North Western Hot snake vs Non-venomous snakes? - Page 3

ErikBush97 · 07-10-13, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

If you're close enough to see an eye that is less than a quarter inch in diameter you are probably close enough to get bit. Learn the looks (common color, build and patterns) body and be confident before you head out.

I will

thanks for the reply, man.

**Pareeeee** · 07-10-13, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amadeus

Rattlers are fairly calm while cooled down but they become very pissy and active when warmed. A few years ago I was screwing with a timber I found upstate by my mom's house (I had some but limited venomous handling knowledge.) and I was trying to take pictures on a nice warm rock and the little thing got pretty pissed off..... Narrowly avoided a bite to the face...

I sure learned a valuable lesson.

Maybe Massassaugas are calmer than Timbers? I don't know since I've only seen one in the wild. If I encounter one I'm definitely taking a photo, but my camera wil be on timer at the end of my tripod. No way any part of me will be touching the camera that close to a hot LOL. You're lucky!

rocknhorse76 · 07-10-13, 01:38 PM

I grew up in central WA State, and while the pupil thing is true (with the exception on elapids), you only need to concern yourself with recognizing a rattlesnake in the PNW.

StudentoReptile · 07-12-13, 05:19 PM

What happens when one comes across an aberration like this? - http://i47.servimg.com/u/f47/16/67/96/78/stripe15.jpg

Pattern and coloration is not always the most reliable method of ID.

MDT · 07-12-13, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StudentoReptile

What happens when one comes across an aberration like this? - http://i47.servimg.com/u/f47/16/67/96/78/stripe15.jpg

Pattern and coloration is not always the most reliable method of ID.

Yes, but post-occular striping is still present, body structure is consistent with a viperid snake.......annnnnnnnndddddd........
it has a rattle

just messin' with you....pretty cool pic. And for the novice, it might pose a problem.

SSSSnakes · 07-13-13, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDT

Yes, but post-occular striping is still present, body structure is consistent with a viperid snake.......annnnnnnnndddddd........
it has a rattle

just messin' with you....pretty cool pic. And for the novice, it might pose a problem.

Not all Rattlers have rattles. Some can have broken off rattles and babies only have a button.

StudentoReptile · 07-13-13, 06:17 AM

A major aspect of our education stuff in my society is proper ID for snakes. We like to display a BCI, water snake, copperhead and a cottonmouth all side-by-side (in secure display cages) and don't label them. You'd be surprised how many mistake them.

Ex: how do you tell a copperhead from a cottonmouth?

Quote:

Not all Rattlers have rattles. Some can have broken off rattles and babies only have a button.

Exactly. And we have pygmy rattlers here, very small and tiny buttons.

MDT · 07-13-13, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

Not all Rattlers have rattles. Some can have broken off rattles and babies only have a button.

Yes, true, but the one in the pic did have a rattle...that was my only point...

I can't count how many colubrids that "rattled" their tails when I've captured in the field. If in leaves or grass, it sounds pretty convincing unless you can identify from other criteria.

I guess my whole contention in this thread is just learn what you have living in your area,make sure you can quickly and accurately identify a pit viper from Nerodia (example, but you get the point)...

ashleynicole · 07-14-13, 04:50 PM

I know here in Florida, all of the venomous snakes are part of the pit viper family and thus have vertical pupils, with exception of the coral snake, which is part of the cobra family and has a round pupil. And in that case the colors are easy to distinguish "red on yellow kill a fellow, red on black friend of jack".

Amadeus · 07-14-13, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashleynicole

I know here in Florida, all of the venomous snakes are part of the pit viper family and thus have vertical pupils, with exception of the coral snake, which is part of the cobra family and has a round pupil. And in that case the colors are easy to distinguish "red on yellow kill a fellow, red on black friend of jack".

Actually it's part of the elapidae family. =]

ashleynicole · 07-14-13, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amadeus

Actually it's part of the elapidae family. =]

"Cobra is any of various species of venomous snakes usually belonging to the family Elapidae"

"All elapids are characterized by hollow, fixed fangs through which they inject venom."

"Coral Snake, common name for certain small, brightly colored, venomous snakes of the family of snakes that also includes the cobra."

What I meant to say was, coral snakes are part of the same family of snakes as cobras, in that they have the fixed front fangs, while the pit vipers have the hinged fangs.

ZeldaTheRosy · 07-14-13, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashleynicole

I know here in Florida, all of the venomous snakes are part of the pit viper family and thus have vertical pupils, with exception of the coral snake, which is part of the cobra family and has a round pupil. And in that case the colors are easy to distinguish "red on yellow kill a fellow, red on black friend of jack".

I will have to bug my brother for a picture. We recently road collected a dusky pigmy rattler, the pupils were round. I identified the snake before exiting the vehicle, my brother runs up looking at the eyes and said they are round, I very firmly told him to back away it is venomous. He wasn't actually close to it at all, I just wanted him to listen.
We believe do to stress it's eyes widened giving a real rounded look, almost more of a diamondy shape. After seeing this, he and I both were somewhat shocked.

Know your local snakes is a big thing to me.
Also, same day we road collected a garter snake, he flattened out(triangular body) and puffed his jaws to make a beautiful viper like head; similar to then acting like they are shaking a rattle, they can immigrate other snakes..

I love road collecting! We find so many unusual(to me)color patterns in my area!

smy_749 · 07-14-13, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashleynicole

"Cobra is any of various species of venomous snakes usually belonging to the family Elapidae"

"All elapids are characterized by hollow, fixed fangs through which they inject venom."

"Coral Snake, common name for certain small, brightly colored, venomous snakes of the family of snakes that also includes the cobra."

What I meant to say was, coral snakes are part of the same family of snakes as cobras, in that they have the fixed front fangs, while the pit vipers have the hinged fangs.

We know what you meant, and it wasn't 'wrong'. He's just being a smart *** lol

ashleynicole · 07-14-13, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeldaTheRosy

I will have to bug my brother for a picture. We recently road collected a dusky pigmy rattler, the pupils were round. I identified the snake before exiting the vehicle, my brother runs up looking at the eyes and said they are round, I very firmly told him to back away it is venomous. He wasn't actually close to it at all, I just wanted him to listen.
We believe do to stress it's eyes widened giving a real rounded look, almost more of a diamondy shape. After seeing this, he and I both were somewhat shocked.

Know your local snakes is a big thing to me.
Also, same day we road collected a garter snake, he flattened out(triangular body) and puffed his jaws to make a beautiful viper like head; similar to then acting like they are shaking a rattle, they can immigrate other snakes..

I love road collecting! We find so many unusual(to me)color patterns in my area!

All of the pitvipers have vertical pupils. Are you sure you didn't mistake a juvenile black racer for a pigmy rattlesnake? I had someone come into the ER with a juvie black racer that they swore up and down was a pigmy rattle snake. They are mistaken a lot because of the pattern. A lot of people mistake hognoses for rattlers as well.

SSSSnakes · 07-14-13, 06:42 PM

I think the real point here is, if you don't know enough about the snakes in your area to ID them on site, with out cute rhymes or looking at the eye shape. Then you should leave them alone. Many non venomous snakes do a good job at imitating venomous ones. Unless you are positive it's non venomous, do not touch it.