Venomous or Poisonous?

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Originally Posted by Void

I love when people see my snakes and ask if they are poisonous. So my gf and I named our two dumerils Poisonous and Venomous. So when we get asked we can say no this one is venomous...THAT one is poisonous. The reactions are the best.

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LOVE IT! That's a good idea. I'm going to use those names... sorry, I gotta have to steal it. lol!

I had a German Shepherd back in the 80's named Byte (from the movie Tron). That was very unpopular with the neighbors... the neighbors would approach the gate, the dog would stand guard on the gate barking, then I would yell, Byte! to get her to go to her kennel. Visitors who don't know my dog would sometimes run for their lives.

My 8-year-old is quick to correct his friends when they call his hognose poisonous.

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Originally Posted by angllady2

I use this debate to make people feel stupid all the time.:P

This is how:

I ask said person if they think they are fairly smart. Pretty much everyone says yes. I then ask them to name a species of Poisonous snake. I wait for the answer, which is usually rattlesnake or cobra, then tell them they are wrong.

I get some really odd looks, then I elaborate. if something is poisonous, that carries the thought you need to eat it in order for it to harm you. Rattlesnakes are eaten quite commonly. Snakes are venomous, meaning they need to bite/sting you to do harm.

No one disagrees with me.

Gale

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I disagree.. Eat you a couple of completely full grown Eastern Diamond back Rattle Snake Venom Glands and call me in the morning. While the flesh of the snake agreed isn't harmful, they aren't injection flesh when they bite you..

Poison like I said is a wide term that includes Venom (aka adapted saliva)..

I understand your argument but to say that the thing that cause harm when injected is no longer harmful when ingested is not true..

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Originally Posted by anatess

LOVE IT! That's a good idea. I'm going to use those names... sorry, I gotta have to steal it. lol!

I had a German Shepherd back in the 80's named Byte (from the movie Tron). That was very unpopular with the neighbors... the neighbors would approach the gate, the dog would stand guard on the gate barking, then I would yell, Byte! to get her to go to her kennel. Visitors who don't know my dog would sometimes run for their lives.

My 8-year-old is quick to correct his friends when they call his hognose poisonous.

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Haha thanks and that's awesome with your dog.I bet you had a lot of fun with that lol

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

I disagree.. Eat you a couple of completely full grown Eastern Diamond back Rattle Snake Venom Glands and call me in the morning. While the flesh of the snake agreed isn't harmful, they aren't injection flesh when they bite you..

Poison like I said is a wide term that includes Venom (aka adapted saliva)..

I understand your argument but to say that the thing that cause harm when injected is no longer harmful when ingested is not true..

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Where did he/she say anything about eating venom glands?

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Originally Posted by Void

Where did he/she say anything about eating venom glands?

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Bold area..

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

Bold area..

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Still not seeing anything about glands...just that rattlesnakes are eating a lot. Don't the heads get cut off before the snake is cooked or eaten?

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Originally Posted by Void

Still not seeing anything about glands...just that rattlesnakes are eating a lot. Don't the heads get cut off before the snake is cooked or eaten?

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Ok I'll try and explain better.. When snakes are eaten people intentional don't eat the part that can kill them.."if something is poisonous, that carries the thought you need to eat it in order for it to harm you. Rattlesnakes are eaten quite commonly"... Last time I checked if you were to ingest snake venom it runs the same risk of dieing from the venom.

Hence the "heads get cut off before the snake is cooked or eaten?"

So to say "Snakes are venomous, meaning they need to bite/sting you to do harm." is wrong the delivery method doesn't matter regardless of how the toxin gets into the body it is still harmful..Meaning it is still poisonous to the Human condition. All the toxin has to do is get in to the blood stream.. There are "Venomous" snakes that don't have to "Bite" you to do this. Spitting cobra's and stiletto snakes come to mind..

Ahhh ok now I see what you're saying

Venoms vs. Poisons

Generally, a poison is a toxic substance that is distributed throughout the tissues of an animal's body via inhaling, absorption or intake. For example if the poisoned animal in question is eaten by another creature the toxin will cause a reaction thus poisoning the system of the second creature.
Venom is made up of natural enzymes to form modified saliva introduced into a closed system by being forced in through breaking the skin. Anyone can drink pure venom without any side affects if no open wound in the mouth or throat exist

Venom is only a poison if it enters a closed system through the skin. If not it is harmless.

This is my take on all of this. Spitting cobras would be considered venomous and poisonous. IMO venom is a Biological toxin injected into the body and/or bloodstream by an animal. Poisons can be put into the body in any form. Its not venom just because its injected into the body. If that was the case heroin would be considered a venom when its injected. As for the eating dabate. It would be considered a Poisson if you were to eat a venom gland. There are several things to consider when classifying something. Like route into the body, chemical make up (synthetic or Biological) ect. Also I may be wrong but isnt it only the skin/mucus membrane on a dart frog is poisonous?