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Both male and female platypuses are born with spur buds on their ankles. The female's spur buds drop off before they are a year old. The male's spurs produce venom. The venom is used for defense and increases during the mating season.
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Are male platypuses venomous?
Yes. Male platypuses have a hollow spur behind their rear ankle which is attached to a venom gland in the platypus's thigh. The female is not venomous.
Do male platypuses have poisonous talons?
Not exactly. Male platypuses have a hollow spur behind their rear ankle which is attached to a venom gland in the platypus's thigh. This spur is not a talon or claw.
Which is the only mammal that can sting?
The only mammal that can sting is the Platypus. Male platypuses have spurs on their back ankles with from which they can inject poisonous DLPs (defensin-like proteins). Female platypuses and echidnas also have these back ankle spurs, but only male platypuses can use them.
Where do platypuses have their poison glands?
The platypus's venom gland is in its upper thigh. In the male platypus, this gland is attached to a hollow spur behind its rear ankle through which it can deliver the venom. Female platypuses do not have venom glands.
Do male or female platypuses sting?
Male Platypuses have ankle spurs on their hind legs through which they can dispense venom composed largely of defensin-like proteins (DLPs), unique to the Platypus. This venom is powerful enough to kill smaller animals, and to cause agonising pain to humans.
Why do male platypuses have babies?
Male platypuses do not have babies.Only the female can have young, and she does so by laying eggs. Platypuses are monotremes, or egg-laying mammals.
Do male platypuses stay with the female platypus?
No. Male platypuses do not stay with the female. After mating, the male has little more to do with the female.
Is a platypus poisonous and does it eat its babies uncooked?
Platypuses are not poisonous, as for anything to be "poisonous" it must be ingested. Adult male platypuses have a venomous spur on their hind ankle through which they deliver a powerful, agonising venom. Platypuses never engage in cannibalistic behaviour. They feed on invertebrates on the floor of the creeks and rivers in which they hunt for food.
Do platypuses have a poisonous spur?
The platypus does not have a stinger, but the male has a poisonous spur on its ankle. Used as defence, the spur can deliver enough venom to kill a small dog, or cause extreme agony for a person.
Do male platypuses have darker fur than females?
No. Male platypuses do not have darker fur than females.
What triggers the platypuses to sting you?
Platypuses do not "sting". Male platypuses have ankle spurs on their hind legs which are attached to venom glands in either thigh. Through these spurs they can dispense venom composed largely of defensin-like proteins (DLPs), unique to the Platypus. This venom is powerful enough to kill smaller animals, and to cause agonising pain to humans. A male platypus will only spur a person if they are interfering with the animal, trying (foolishly) to capture it.
Does the platypus have fangs with venom?
No. The platypus does not have teeth at all. Male platypuses have a hollow spur behind their rear ankle through which they can deliver a venom powerful enough to kill a dog or cause agonising pain to humans.
