Snake Bite FAQ

Kyoto: Hiking from Kibune to Kurama

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Snakes regarded as nonvenomous are not necessarily completely safe. The saliva of many of these snakes can contain the same toxins as the venom of their more feared relatives. Some snakes such as the gopher snake lack anything resembling venom, and others such as the hognose and garter snakes have saliva which could be considered a mild venom. After all, true snake venom is just modified saliva anyway. These so-callednonvenomous snakes lack an efficient means of delivering their saliva/venom to a human victim. Yet there are recorded cases of themenvenomating and even killing people. The victims tend to be people who regularly handle snakes either professionally or as a hobby.

The most common reaction to such a bite (at least in theU.S.) is the swelling, pain, and discoloration caused by hemolytictoxins. But neurotoxins have also been identified in the salivaof some of these snakes.

More information on this subject can be found in several references. One we were able to locate was, Sherman A. Minton, Jr. "Beware: Nonpoisonous Snakes," Natural History, 87: 56, Nov 1978.

Identification

Rule One: Leave snakes alone. There is no reliable rule to distinguish which snakes are venomous and which are not. Characteristics vary greatly depending on locale and occasional individuals have atypical coloration or pattern.

Rule One, Expanded: Unless you are engaged in legitimate biologicalresearch, leave undisturbed all wildlife you encounter in the wilderness.