Stupid "How to tell if a Snake is Venomous" Trick

[Sterling]

You know the "if the snake's pupil is vertical its venomous" trick? Well its crap. All of my snakes, none of them venomous by the way, have vertical pupils. I dont know who invented this "trick", but they sure were stupid. My BP's, Boa's, and Carpets ALL HAVE VERTICAL PUPILS!!!!!!!

[DJ_Bizarre]

I saw that on the show billy the exterminator lol, i mean it is a great show cuz he is funny but I was like wtf my BPs have vertical slit eyes and they arent venomout.

[Sterling]

Haha, thats where I say it too; Stupid but funny Billy the Exterminator.

[mommanessy247]

i havent heard that one. ive heard that if they have an arrow shaped head...but ive seen pics of non venomous snakes with arrow like shaped heads....what gives?
i know rattlers at least stand out from the rest, but how DO you tell if a snake is venomous?

[AkHerps]

It's extremely difficult to tell if a snake is venomous or not, unless you know a ton of the different kinds and whether or not they are. A lot of the so called, "certanties" about how to tell if a snake is or not, have holes, like the eye slits, or the diamond head, or a rattling tail. Some snakes rattle their tales against leaves, etc...just to mimic venomous snakes. Some snakes also use bright colors to look like they are venomous, like the ringneck snakes, while Coral snakes are really bright, and venomous.

[alittleFREE]

Every timeI have ever heard this, it has been used regarding NATIVE snakes, in which case, it's actually mostly true , at least where I live.

Corn snakes, rat snakes, garter snakes, water snakes, king snakes... those are some of the nonvenomous snakes you come across around down here, and they all have round pupils. Rattlers, mocassins, copperheads, etc. don't.

There are a couple of exceptions (I don't believe coral snakes have vertical pupils) but I mostly hear this trick at wildlife seminars and stuff at local nature centers, where they are specifically talking about snakes you're gonna find in your back yard, not at the pet shop.

[bloodpython_MA]

If those people REALLY wanna know if the snake they found is venomous or not, they should let it bite them...

...Or leave it the heck alone and don't antagonize it...

[kitedemon]

Oh that trick works...



Green Mamba that isn't venomous is it? No not at all....

LOL!!

[redpython]

buy a field guide and learn the species.

in my state of kentucky there are four species of venomous snakes. two occur in the western part of the state. so it shouldn't be to hard to learn what the few venomous snakes we have are...but it must be as every snake that is found is either a cottonmouth, rattlesnake or copperhead.

[BPelizabeth]

Oh that trick works...



Green Mamba that isn't venomous is it? No not at all....

LOL!!

wow not to hyjack....but that is an amazing picture of a green mamba!!