Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok last night we somehow go into the discussion of venomous snakes and they said "poisonous" snake and i said no there is no such thing as a poisonous snake this is where people go wrong.... they agreed a snake was venomous but they think since the snake being venomous means its poisonous. So I need you guys to reply the right answer so then i can print this topic out and show them since we have a bet going on this.

thanks

Just because an animal is venomous doesn't mean it's poisonous. Venom is typically injected while poison is a secretion through the animals skin or other method. Take a poison dart frog for example, they are certainly poisonous, but not venomous. Snakes are venomous (not meaning all snakes). Poison is typically ingested orally (although there are some exceptions to that rule) and venom is inject by way of fangs.

Hope this helps. Did you try posting this in the venomous forum?

Chris

>>Ok last night we somehow go into the discussion of venomous snakes and they said "poisonous" snake and i said no there is no such thing as a poisonous snake this is where people go wrong.... they agreed a snake was venomous but they think since the snake being venomous means its poisonous. So I need you guys to reply the right answer so then i can print this topic out and show them since we have a bet going on this.
>>
>>thanks

I allways like to point out that a Carrot is not poisonous because you can eat it. But it is Venemous because you can stab someone with it and kill them (raw carrot in the eye).

Venom is almost allways harmless-unless it comes in contact with delicate tissue or blood. (my understanding is the pores of the skin can have minimal access for some venoms).You can drink it and it has nutritional value. Its if you have a cut in your mouth, pimples or sores, or an ulcer...etc that allows it to get past the protection of the skin and have access into your circulatory system that allows it to start doing damage.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

I believe that some venoms can be ingested and some can not. hemotoxic venom can be ingested, as long as there are no open wounds ulcers, but I don't believe that neurotoxic venom can be ingested. and since most hemotoxic snakes have some neurotoxity as well, I won't think of drinking it as a smart thing to do. I wonder if there are any poisonous snakes, though? Box turtles become poisonous by eating poisonous mushrooms, so I wonder if snakes can do the same? Not eat mushrooms, but become poisonous from what they eat? Could hognose snakes for instance be poisonous since they eat alot of poisonous toads? Perhaps that is another advantage of their specialization? Anyone ever try to eat one?

Guess I'm kind of late in this debate, but here's my rough view.
Poisonous hurts if you bite it, venomous hurts if it bites you.
Hmm, didn't plan that to rhyme.
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