Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, would you mind telling me how i can difference coral snakes and non coral snakes (lampropeltis)?, thanks.

The old poem says "red touch yellow, kill a fellow; red touch black, venom lack." Still pretty accurate, at least for North American coral snakes.

I once heard Whit Gibbons say that anyone who is relying on that old Boy Scout rhyme has no business messing with any snakes.

It is a somewhat helpful rhyme to help you know what to avoid, but it is a dangerous way to figure out what is safe to handle.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

I agree fully with Chris, and want to reiterate that this DOES NOT WORK outside of North America. Ive been working in Ecuador for the past year, and out of all the Micrurus spp Ive seen not one has followed the rule and neither do many of the mimics...
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lost in the jungle somewhere
Z

>>I once heard Whit Gibbons say that anyone who is relying on that old Boy Scout rhyme has no business messing with any snakes.
>>
>>It is a somewhat helpful rhyme to help you know what to avoid, but it is a dangerous way to figure out what is safe to handle.
>>-----
>>Chris Harrison
>>San Antonio, Texas

That and a bit back someone online told the story of a woman with a bite from a dark snake with a ring around it's neck. Thought harmless. But gee....it was a melanistic coral. She lived but folks learned not to give too definitive of IDs over the internet.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

The old adage applies:
" red on yellow kills a fellow"
" yellow on red, your dead"

If that sucker has its red bands next to yellow, RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!