4 Ways to Identify a Venomous Snake

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

Snakes have aroused our imaginations-and fears-as long as we've inhabited this planet together. The snake is like a legend. Even though 1/3 of snake species have venom (unless you live in Australia, which is 65%!), knowing which snakes to watch out for is a good thing. Be careful around all snakes-but an venomous snakebite isn't painful, it can even feel like you're being stabbed by a needle.

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Method 1 of 4: Snakes in North America

Step 1. Know the snakes

There are four types of venomous snakes in the United States: cotton-mouthed snakes, rattlesnakes, copperheads and coral snakes.

Step 2. Cotton mouth snake

Cotton mouth snakes have elliptical pupils that range in color from black to green. There is a white stripe along the side of its head. These animals are often found in or around water, but can also adapt to life on land well. The tail of a young snake is bright yellow. Cotton-mouthed snakes are often solitary, so if you find a group of snakes that look calm, it's probably not cotton-mouthed snakes.

Step 3. Rattlesnake

Look for the rattle on the tail. Some harmless snakes sometimes imitate rattles by rubbing their tail against leaves, but only rattlesnakes have a button-like rattle at the end of their tail. If you can't see the rattle, it also has a sharp triangular head and elliptical, cat-like eyes.

Step 4. Copperhead Snake

These beautiful snakes have a body shape like the body of a cotton mouth snake but look lighter, with colors ranging from brown like copper to bright orange, pink and gray, and peach. Young snakes also have a yellow tail.

Step 5. Coral snake

Another snake that is also beautiful but deadly is the coral snake - so beautiful that other snakes - which are not venomous, such as milk snakes - look exactly like them. But the coral snake has a distinctive color, with black, yellow, and red circles on its body, a yellow head, and a black circle on its nose. One rhyme to help you distinguish a coral snake from a king snake is Red to yellow, kill a fellow. Red to black, friend of Jack which means 'Red and yellow, deadly. Red and black, harmless'. One more variation is Red on black, venom lack; red on yellow, deadly fellow which means 'Red and black, no one can; red and yellow, deadly'. However, most of the time, coral snakes will not bite-these are very shy snakes. There are no known deaths caused by Arizona coral snakes and only a few deaths have occurred from eastern coral snakes.

Step 6. Look at the color patterns

Venomous snakes in the United States tend to have a variety of colors. Most of the snakes that have one color are completely harmless. However, cotton-mouth snakes are also venomous, so this is not a sure way to tell them apart. Also watch out for venomous pet snakes that escape from their cages.

Step 7. Check the shape of the head

Non-venomous snakes have round heads that are shaped like spoons and venomous snakes have heads that are more triangular in shape. This is due to the deposition of venom glands in snakes (this is not very noticeable in coral snakes).

Step 8. Look for the rattle

If the snake has a rattle on its tail, it is a rattlesnake, meaning the snake is venomous. However, some non-venomous snakes can imitate a rattle by clicking their tail, but lack the rattling "buttons" that sound like a small salt shaker.

Step 9. Look for the heat sensor

Some venomous snakes in the United States have a small opening that curves between their eyes and nostrils. This part is called a squeak (hence the name "squeaky bandotan"), which is used by snakes to detect heat in their prey. Coral snakes are not snickers, and do not have this characteristic.

Step 10. Watch out for imitations

Some non-venomous snakes can imitate the patterns and behavior of venomous snakes. Rat snakes can look like rattlesnakes. Milk snakes and harmless king snakes can look like rock snakes.

Always treat any snake as venomous if you are unsure whether it is venomous or not. And while you should remain vigilant, don't kill any snakes-killing snakes can be against the law, and killing non-venomous snakes can cause the population of venomous snakes and pests to increase

Step 11. Water moccasins have elliptical pupils and harmless water snakes have round pupils

Either way, don't disturb the snakes and let them leave the area.

Method 2 of 4: Snakes in Great Britain

Step 1. Watch out for adder snakes

The adder snake – the common bandotan snake, or Vipera Berus – has the characteristic V or X-shaped markings on its head. The snake also has pupils with vertical slits, black tortuous lines on its back, and dark oval-shaped stripes on its sides. The dark colored part has a variety of colors from gray, blue, to black (most common). The background color is usually a pale gray, although it can be brown or brick red.

The adder is a very common snake throughout the United Kingdom, especially in the south. Although the bites are painful and require immediate medical attention, adder snake bites are generally not fatal.
Adder snakes are not very aggressive unless disturbed. If they had to choose, they would rather be somewhere other than near you.

Method 3 of 4: Snakes in India

Step 1. Watch out for the “big four”

India is a den of a number of snakes, many of which are venomous, but there are four large snakes that are widespread and moderately venomous.

Step 2. Ordinary cobra

When you imagine a snake charmer with a snake in a basket or the movie Snakes on a Plane, the snake you picture is a cobra.

Cobras range in length from about 0.9 m to about 1.8 m and have a broad head. This snake can spread a hood behind its head, which makes it famous for its very scary appearance.
The body color of the cobra varies according to its geographic location. In general, cobras in southern India range in color from yellow to brown. Cobras in northern India are usually dark brown or black in color.
Cobras are shy snakes – they will attack when provoked, but prefer to run away. If they attack, they will attack quickly-and sometimes repeatedly. The larger cobras may stick and stick their fangs into the skin, releasing as much venom as they can!
If you are bitten by a cobra, seek immediate medical attention – the common cobra is the cause of many human deaths across India.

Step 3. Ordinary krait snake

The length of the krait snake ranges from 1.2 m to about 3 m. The head is short, slightly wider than the neck, with a rounded muzzle. His eyes are small and completely black.

The body of the krait snake is black, with one or two circles of milky white color. The scales are hexagonal in shape, and the subcaudal scales (which are on the underside of the tail) are intact.
The krait snake is an animal that is nocturnal, and throughout the day it can be found in dark and dry places. This snake is a docile and shy animal during the day, but will attack at night if provoked.

Step 4. Puspa headband

Bandotan puspa is a solid-bodied snake, with a brown body mixed with red and yellow colors. The body has three longitudinal stripes consisting of brown or black eye-shaped dots, which extend from the head and fade towards the tail. The dots on both sides of the body are smaller and rounder than those on the top.

Its head is triangular, tapering to the snout, and much wider at the neck, and has two triangular points. His eyes have vertical pupils, and his tongue is purplish black.
Bandotan puspa is quite venomous so you should seek help immediately if it is bitten. If you lure him in (and not just accidentally step on him), he'll rate you with a high-pitched whistle that sounds like a pressure cooker.

Step 5. Saw scale viper

It is the second most common viper in India, after the bandotan puspa. The size ranges from about 40 cm to about 80 cm. The body can vary in color from dark brown to red, gray, or a mixture of these colors with bright yellow or very light brown dots, with dark stripes crossing each other.

Saw-scaled vipers are very aggressive when provoked, and will make a saw-like sound by rubbing their back scales against each other. Don't stand still when you hear that sound – the saw-scaled viper is one of the fastest attacking species in the world!
If you are bitten, seek treatment. Sometimes it may be a bite without being able to, but only a medical professional can know for sure.

Method 4 of 4: Australia: The World's Deadliest Snakes

Step 1. The fierce snake

Also known as the Outback Taipan snake, the fierce snake has a reputation for being the deadliest snake in the world. Its venom is more potent than any other species, but there have been no reports of human casualties caused by ferocious snakes.

The size of this vicious snake can reach more than 2 m, and has a color that varies from dark brown to straw color. It is darker in color in winter than in summer. Its head can be seen almost black.
The ferocious snake lives in the black soil plains border between Queensland, South and Northern Australia.

Step 2. Eastern Brown Snake

Unlike most venomous snakes, the Outback Taipan, the Eastern Brown snake is the cause of most snakebite deaths in Australia. Like other snakes, they prefer to run away rather than attack, but if they feel threatened, or stepped on, you are sure to be bitten.

It can reach up to 2 m in length, and is very fast-especially on a hot day. The body shape is slender, with colors that vary from yellowish brown to gray or dark brown. The belly is lighter in color, and has dark orange dots.
Habitat in eastern Australia, from deserts to beaches, and prefers pastures, cattle lawns and tree areas.
Of course, if you are bitten by one of these snakes, seek help immediately!

Tips

Remember, snakes are actually more afraid of us than we are afraid of snakes. The only reason snakes bite is because they are surprised or perceive you as a threat, especially venomous snakes. Be careful when traveling on foot.
Always keep your eyes open, keep an eye on the area where you work, make a lot of noise. Give every opportunity to get the snake away from you.
When in habitat areas for venomous coral snakes and non-venomous milk snakes, keep this in mind; Red touches yellow, you're a dead fellow, red touches black you're okay, Jack. Keep in mind that this only applies in North America!
Don't put your hands and feet where you can't see the immediate surroundings; this is what causes quite a number of climbers to be bitten.
Look online for snakes in your area. Knowing all the snakes living around you is a good thing. If you live in an area with a large number of snakes, take a field guide with you when you go out to help you identify them.
If you are young, never approach a snake unless you feel familiar with it.
When you are in a place with a lot of snakes, make sure to look at your feet from time to time.
Never touch a snake if you don't know whether it is venomous or not, and never keep a venomous snake as a pet.
Wear good boots or shoes, thick socks and thick trousers (not shorts), whenever you enter an area infested with venomous snakes. Knee-high rubber boots are often worn by field biologists when exploring areas like this.
Most snakes will excrete a lot of venom because of the sudden fear. However, older, larger snakes know how to limit the amount of venom they can excrete. However, that does not make things safe!

Warning

Some snakes that appear non-venomous may actually be venomous or vice versa. Make sure you know the types of snakes in your area.
Looking at a snake's eyes is not a sure way to identify whether a snake is venomous or not. Cobras, black mambas, and other types of venomous snakes have round pupils, while red-tailed boas, equatorial green boas and green pythons have elliptical eyes. Don't approach an unknown snake just because its pupils are round. That does not mean the snake is not venomous.
Many venomous snakes are now seriously threatened or endangered in the United States. Killing or disturbing endangered species, including protected venomous snakes, is against state law. In addition, in many states it is illegal to kill, capture, harm or possess any type of wild snake, venomous or not.
Do not hurting the snake or getting too close to the snake to try to identify it, unless you know for sure that the snake is not venomous. Most snakes prefer to avoid you.