Snakes have populated our fantasies - and fears - ever since we shared the planet. I am material for legends! Although less than 1/3 of all snake species are poisonous (unless you live in Australia, where that share reaches 65%!), It's good to know what's out there. Be careful with all snakes - even non-poisonous ones can make very unpleasant holes in you.
Steps
Step 1. Study the snakes
In the United States, there are four different types of venomous snakes: the water moccasin, the rattlesnake (or rattlesnake), the copperhead and the coral snake.
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The "water moccasin" (Agkistrodon piscivorus) has elliptical pupils and can have a color that varies between black and green. It has a white streak on the side of its head and can be found in or near water, but it can also adapt to live well on land. Young snakes have a light yellow tail. They are often solitary, so if you see multiple snakes being together peacefully, they are probably not aquatic moccasins.
Cottonmouth -
"Rattlesnake" (Crotalus atrox): check if the tail looks like a rattle. Some harmless snakes mimic the sound of the rattle by rubbing their tails into the leaves, but only rattlesnakes have the characteristic hollow shell rattle at the end of their tail. If you can't see the rattle, they also have a very triangular head and elliptical eyes like cats.
Rattlesnakes -
The "copper head" (Agkistrodon contortrix) has a body very similar to that of aquatic moccasins but is much lighter, with a variable color between coppery brown and light orange, pink-gray and peach. Young specimens also have a yellow tail.
Copperhead -
The "coral snake" (Micrurus fulvius) has many species that resemble it, such as some king snakes (genus Lampropeltis). However, it has a characteristic coloration with black, yellow and red rings of varying thickness, a yellow head and a black spot above the nose. Americans use rhymes to remember how to distinguish coral snakes from king snakes: “Red touch yellow, kill a fellow; red touch black, friend to Jack "(if red is in contact with yellow, it is deadly; if red is in contact with black, it is friendly). A variant is «Red on black, venom lack; red on yellow, deadly fellow ", to easily remember it in Italian you can use" red on black, really harmless; red on yellow, lethal coral ». However, coral snakes do not bite in most cases - they are in fact very shy. There are no known deaths from an Arizona coral snake bite and only a few cases are known for the eastern coral snake.
EASTERN CORAL SNAKE
Step 2. Look at the color patterns
Venomous snakes of the United States tend to be quite colorful. Most snakes that only have a single color are completely harmless, however some aquatic moccasins are also venomous so this isn't a hard and fast rule to tell them apart. Also watch out for poisonous escaped pets.
Step 3. Check the shape of the head
Non-venomous snakes have a more rounded spoon-shaped head, while venomous snakes have a more triangular head: this is due to the venom glands (although it is not very evident in the coral snake).
Step 4. Look for the rattle
If the snake has a rattle on the end of its tail it is a rattlesnake and therefore extremely poisonous. However, some non-venomous snakes mimic the rattlesnake by moving their tail but do not possess the typical hollow-shelled rattle that makes the sound of a small salt shaker.
Step 5. Look for heat sensors
Some venomous snakes in the United States have a small hollow between the eye and the nostril. This is called a dimple and is used by the snake to perceive the heat of the prey (it is like an infrared sensor). Coral snakes do not have this feature.
Step 6. Pay attention to imitation of behaviors
Some non-venomous snakes mimic the attitudes and behaviors of other snakes that are. A completely harmless false coral (Lampropeltis triangulum) and king snake may resemble a coral snake or a copperhead, and a snake (from the Pantherophis family) may resemble a rattlesnake.
Always act as if a snake is dangerous if you are unsure whether it is poisonous or not. Also, despite the necessary caution, you should never kill a snake - it may even be illegal and furthermore, killing a non-venomous snake contributes to the spread of poisonous snakes and pests
Step 7. Observe how the snake swims
To distinguish a poisonous aquatic moccasin from a harmless water snake, check if it is swimming with only its head out of the water or if a large part of its body is on the surface. If only the head emerges, it is most likely just a harmless water snake, but if the body is on the surface it could be an aquatic moccasin (almost all poisonous snakes swim by inflating the lungs thus remaining on the surface). An aquatic moccasin has elliptical pupils, while the harmless water snake has round pupils. Either way, leave him alone and allow him to walk away.
Advice
- Check on the Internet which snakes live in your area. It is a good idea to be able to recognize all the snakes that live around you. If you live in an area where there are a lot of snakes, bring a suitable manual when you walk around to make identification easier.
- Don't put your hands and feet where you don't see what's around - this is what leads many climbers to get bitten.
- Wear sturdy boots or shoes, thick socks, and heavy pants (not shorts) whenever you go to an area where dangerous snakes can be found.
- When you are in an area where there are both poisonous coral snakes and false coral or king snakes, remember that “red on black is not the real thing; red on yellow, lethal coral ». Keep in mind that this only applies to Northeast America!
Warnings
- Some snakes that appear non-poisonous may be or vice versa. Make sure you know the types of snakes that live in your area.
- Do not annoy or provoke a snake e Not get too close to him to try to identify him, unless you are already certain you are not taking unnecessary risks. Most snakes prefer to avoid humans.
- Many venomous snakes in the United States are endangered or threatened. Killing or interfering with any endangered species, including protected venomous snakes, is against federal law. Additionally, it is illegal in many states to kill, capture, harass, or possess wild snakes of any kind, whether poisonous or not.
- Looking a snake in the eye is not a good way to tell if it is poisonous or not. Cobra, black mamba, and other types of very venomous snakes have round pupils, while red-tailed boa, tree emerald boa, and green tree pythons have elliptical pupils. Don't approach a species you don't know just because it has round pupils, it doesn't necessarily mean it's not poisonous.
Sources
- Venomous.com
- Reptile Gardens
