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About the Museum
The Museum of Hoaxes is dedicated to promoting knowledge about hoaxes. (Click here for opening hours, etc.) On our blog we post about dubious- sounding claims, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The site is also home to the Hoaxipedia (the museum's online encyclopedia of hoaxes), the Hoax Forum, and the Top 100 April Fools' Day Hoaxes.
The museum was created in 1997 by Alex Boese. He's assisted by a staff of deputy curators and docents. Alex is the author of three books, most recently Elephants on Acid: And Other Bizarre Experiments (which has nothing to do with hoaxes). Check out the list of the Top 20 Most Bizarre Experiments of All Time for a preview.
The Museum of Hoaxes is dedicated to promoting knowledge about hoaxes. (Click here for opening hours, etc.) On our blog we post about dubious- sounding claims, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The site is also home to the Hoaxipedia (the museum's online encyclopedia of hoaxes), the Hoax Forum, and the Top 100 April Fools' Day Hoaxes.
The museum was created in 1997 by Alex Boese. He's assisted by a staff of deputy curators and docents. Alex is the author of three books, most recently Elephants on Acid: And Other Bizarre Experiments (which has nothing to do with hoaxes). Check out the list of the Top 20 Most Bizarre Experiments of All Time for a preview.Prankplace.com
THE TOILET MONSTERYour wife will never yell at you about leaving the seat up again! The Toilet Monster attaches to the inside of the toilet bowl by suction cups. As the unsuspecting person goes to use the bathroom, they'll scream as they lift the lid and are greeted by the Toilet Monster! Not recommended for the elderly or those with a weak heart.
FUNNY T-SHIRTSBrowse our top quality t-shirts, and you are guaranteed to find one perfect for you, or to give as a funny gift to a friend or family member. Our shirts come in your choice of sizes, most are available in Medium, Large, XL, 2XL and 3XL.
Snake Wine
I belong to the wine club of a local Southern California vineyard, but although they've sent me some nice merlots, chardonnays, etc., they have yet to send me any snake wine. Although I just found out about this stuff myself, evidently it's quite real, and fairly well known... at least in south-east Asia, where it's predominantly found. Snake wine consists of rice wine mixed with (you guessed it!) snake. You buy it in bottles with the snake coiled up inside (here's a picture). Very pleasant. Reportedly, the more venomous the snake, the better the wine. For a more in-depth account of snake wine, check out this article by Jerry Hopkins where he describes visiting the Snake King & Completely Restaurant in Guangzhou and sampling not only snake wine but also Five Testes & Penises Wine. (via Mostly Harmless)
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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This is absolutely true. I have seen snake and penis wine in China with my own two eyes. it is thought to make men more virile
Posted by a guy in USA on Tue Aug 31, 2004 at 02:42 PMWow, and I thought the worm in Mescal was heavy....
Posted by Paul on Tue Aug 31, 2004 at 03:39 PMSnake wine is certainly real-- the consumption of snakes/snake blood/snake organs is a well-known practice in many Asian (and a few non-Asian) cultures.
However, I suspect that the "snake in a bottle" photos shown are embelishments of the truth. The skin which makes up the hood of the cobras depicted on the bottles (Naja sp.) is very loose, and the hood will collapse when the snake releases muscle/vascular pressure. (In other words, non-agitated and dead cobras do not show their hoods.) I find it highly unlikely that the snakes were somehow preserved in a hooded state and then put in the bottles.
Posted by Andy on Tue Aug 31, 2004 at 09:56 PMHowever, I suspect that the "snake in a bottle" photos shown are embelishments of the truth. The skin which makes up the hood of the cobras depicted on the bottles (Naja sp.) is very loose, and the hood will collapse when the snake releases muscle/vascular pressure. (In other words, non-agitated and dead cobras do not show their hoods.) I find it highly unlikely that the snakes were somehow preserved in a hooded state and then put in the bottles.
I once bought a couple of bottles of some Chinese spirit with lizards in them - the lizards were about ten inces long, and guttet although the rest of the flesh was intact. The spirit itself was pretty much like a schnapps or something - just a clear spirit - so it was quite evident that what flavour there was came from the lizards.
It was quite nice actually - after the first glass or two, anyway. (A chinese friend of mine almost died laughing though - he said it meant I'd be a 'real man' and that it was usually drunk by old men... so draw your own conclusions:))
Posted by Paul in Prague in Czech Republic on Wed Sep 01, 2004 at 04:40 AMIt was quite nice actually - after the first glass or two, anyway. (A chinese friend of mine almost died laughing though - he said it meant I'd be a 'real man' and that it was usually drunk by old men... so draw your own conclusions:))
The pictures of snake wine are authentic. I bought a similar bottle in Vietnam last year. I can't tell how the cobra's hood is made to stand up or how it was got into the bottle for that matter.
I also had Seahorse wine in Vietnam which is apparantly good for ths spine.
Posted by Mike on Wed Sep 01, 2004 at 09:22 AMI also had Seahorse wine in Vietnam which is apparantly good for ths spine.
All products made from seahorses are now illegal in international trade and in those countries subscribing to CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). Seahorses are seriously threatened worldwide and I beg anyone reading this not to patronize any trade in seahorse bodies or seahorse parts for alleged medical or decorative or any other purpose.
Posted by Big Gary C in Dallas, Texas on Wed Sep 01, 2004 at 12:07 PMHaving lived in China for the past 2 1/2 years I can say that snake wine is very real, and not really that bad either. There is a 'social' club that I belong to in Shekou that makes you drink two heavy shots of the stuff to become a member, but my fondest memory of it was when we ordered a live king snake for dinner in Shenzhen. They gut the snake in front of you and then serve the gall bladder in a large shot of snake wine. You have to understand that the king snkae we got was a good 6 feet, so the gall bladder was of decent size - it took a lot of throat coaxing to get it down. While it did not have a hallucenigenic effect I can say that an hour later I was REALLY horny!
Posted by Jimbo in China on Wed Sep 01, 2004 at 10:36 PMLet's all start drinking snakes, elephant tusks, tigers, and mini monkeys from Brazil.
Posted by Robbert on Thu Sep 02, 2004 at 01:22 AMActually i remember reading an articale about a guy that would throw a rattlesnake into his homemade tequila about 2 years ago.
Posted by Jared on Thu Sep 02, 2004 at 12:35 PMGreat idea, Robbert.
Posted by john in NH on Fri Sep 03, 2004 at 09:25 AMSo snake wine is no snake oil. Sorry, couldn't resist 
Posted by Isaac on Thu Sep 30, 2004 at 06:36 AMI had no knowledge of snake wine, but it is common to see some sort of liquor with a lizard inside the bottle on chinese restaurants here in Portugal. Usually only the chinese costumers drink it... 
Posted by corax on Mon Oct 04, 2004 at 06:20 AMIt's called "Mam" after the mamushi snake (a Japanese version of a copperhead).
Posted by Tralfaz on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 06:38 PMWe do that in france to with liquor. My dad's friend makes it himself. He has a couple of good ones. It hhas no particular taste tho, they stave the "beast" for a week before putting it in the bottle alive and it drunks itself to death...
Posted by Akashka on Fri Jan 28, 2005 at 04:13 AMI have a bottle of snake wine. It has a cobra in it with another snake in it's mouth. Never been opened & supposd to be from the 60's. It's for sale if anyone is interested.
Posted by dthompson in paducah ky. U.S.A. on Sat Feb 05, 2005 at 02:23 PMHow can I buy Snake wines
Posted by Rene Marquez in Chicago Illinois on Sun Feb 20, 2005 at 08:52 PMdthompson how much are you asking for that Snake wine and were are you located at. this is my e-mail
I will buy all the wine bottles but let me know how much first
Posted by Rene Perez in Chicago Illinois on Sun Feb 20, 2005 at 08:56 PMCALL ME AT 708-799-3410
Posted by Rene Perez in Chicago ILLINOIS 708-799-3410 on Sun Feb 20, 2005 at 08:59 PMhi, reading all your comments is there anybody out there that would like to sell their bottle of snake/lizard or any other animal wine to me please, i am contactable at
if you can, many thanks
Posted by Barrie Vardon in uk on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 11:34 AMPosted by ebay auction on Mon Oct 10, 2005 at 07:32 PM
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