The difference between difference between types of snakes

I have looked into rat and corn snakes and they are considered constrictors the same as pythons, boas, and annaconda's. What exactly is the difference between them other than size and how they look if they all kill by the same means?

They're all different species...?

Different CLASSIFICATIONS not species. There are five classifications of snakes: Boas, pythons, colubrids, vipers, elapids(cobras, coral snakes).

Every snake in the world falls into one of these classifications. Anacondas are a type of boa. And a lot of snake that have the word "snake" in it, like rat snakes, king snakes, milk snakes.. are colubrids.


Vipers and elapids are the only 2 classifications of venomous snakes, all venomous snakes are either a viper or an elapid.

I think what what we are looking for is how they are broken down.

Don't remember the exact number but I think it's like 85-95% of the world's snakes are constrictors so the breakdown I believe you may be looking for goes something like this:

Never mind, Trackstrong beat me to it.




Sidenote/question: Aren't some venomous snakes considered colubrids?

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Originally Posted by Pyrate81

Sidenote/question: Aren't some venomous snakes considered colubrids?

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Yes, there are many rear-fanged venomous snakes that are colubrids. I believe the main difference between Elapids and Vipers is that the Elapids have fixed fangs and the Vipers fangs fold back.

There are somewhere around 18 or so families of snakes depending on which taxonimist you talk to.

To be even more general, it also has to do with how the snake feeds. There are three methods; constriction, venom, and bite and swallow.

As has already been stated, most do use constriction as a from of feeding. There are some though, that just bite and swallow their prey alive.

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Originally Posted by Pyrate81

I think what what we are looking for is how they are broken down.

Don't remember the exact number but I think it's like 85-95% of the world's snakes are constrictors so the breakdown I believe you may be looking for goes something like this:

Never mind, Trackstrong beat me to it.




Sidenote/question: Aren't some venomous snakes considered colubrids?

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Two thirds of all snakes are colubrids. Colubridae is the great taxonomic dumping ground for snakes. Unclassified snakes are often moved into this family only to be moved to another one further down the road as they are studied in greater detail.

For example, rhamphiophis are a genus of colubrid that will probably moved to elapidae in our lifetime, even though they are rear fanged.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

Yes, there are many rear-fanged venomous snakes that are colubrids.

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Oh yes forgot about these, but almost all of these snakes are non lethal to humans correct? Like hognoses and vine snakes, both are rear fanged and TECHNICALLY venomous, but if you were bitten there may be some irritation, but non lethal to humans correct? I'm not 100% sure.

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Originally Posted by Erndogg

To be even more general, it also has to do with how the snake feeds. There are three methods; constriction, venom, and bite and swallow.

As has already been stated, most do use constriction as a from of feeding. There are some though, that just bite and swallow their prey alive.

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Exactly, hognoses and racers are two of the bite and swallow variety.

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Originally Posted by Erndogg

To be even more general, it also has to do with how the snake feeds. There are three methods; constriction, venom, and bite and swallow.

As has already been stated, most do use constriction as a from of feeding. There are some though, that just bite and swallow their prey alive.

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Like hognoses, it's so weird to watch them eat :rolleye2:
Lol

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Originally Posted by Trackstrong83

Oh yes forgot about these, but almost all of these snakes are non lethal to humans correct? Like hognoses and vine snakes, both are rear fanged and TECHNICALLY venomous, but if you were bitten there may be some irritation, but non lethal to humans correct? I'm not 100% sure.

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well I believe that boomslangs are considered colubrids and they can be quite deadly.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

well I believe that boomslangs are considered colubrids and they can be quite deadly.

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See I've never even heard of boomslangs. :rolleyes:
Lol there are too many kinds of snakes,

Whenever I hear/see the word boomslang, I say it in my head with a southern accent and sometimes slow. booom...slaaang.



Anyway, good info in this thread. It's a good refresher for those of us who forgot some of this info and don't think to/are too lazy to look it up. :gj::gj:


Another question- Is there a specific difference between venomous which strike and hold or strike and release? Like cobras usually strike and release while some vipers strike and hold or vice versa. Is that class specific or species specific? Can I assume it's species specific?

I did do some research on the boomslang though and yes they are a rear fanged colubrid like a hognose, but there vemon is quite potent. Maybe all rear fanged venomous snakes fall into the colubrid family?

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Originally Posted by Trackstrong83

Oh yes forgot about these, but almost all of these snakes are non lethal to humans correct? Like hognoses and vine snakes, both are rear fanged and TECHNICALLY venomous, but if you were bitten there may be some irritation, but non lethal to humans correct? I'm not 100% sure.

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There are many rear fanged snakes that can kill you. The dispholodines, some philodryas (olfersii, viridissimus), rhabdophis, etc.

Many have venom that is as potent as many elapids, but lack an effective delivery system.

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Originally Posted by Trackstrong83

I did do some research on the boomslang though and yes they are a rear fanged colubrid like a hognose, but there vemon is quite potent. Maybe all rear fanged venomous snakes fall into the colubrid family?

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Boomslangs are not like hognoses.

Their fangs are long and come with compressor muscles. The venom is extremely potent, the delivery system is cutting edge for an opistoglyph and they are aggressive and fast.

Many years ago back in the 70's I used to have a lot of aquariums in my room and I'd go to this tropical fish store in Duluth that also used to get other interesting animals from time to time. I remember once when I was there they had this glass case on the counter next to the cash register. It was naturally planted and had a little tree with a lot of branches in the middle and wrapped around in the branches was this really pretty snake that was long and skinny. It had a pretty steep price tag but I was pretty fascinated by it. I asked the guy behind the counter about it and he said he didn't know much about it but it seemed to be really curious and was always out moving through the branches of the tree. He said that it had a really funny name. It was called a 'boomslang' we both had a good chuckle about the name and I left the store. I later heard that it wouldn't eat and eventually died. I guess in a way it's good that nobody bought it. I swear that I was impulsive enough back then that if I had the money, I probably would have bought it without knowing anything about it but that it was a pretty snake. :O

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Originally Posted by MarkS

Many years ago back in the 70's I used to have a lot of aquariums in my room and I'd go to this tropical fish store in Duluth that also used to get other interesting animals from time to time. I remember once when I was there they had this glass case on the counter next to the cash register. It was naturally planted and had a little tree with a lot of branches in the middle and wrapped around in the branches was this really pretty snake that was long and skinny. It had a pretty steep price tag but I was pretty fascinated by it. I asked the guy behind the counter about it and he said he didn't know much about it but it seemed to be really curious and was always out moving through the branches of the tree. He said that it had a really funny name. It was called a 'boomslang' we both had a good chuckle about the name and I left the store. I later heard that it wouldn't eat and eventually died. I guess in a way it's good that nobody bought it. I swear that I was impulsive enough back then that if I had the money, I probably would have bought it without knowing anything about it but that it was a pretty snake. :O

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:O:O:O

Duuuuuude.

but if they all kill by constriction ( rat snakes, corn snakes, pythons, and boas) is the things that classify them as different their size and the way they look?

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Originally Posted by MarkS

Many years ago back in the 70's I used to have a lot of aquariums in my room and I'd go to this tropical fish store in Duluth that also used to get other interesting animals from time to time. I remember once when I was there they had this glass case on the counter next to the cash register. It was naturally planted and had a little tree with a lot of branches in the middle and wrapped around in the branches was this really pretty snake that was long and skinny. It had a pretty steep price tag but I was pretty fascinated by it. I asked the guy behind the counter about it and he said he didn't know much about it but it seemed to be really curious and was always out moving through the branches of the tree. He said that it had a really funny name. It was called a 'boomslang' we both had a good chuckle about the name and I left the store. I later heard that it wouldn't eat and eventually died. I guess in a way it's good that nobody bought it. I swear that I was impulsive enough back then that if I had the money, I probably would have bought it without knowing anything about it but that it was a pretty snake. :O

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My first snake (when I was a kid) was a hognose.

A couple of years later, I wanted to get a second snake. I saved up my money all winter shoveling snow out of driveways and decks and had my dad drive me to the pet store to pick out a new snake.

They had a pair of beautifully colored snakes in a glass tank. For fifty bucks, I bought the pair. They were a male and female yamakagashi (later found out to be rhabdophis tigirinis - Japanese spp.).

This was the seventies, and no one knew anything about these snakes.

It was later discovered that these were venomous snakes, with a hemorrhagic venom similar to that of dispholidus typus - the boomslang.

It was also discovered that these are on of the world's only poisonous snakes.........but that came much much later.

They were the first snake I bred - and sold the babies to local pet stores that carried reptiles.

When I was about 17 years old, I came home from school and my mother told me that a person from Scales and Tails had called and that I needed to call him back. When I called him back he told me that there had been a news article about several deaths attributed to these snakes and that I needed to pick up the babies that I had dropped off a few weeks before.

To make a long story short, I have had these animals in my collection for over 30 years and have never had one offer any to bite. I've been bitten by more pits than any of the rear fangers I keep.

LOL, there really weren't a whole lot of animal laws in the books back then. Importers could ship in pretty much anything they wanted to.

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Originally Posted by iknowthetruth

but if they all kill by constriction ( rat snakes, corn snakes, pythons, and boas) is the things that classify them as different their size and the way they look?

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This is something that you should really endeavor to learn on your own. The taxonomy of snakes is something that deserves to be researched. There is no easy answer to this question on a forum.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

LOL, there really weren't a whole lot of animal laws in the books back then. Importers could ship in pretty much anything they wanted to.

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When I first began importing thrasops, it was not uncommon to have a couple of dispholidus mistakenly thrown in........................while they are sister species, only the black variants of the boomers look like jackson's.

After the first couple of shipments, I talked to my collector and straightened things out.

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

My first snake (when I was a kid) was a hognose.

A couple of years later, I wanted to get a second snake. I saved up my money all winter shoveling snow out of driveways and decks and had my dad drive me to the pet store to pick out a new snake.

They had a pair of beautifully colored snakes in a glass tank. For fifty bucks, I bought the pair. They were a male and female yamakagashi (later found out to be rhabdophis tigirinis - Japanese spp.).

This was the seventies, and no one knew anything about these snakes.

It was later discovered that these were venomous snakes, with a hemorrhagic venom similar to that of dispholidus typus - the boomslang.

It was also discovered that these are on of the world's only poisonous snakes.........but that came much much later.

They were the first snake I bred - and sold the babies to local pet stores that carried reptiles.

When I was about 17 years old, I came home from school and my mother told me that a person from Scales and Tails had called and that I needed to call him back. When I called him back he told me that there had been a news article about several deaths attributed to these snakes and that I needed to pick up the babies that I had dropped off a few weeks before.

To make a long story short, I have had these animals in my collection for over 30 years and have never had one offer any to bite. I've been bitten by more pits than any of the rear fangers I keep.

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http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0129-snake.html
Is this the same snake...it says that its venom it gets from eating poisonous frogs and toads. So does that mean if you don't feed it these animals, that they become no longer venomous? Like the poison dart frog?

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Originally Posted by iknowthetruth

http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0129-snake.html
Is this the same snake...it says that its venom it gets from eating poisonous frogs and toads. So does that mean if you don't feed it these animals, that they become no longer venomous? Like the poison dart frog?

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The snakes "harvests" the alkaloids from the amphibians. If they are denied an amphibian diet, they do not produce the poison.

I have never seen a captive rodent-fedtigrinus secrete nuchal posion.