How can you tell if a snake is venomous?

Answer 1

If you examine the scales of the belly, you can tell for sure whether a snake is poisonous or not. If the scales on the belly are small, they are non-poisonous. On the other hand, if scales of the belly are large and rectangular and they are wide enough to reach the two lateral ends then the snake is poisonous.
Next, you examine the scales on the upper lip, called supralabial scales. If the third supralabial scale touches the eye, it is of cobra type. Fourth infralabial scales, and rhomboidal scales on the middorsal surface are the characteristics of krait. A pit viper has a thermosensory pit between the eye and the nostril.

Answer 2

A venomous snake can be tell based on the color, pattern of its skin like vipers or rattlesnakes by patterns and like all the answers before the coral snake by color. But also the same goes by the head, sometimes you can tell venomous snakes by the shape of their head by whether its block-headed or smooth, narrow, or hooded. However it really does depend on WHERE you live so look up regular snake links and if you manage to walk upon on a snake really do stay away from a safe distance and call animal control because venom or no venom, a snake still has its bites.

Answer 3

As you may have guessed from the answers, there is no hard and fast rule (other than being bitten and developing symptoms of envenomation, but then of course it's too late..). Learn the snakes in your area, and how to tell the venomous ones. It's quite possible that some non-venomous ones will look a bit like the venomous ones just to confuse the issue, too.

Answer 4

In the United States, most venomous snakes are pit vipers, which have wedge-shaped heads - if you can barely tell where the head ends and the body begins, then it is *probably* not venomous. It can be harder to tell in other locations where there is more variety.

pinky's poem only works to tell the difference between the venomous coral snake and the harmless king snake.

Answer 5

Your best bet to learn the different snakes that live in your area. Other than that, only coral snakes are hard to differentiate from some king snakes. Coral snakes (poisonous) have rings of red, yellow, and black, as do some kingsnakes, and the body size and shape of the two species are very similar. Howvever, on coral snakes, the red and yellow bands touch; on the various mimic snakes, they do not. Other than that, learn your snakes, and all rattlers are poisonous.

Answer 6

This may not help all that much, but the only way i know how to tell if a snake is poisonous is AFTER the bite. Bites from poisonous snakes only leave one or two fang punctures. But bites from a nonpoisonous Snake leave several rows of tiny holes. nonvenomous bites bleed much more because snake saliva contains a anticoagulant that prevents blood from clotting- and nonvenomous snakes chew when biting.

i hope that helped

Answer 7

If a snake has eyes that look like slits, its venomous. If it has round eyes, they aren't. But don't pick it up! If you're not sure call animal control or a professional!

Answer 8

you cant always tell if a snake is venomous.
the ones colored bright in colors such as red, black, yellow etc tend to be poisonous. its the nature's way of warning us with bright noticeable colors.
and we all know the one with a rattle on its tail is poisonous.
snakes sometimes trick their predators by pretending to be poisonous by wearing bright colors like the poisonous colors.
its a survival technique that works for them.
but in any case, better stay away from any snake poisonous or not even if you can tell for sure.
all snakes may not be poisonous but all of them can bite and snake bites can be nasty even without being poisonous.

Answer 9

thats a good rhyme at the top. Make sure you learn about snakes in a given area. Then once you thin kyou become knowledgable enough then you can make the decision.

Answer 10

if you can't tell, stay away from that snake and don't pick it up

red next to yellow , will kill a fellow

red next to black, just stay back