10/11/2016
"Remember, the last thing any wild snake wants to do is engage with you. They just want to be left alone." ;)
Education! It's okay. It won't hurt. Here is a simple graphic with some quick debunks. Please help educate!
Never approach or interact with a snake if you cannot accurately identify it from a safe distance! Misleading "rules" like the shape of the pupil are not accurate.If you must get close enough to a snake to see its pupils in order to attempt an identification, you have no business being that close to the snake. Just walk away.
Elliptical vs. round pupil shape does not work! Quite simply, the amount of light available can easily manipulate pupil size, so never go by this rule. You either know the species or you don't Learn from someone with experience and don't guess. Snakes can easily be identified from several feet away by those who know.
Head shape is another incorrect rule. Some people teach that venomous snakes have triangular heads. Coral snakes do not have triangular heads. Also, many snakes flatten and widen their heads when threatened. Most often, this is noted from non-venomous Water snakes and Hognose snakes (which may be considered mildly venomous but not medically significant). Water snakes are often fairly aggressive when threatened, while venomous snakes are reluctant to strike.
Even the "black on yellow" rule does not work 100% of the time for Coral snakes. See our comments.
And, yes, there are poisonous snakes. See our comments for examples. While the uneducated public often does interchange poisonous for venomous, herpers cannot say that snakes are "venomous not poisonous" and be correct 100% of the time. There are exceptions.
We understand it can be quite difficult for some to identify snakes. Unless completely necessary, it is best to leave snakes alone, especially if you cannot easily identify them. Most venomous snake bites in the U.S. occur when someone without proper tools, training or knowledge attempts to move, kill or handle these snakes.
Remember, the last thing any wild snake wants to do is engage with you. They just want to be left alone.
Note that we're primarily discussing U.S. native species. More information in our comments.
Infographic created by Amethyst Roney