Have you ever been in an argument with someone over Coral Snakes?

When I was a little kid I heard the saying: "Red and yellow kill a fellow. Red and black, venom lack."

I have been in innumerable arguments with people over this saying. A few people know similar sayings, and most of them just say that isnt how they heard it but those are the correct colors. However I have spent hours of my life bickering with people over which color combination is venomous. At this point I absolutely have no doubt my color set is correct because I have looked it up so many times, but I know far too many people who, based on their sayings, would freak out if a false coral was around, or would go pick up a coral snake...

Oh, wow... I was just looking them up... It seems that due to so few bites they are no longer going to produce antivenom, and the current stock runs out in 2010. Meaning that they are now going to be even more dangerous.

I've never discussed with anyone - but I've heard red on black - friend of Jack, red on yellow - kills a fellow.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

I've never discussed with anyone - but I've heard red on black - friend of Jack, red on yellow - kills a fellow.

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That's the one I grew up with. :)

*high five*

Glad to hear you're one of the people who would recognize a coral snake. :)

But yeah somehow other people when they hear the phrase if the colors (from what they think the phrase is) are off they start arguing with me, ultimately leading me to tell them to look it up, and them either never admitting they were wrong or never looking it up.

Just remember that your saying only works in the US. In South America, there are coral snakes (especially the marine corals) in which the black and red can touch.

All the arguments were in America with life long residents, so that isn't much worry there. But yes, that's definitely true.

"Red and yellow kill a fellow. Red and black, venom lack."

This one is what I've always known...

Justin

red on yellow kills a fellow
red on black friendly jack

:taz:

I always liked the Steve Irwin version of the saying, which is something along the lines of "If you see a snake thats red, yellow, and black in the wild dont go near it!"

great breadbug! cant be too safe right!

or consistantly carry snake tongs with you...lol

Yeah I use red and black, friend of jack, red and yellow, kill a fellow. xP

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Originally Posted by Pip

That's the one I grew up with. :)

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me too :)

I always test out if a wild snake has venom by making it bite me.

Then I slaughter it and eat its heart to gain its strength.

Rawr.

I remember the story of the herper who moved a milk snake off of a trail in Arizona, so it wouldn't be killed by some other passerby. Then he realized, as he set the animal down, that red was in fact touching yellow.

Shows how docile coral snakes are in the US. The poor guy almost had a heart attack after the fact, though. lol

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

I remember the story of the herper who moved a milk snake off of a trail in Arizona, so it wouldn't be killed by some other passerby. Then he realized, as he set the animal down, that red was in fact touching yellow.

Shows how docile coral snakes are in the US. The poor guy almost had a heart attack after the fact, though. lol

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Do you know what area this was at? I'd love to go field herping, I just don't know where to start! I go by "Red touches black, he's a friend of Jack. Red touches yellow could kill a fellow." Learned it by watching Arthur as a kid.

I learned 'red touches black, venom lack, red touches yellow, kill a fellow'.

I think the story was printed in Reptiles magazine, but I didn't the note location.