Night Ranger: The ringhals hunts only at night. When this snake smells food, it becomes hyper-focused on its prey and races toward it. One dose of venom quickly kills small prey.
Let Sleeping Snakes Lie[]
- A ringhals often naps while basking in the sun in an open area. If the snake senses another creature, it quickly flops over and plays dead, even with its tongue hanging out for added effect. However, curious humans may unwisely investigate.
- If disturbed when in the "dead" position, the snake will quickly come back to life. In a quick motion, the ringhals will rear up, take aim and spit a stream of venom into its attacker's eyes, leaving the person temporarily blinded so the snake can escape.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The first sentence of the opening blurb removes the 's' from ringhals.
- The ringhals is featured in Spitting Contest on Monster Mania 21.