Name: Jason
Status: other
Age: other
Location: MS
Country: N/A
Date: 4/29/2005
Question:
Is it true about poisonous snakes having cat eyes and
non-poisonous snakes having round eyes?
I've heard several people say this before and never knew who I could
ask. I really appreciate your response.
Replies:
With the exception of coral snakes, all other North American poisonous
snakes - rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths - are pit vipers. Pit
vipers do have vertical pupils, while most other snakes have round pupils.
Coral snakes are NOT pit vipers, and have round pupils, and while the snakes
are small their venom is very potent.
The best thing to remember here is that no simple rules apply to these kind
of questions - it is not hard to learn to identify each species and that is
the only way to be sure.
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