Are domestic snakes poisonous?

I believe everyone is familiar with snakes, especially domestic snakes, which live around our homesteads and are more common in rural or mountainous areas. People are afraid of snakes mainly because of their scary appearance, but the key is that many snakes are poisonous. Faced with such a problem, if there are often domestic snakes around, one will worry whether they are poisonous. So, are domestic snakes poisonous? Let’s take a closer look below.

Some domestic snakes are poisonous, and some have five poisons. House snake is a general term for several species of snakes that live around homes. Milk snakes are often called house snakes in the United States. African house snakes belong to the genus Boaedon, family Colubridae. They are harmless to humans and feed on rats. For example, the lineated house snake (B. lineatum) of East Africa is commonly found on eaves or under mats. It is slightly black in color and generally less than 90 cm (35 inches) long.

How to identify poisonous snakes and non-venomous snakes? Most people only distinguish them based on whether their heads are triangular, their tails are short and thick, or their colors are bright, which is not comprehensive enough. Although the head of venomous snakes is a distinct triangle, some venomous snakes do not have a triangular head; while among non-venomous snakes, the false pit viper has a triangular head. The tails of five-step snakes, belly snakes and cobras are indeed very thick, but the tail of the iron-headed snake is relatively slender; many brightly colored snakes, such as the jade-spotted rat snake and the fire chain snake, are not venomous snakes, and the color of the pit viper is like mud or dog shit, which is not very eye-catching, but it is very poisonous. Therefore, the distinction between venomous and non-venomous snakes is mainly based on the following points:

1. Venom glands: Venomous snakes have venom glands, while non-venomous snakes do not. Venom glands evolved from salivary glands. Located on both sides of the head, behind the eyes, hidden in the jaw muscles, and can secrete venom. When a venomous snake bites something, the muscles surrounding the venom gland contract, and the venom is injected into the body of the bitten object through the venom duct and the tube or groove of the fangs, causing poisoning. Non-venomous snakes do not have this function.

2. The venom duct is a pipe that transports venom, connecting between the venom gland and the fang. Only venomous snakes have venom ducts.

3. Venomous snakes have fangs, which are located in front of or behind the non-venomous teeth on the upper jaw and are longer and larger than the non-venomous teeth.

House snakes are a type of snake that we come into contact with more often. There are many types of house snakes, and the venom of house snakes varies. Some are not venomous, while some require us to be extra careful. No matter what kind of snake it is, the key is that we can judge whether it is poisonous from its color and head shape. This is the most important thing we need to master when facing snakes.