Identification of snake is very difficult from venomous to non-venomous. some of the body parts that help to distinguish from each other. most important is that the there is no any universal character that differs from each other.

1. How to Identify Poisonous and Non-poisonous Snake?
Bhuwan Raj Bhatta
B.V.Sc & A.H 8th semester
T.U, IAAS, Nepal
Picture source: Tom Oder, 2013, Is that snake venomous
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2.  Probably most of we think that all snake are poisonous.
 But the truth is that the not all snake are harmful to animals.
 Here some of the difference to identify the poisonous and non-poisonous snakes.
 There are no universal distinguishing features that separate venomous from non- venomous snakes.
 Some of the body parts of the snake that probably help in distinguishing from venomous to non-venomous.
1. Colour:
Colour can be a good indicator of a venomous snake, though, there are always exceptions to the rule. Most
solid coloured snakes are not poisonous. The most colourful the snake, the more wary of it you should be.
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3. 2. Eye:
Venomous snakes usually have a vertical, elliptical (cat-like) pupil, whereas the pupil of a non venomous
snake will be round [(and the exception is coral snake)] and located in the centre of its eyes.
Rounded eye
A: Non-poisonous snake and B: Poisonous snake
A B
Picture source: JediMaster Bates , 2015, If a (North American) snake has a diamond-shaped head and a "cat's" eye, it's venomous!
08/08/2017
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Elliptical eye

4. 3. Snout:
Most poisonous snakes have a pointed snout or sharp triangle shaped face. Usually non-poisonous snakes
a rounded type face.
A BRounded
snout
Pointed snout
A: Non-poisonous snake and B: Poisonous snake
Picture source: JediMaster Bates , 2015, If a (North American) snake has a diamond-shaped head and a "cat's" eye, it's venomous!
08/08/2017
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5. 4. Head shape and size:
Venomous snakes also have a more triangular head, whereas non-venomous snakes will have a
jaw. The shape of the face has to do with the location of the venom sacks, so triangular= beware! If the
snake has a rattle, it is venomous.
A B
A: Non-poisonous snake and B: Poisonous snake
Head is triangular
but not as broad
Very broad neck,
skinny neck
Picture source: Creighton, 2012, The Difference Between Poisonous and Non-Poisonous Snakes
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6. 5. Neck:
Neck always constricted in venomous and no constriction in the neck in non-poisonous.
A B
A: Non-poisonous snake and B: Poisonous snake
No constriction
in the neck
Constriction
of neck
Picture source: Creighton, 2012, The Difference Between Poisonous and Non-Poisonous Snakes
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7. 6. Pit:
If there is a pit, or hole, between the snake’s eyes and nostrils or to the sides of the eyes. A venomous
has a heat-sensitive pit or pits that enable it to locate warm-blooded prey, even in the dark. Non-
snakes lack these specialized sensory pits.
A BNo pit Pit
A: Non-poisonous snake and B: Poisonous snake
Picture source: JediMaster Bates , 2015, If a (North American) snake has a diamond-shaped head and a "cat's" eye, it's venomous!
08/08/2017
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8. 7. Teeth:
All non-poisonous snakes have teeth on the upper jaw and the lower jaw. The teeth are hook-shaped and
angle toward the throat. Poisonous snakes have either grooved or hollow fangs.
A BNo fangs
A: Non-poisonous snake and B: Poisonous snake
Fangs
Picture source: Dr. Anand Titus and Geeta N. Pereira, 2016, The Big Four Snakes Inside the Coffee Forests of India
08/08/2017
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9. 8. Poisonous gland:
Present, paired poison glands are on upper jaw in poisonous and absent in non-poisonous snakes.
Poisonous
gland
A: Poisonous snake
A
Picture source: Robert F. Clarke, 1959, Poisonous Snakes of Kansas
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10. 9. Rattle:
A snake with a rattle on its tail must be a rattlesnake, which is venomous. Which is absent in non-
snake.
A B
No rattle and
tapering end Rattle
A: Non-poisonous snake and B: Poisonous snake
Picture source: SnakesOnline, Your Snake Information Resource
08/08/2017
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11. 10. Scale:
Most venomous snakes have one row of scales there while non-venomous snakes usually have two
The bottom of the tail (behind the anus) of venomous snakes looks the same as the rest of the belly. If
snake has a cross pattern (like a diamond shape) it is non-venomous. However, this may not be easy to
find out, unless the snake is dead.
One row of
scale
Two row of
scale
BA
A: Non-poisonous snake and B: Poisonous snake
Picture source: Snake Removal, Nationwide service, How To Tell if a Snake is Venomous
08/08/2017
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12. 11. Lungs:
Both lungs are present in non-poisonous and one of the lungs has either been reduced or absent in
poisonous. Venomous snakes swim with their lungs inflated, whereas a harmless water snake will swim with
its body submerged.
12. Shield:
Loreal shield; absent, mental shield; small, caudal shield; uniform and solid in non-poisonous. Loreal
shape may variable, mental shield; fourth one is large and caudal shield; is mostly undivided except in
and cobra snakes.
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13. 13. Hood:
Absent in non-poisonous and present in poisonous snake.
14. Scales:
Head scales; scales on the top of the head are large but in sand boas (Eryx conicus) the head scales are
small, Dorsal scales; scales on the dorsal surface are longer but spinal (vertebral) scales are not longer
hexagonal, Ventral scales; ventral scales are either across the belly completely (e.g., Colubridae), or not
completely across the belly (e.g., Boidae, Uropeltidae) in non- poisonous.
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14. 15. Fangs marks:
Two close-set puncture marks would indicate that the snake has fangs and is venomous. By contrast, a
bite mark means the snake lacks fangs, which only non-venomous snakes have.
A B
A: Poisonous snake and B: Non-poisonous snake
Picture source: Ricky Elkins, 2016, The SENTINEL ECHO
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15. Head scales; scales on the top of the head are usually small, Dorsal scales; dorsal surface scales are
smaller but the spinal (vertebral) scales are larger and hexagonal in kraits, Ventral scales; ventral
are usually completely across the belly but in sea snakes ventral scales are not completely across the
body in poisonous snake.
Exception:
 Triangular head are more venomous; the coral snake is venomous but has a round-shaped head
some non-venomous snakes may flatten their heads to resemble triangles when they are threatened
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16.  Solid colour are non-poisonous; some colourful snakes, such as the scarlet snakes, the scarlet king
snake, and the red milk snake, are non-venomous.
 Round pupil are non-poisonous; the black mamba, the coral snake, the cobra, and the inland taipan
snake are venomous but have round pupils.
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17. Reference:
Creighton Smith (2012). Knoji, The Difference Between Poisonous and Non-Poisonous Snakes, consumer
knowledge,
biology.knoji.com/the-difference-between-poisonous-and-nonpoisonous-snakes/
Dr. Anand Titus and Geeta N. Pereira (2016). The Big Four Snakes Inside the Coffee Forests of India, EcoFriendly
Coffee
ecofriendlycoffee.org/coffee-forests-the-big-four/
JediMaster Bates (2015). If a (North American) snake has a diamond-shaped head and a "cat's" eye, it's
venomous!, ActualAdviceAnimals,
voat.co/v/ActualAdviceAnimals/comments/125455
Non-Venomous Snakes, Non-Venomous, Animals / Snakes / Non-venomous, REPTILE GARDENS,
www.reptilegardens.com/animals/snakes/non-venomous
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18. Ricky Elkins (2016). Your Great Outdoors: Snake Basics—Poisonous vs. Non-Poisonous, how to tell the difference,
The SENTINEL ECHO,
www.sentinel-echo.com/sports/your-great-outdoors-snake-basics-poisonous-vs-non-poisonous-
how/article_fadccd06-0189-11e6-bae1-cb1daf1a8a32.html
Robert F. Clarke (1959). Poisonous Snakes of Kansas, THE KANSAS SCHOOL NATURALIST, Volume 5, Number 3 -
February 1959,
www.emporia.edu/ksn/v05n3-feb1959/
Snakes: Facts, , Science TREK, Explore Your Universe,
idahoptv.org/sciencetrek/topics/snakes/facts.cfm
How to Tell if a Snake is Venomous, Snake Removal, Nationwide Service,
www.snake-removal.com/venomous.html
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19. SnakesOnline (2014). What to do (and what NOT to do) in Rattlesnake Country, Your Snake
Information Resource,
www.snakesonline.com/InMyYard/RattlesnakeBrochure.aspx
Tanika M (2016). Difference between Poisonous Snakes and Non-Poisonous Snakes | Reptiles,
www.biologydiscussion.com/zoology/reptiles/difference-between-poisonous-snakes-and-non-
poisonous-snakes-reptiles/41078
Tom Oder (2013). Is that Snake Venomous, Mnn mother nature network, www.mnn.com/earth-
matters/animals/stories/is-that-snake-venomous
How to Differentiate Between Poisonous Snakes and Non Poisonous Snakes, Wiki
www.wikihow.com/Differentiate-Between-Poisonous-Snakes-and-Non-Poisonous-Snakes
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20. THANK YOU
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