>>First, I do know what you are referring to...



That modern science defines most colubrids as venomous, include many of what we call ratsnakes.



>>..but let's not loose sight of the question. When someone asks if a snake is venomous on this forum, they are asking if a bite from the snake will cause you real direct harm.



I don't see it that way at all. Venomous vs. non-venomous is one question, albeit one where the answer occurs along a continuum, whether a snake is dangerous is another.



>>I don't care if a brown water snake bites me, but I do care if a water moccasin bites me.



I agree.



>>Your point is well taken, but it is never a good answer to a general question on a forum like this one. Someone will start to think that a bite from any water snakes can cause a person real harm. As we all know, that is just not the case. Too many ignorant people go around killing snakes because they think they are poisonous. Let us not feed into the public's fear of snakes.



Venomous colubrids are discussed here all of the time. I think it's a perfectly appropriate place to discuss venomous colubrids, although Nerodia specifically may belong on another forum. We have had some pretty prestigious scientists on this forum to discuss the issue, I'd like to think that we'd encourage them to spend time here.

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