snakes

[wendy]

hi i know some people as well as i don't know how to identify snakes, i got a magazine in the mail that tells you how. i just thought people here like me might like to know this helpful info:

(but i will add, some of these you would have to be close to them to identify these markings

)

pit viper:
broad, arrow shaped head
neck distinclty narrowed
heavy looking body
facial pits (

)
vertical pupil (

)

nonvenomous:
elongated oval head
neck slightly narrowed
proportionately slender body
no facial pits
round pupil

i hope this helps, it did me. i am not ashamed to admit i have been afraid of snakes for a long time. i couldn't even have before a few years ago looked at a snake. but looking at the pics in this story does not put me at ease. it does not freak me out like it did. i just wanted to help anyone know how to identify snakes

 

[Southern28Chick]

Great info Wendy.

Another thing to do is to study up on the type of snakes in your area and get familiar with their markings. The shape of the head and pupils are good to know but most people don't want to get close enough to the snakes head to see if it's poisonous. I know this is harder if you have a ton of snakes in your area, just a thought.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I'm just going to add that not all venomous snakes are pit vipers. Some venomous snakes fit the profile listed under 'non venomous'. A coral snake would be an example. It is not a pit viper and does have a blunt rounded shape head and slender body. I think the 'blunt nosed viper' and cobras also fit a similar description, although I don't think the latter 2 are found in the US.

 

[wendy]

well this came from a magazine, i thought after a discussion of snakes on here recently it would help us all out.

as far as coral snakes and such here is what they said:

-red and yellow bands touch: coral snake

-red and yellow bands don't touch:harmless scarlet snake, or a scarlet king-snake or a milk snake.

they even showed a king snake eating chicken eggs. and the king snake was so tired and full he took a nap right where he was according to this article!

 

[wegotchickens]

When I was a kid in FL we had to learn this peom about coral snakes:

Red on black,
Pat him on the back.
Red on yellow
Means a dangerous fellow.

But Mom said don't pat snakes on the back no matter what

 

[wendy]

Quote:
well u did better than me , i have heard that but could never remember it

 

[wegotchickens]

Mom caught me petting a friend's pet snake in a tank one day and totally freaked. Turns out I was petting the coral snake... There are some things you can NEVER forget, and Mom drilled that one into my head. (Hence the bit about not patting any of them.)

Didn't keep me from catching snakes, but I left any alone that had red on them. The poem repeated itself in my head and by that time the snake had gotten away.

 

[wendy]

i know someone i went to school with that now lives in Sevierville Tn
is that in the same county as you? i saw where you live.
she sent me pics, i hope to get up there soon! looks so beautiful

 

[wegotchickens]

Yup, I'm a stones throw from Sevierville. I get to look at the beautifl Smoky Mtns every day. And it is beautiful country, especially if we get some rain. Been too dry for too long. You should definitely come visit sometime!

 

[wendy]

Quote:
sounds beautiful, my uncle lives in colorado springs, co and it is beautiful there too. i bet i would love it there in your part of Tn too!
one of these days i will get there maybe sometime next year. i will have to put the bug in my husbands ear