Greetings from Me

[fainche]

Hello everyone! Truth is I'm afraid of snakes (all types) though I have friend who like snakes as pet. She have Burmese Python. My friend told me burmese python but I'm fully convinced. I'm happy to find forum about snake. Atleast now, I know that whatever fear I have about snake will somehow lessen through answering my question. First, is it true that burmese python is not poisonous? Lastly, how to know if snake is poisonous or not?

[Roman]

Hi and welcome.

First of all a small clarification – there are no poisonous snakes that I know of, but there are several venomous snakes out there. In English there is a distinction between something you eat or something which bites or stings you, so a berry would be poisonous, but a snake or a scorpion would be venomous (maybe a native English speaker might care to clarify if necessary).

So in this regard, a burmese python is not venomous, in fact all pythons or boas are not venomous as is the great majority of all snakes. There are about 3.000 different known kinds of snakes recognized, but only about 550 – 600 are venomous (these are only general figures, they might differ slightly depending which source you are consulting). Even if a snake is venomous, it does not mean it can automatically kill a human, it only means it has a fully functional delivery system (venom gland, venom teeth (normally named “fang”) and a canal between them) to bring the venom into the system of the bitten prey or to defend itself. The main function of the venom is to kill the prey for the snake, the defense is only a secondary function. A lot of venomous snakes are not able to kill a grown, healthy human.

There is no general way to recognize a venomous snake. If your occupy yourself with snakes you will learn to recognize different species but with a completely unknown snake there is only one way to decide if it is venomous or not – open the mouth and look for fangs and that’s definitely something for the pros… - so if you don’t know a snake (and you are 100 % certain) keep your hands off.

Roman

[sharthun]

Hey and welcome.

[marvelfreak]

30754:):):)

[dave himself]

Welcome aboard :)

[EL Ziggy]

Welcome and best wishes. Trust us, snakes are nothing to fear. To know them is to love them. :)

[Evanthomas]

welcome! you will learn with time that snakes really aren't anything to be afraid of, but something that needs your love and understanding.

[Pareeeee]

Hi and welcome.

First of all a small clarification – there are no poisonous snakes that I know of, but there are several venomous snakes out there. In English there is a distinction between something you eat or something which bites or stings you, so a berry would be poisonous, but a snake or a scorpion would be venomous (maybe a native English speaker might care to clarify if necessary).

So in this regard, a burmese python is not venomous, in fact all pythons or boas are not venomous as is the great majority of all snakes. There are about 3.000 different known kinds of snakes recognized, but only about 550 – 600 are venomous (these are only general figures, they might differ slightly depending which source you are consulting). Even if a snake is venomous, it does not mean it can automatically kill a human, it only means it has a fully functional delivery system (venom gland, venom teeth (normally named “fang”) and a canal between them) to bring the venom into the system of the bitten prey or to defend itself. The main function of the venom is to kill the prey for the snake, the defense is only a secondary function. A lot of venomous snakes are not able to kill a grown, healthy human.

There is no general way to recognize a venomous snake. If your occupy yourself with snakes you will learn to recognize different species but with a completely unknown snake there is only one way to decide if it is venomous or not – open the mouth and look for fangs and that’s definitely something for the pros… - so if you don’t know a snake (and you are 100 % certain) keep your hands off.

Roman

Great post - but i would like to note that there are two poisonous species of keelback - the only truly poisonous snakes in the world.