how can you tell a venumes snake from a harmless snake?

Question

we have a bunch of snakes in our back yard and i don't want my kids to get bit. so how can you tell

Answer 1

Knowing where you live would really help me answer this question. The other answers Ive seen here are all guesses and generalizations.
There are non-venomous snakes with slit pupils and there are venomous snakes with round pupils.
There are non venomous snakes with triangular shaped heads and there are venomous snakes with straight heads.
Many non venomous snakes vibrate their tails and in the right conditions it sounds very much like a rattle. Some rattlesnakes rattles are so small, that you can barely hear them and they dont sound very rattle-like. There are plenty of venomous snakes with no rattle. Also rattles can come off the snake and with only one button, a rattlesnake is unable to rattle.
Mothballs will not prevent snakes from occupying your backyard.

Assuming that you live in the USA, the only venomous snakes we have are rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, and coral snakes.

Knowing which state you are in could narrow the list even further, but you could visit the cnah.org website and find photographs of all the snakes in the USA.

Answer 2

There is no sure fire way to tell a venomous snake from a non-venomous snake unless you've studied them, but there are a few things to look for. Number one, if it has a rattle or is making a buzzing noise, it's a rattle snake and is venomous. Secondly, look at its head; if it is very broad and heart shaped, it's probably venomous. Lastly, there are snakes that mimic venoumous snakes' patterns and colors. If you see a snake that is red, black, and yellow, it might be a coral snake, or it could be a harmless milk or king snake. The easy way to tell is if the red is on top of the yellow, it's a coral snake and should be avoided (the rhyme red on yellow kills a fellow is a good way to teach children; it's easy to remember); if the red is on top of the black, it's harmless (red on black is friend of Jack). Even if a snake is non-venomous, it can still deliver a nasty bite if pestered enough, but you would just treat a non-venomous snake bite like any puncture wound; peroxide, neosporin, and a band-aid.

Answer 3

The only way you can tell venomous from non-vemomous is to be able to identify the snake. There are some general rules, but not every snake has heard of them. Pit vipers have cat eyes, but coral snakes have the same round eyes one associates with rat or milk snakes. http://www.surviveoutdoors.com/imgs/reference/snakes/eastern-coral-snake-1.jpg I would suggest that you teach your kids not to mess with snakes they find unless you see them and say it's OK. I've accidentally mistaken brightly patterened baby black snakes for baby eastern diamondbacks at first glance and some coral snakes do not present in the normal candy striped morph but in a dark almost black color. I've seen nearly black rattlers too. Not every snake looks like the average of it's species, but the more familiar you become with the range of variants the easier it is to sort through them.

Fortunately the non venomous snakes I've encountered in the wild outnumber the venomous by about 100 to 1, but that is no assurance that a copperhead won't decide that your rock garden will make an ideal nursery.

I'd say that it's safest for you and your kids to assume that a snake isn't harmless unless you've positively identified it as one that is non-venomous. Most of the snakes you will encounter in most of the US are some variant of rat snake, milk snake, garter snake, water snake, pine snake, or ringneck. If you learn to identify these first the others will stand out pretty boldly.

Answer 4

the only thank you to tell is to alter into attentive to the venomous snakes interior the section you are going to, or extra helpful yet, merely bypass away any snakes on my own once you're uncertain of the species. The cat eye subject isn't the perfect thank you to tell considering the fact that there are danger loose snakes with cat eyes, alongside with cat eyed snakes, lyre snakes, night snakes and intensely some others. Plus, even a venomous snake could have around scholars in low gentle circumstances. the pinnacle shape isn't precise the two considering the fact that many non venomous snakes can flatten their heads, giving it a triangular visual allure. Water snakes are a large occasion of this.

Answer 5

Iturnrocks has it right. Knowing what state even your county you could get a list of species to look out for. Check your local library for a books on snakes or reptiles of your state, or look it up on line. Find pictures of local juvenile and adult venomous snakes and study them along with the harmless species that live in your area. Once you learn them you can teach it to your kids when their old enough.

Answer 6

It's in the eyes. An easy method of telling the difference between a venomous or poisonous versus a non-poisonous snake is to look at the shape of the pupil. Non-poisonous snakes all have a round pupil (in the center of the eye) whereas all poisonous snakes have a vertical elliptical (cat-like) shaped pupil.

Answer 7

You can't really know by bright colors or anything you just have to do research and don't try to get to close. Add details like where you live and a description of the snake. Email me with a description and I can try to tell you what it is and if it is venomous. My email is [e-mail]

Answer 8

usually, the poisonous snakes have cat eyes. The harmless ones have round pupils.

Answer 9

Get a good look or a picture of the snakes, then get a good reptile book by the Audubon, make sure your looking in the right region that you live in, Not all snakes are everywhere...

Answer 10

the pupil shape only works in north america(the usa?) another way is to look at their head shape, venomous ones (in the usa, at least,) have a very arrow head shape, due to the enlarged saliva glands on back of head. most snakes are harmless, but not all of them, so teach your children to respect them, and not to pick them up or try to taunt them. when your children are older, you should begin teaching them which are harmless, and which are not. i for one think they make wonderful pets. i have eleven.