Even if you love snakes, there is no chance that a snake bite would be nice!There are hundreds of species of snakes in the world. While it may be impossible to remember all of them, let us help you in at least telling a Mojave rattlesnake and yellowbelly sea snake apart!Snakes are fascinating reptiles, but humans often shy away from befriending them because of the threat that they pose to human life. There are many snake species in the US that have such toxic venom that can kill a human being in a matter of minutes. Keep reading to know about the most dangerous snakes and how you can avoid them on your next camping trip!If you enjoy reading this article, why not also check out the fastest snake in the world and legless lizard vs snake articles here at Kidadl!The Most Dangerous, Venomous Snakes In The United StatesNot many people are fond of snakes. In fact, four out of five people are likely to be scared for their lives if they happen to see a snake. Although the fear is quite legitimate given the reputation that snake bites have, it must be understood that snakes aren’t inherently offensive. At the same time, not all snake species are fatally venomous.In fact, only a small fraction of the total species of snakes of the world turn out to have a venom that can kill humans. In order to make sure that you don’t sprint away from or treat even a non-venomous snake species badly, it is important to know and understand which snake species you should be wary of. Identifying snakes may seem to be quite an impossible task but if you know the set features that occur in some of the most dangerous snakes, it should be easy enough to be safe.Snakes are found in almost all parts of the world and the United States is no exception. If you happen to live in the United States, there are some dangerous snake species that you must make sure to stay away from. One of these snakes would be the eastern diamondback rattlesnake. These snakes are usually found in the marshy areas of North America. Since these patterned snakes love moisture and mud, anyone who decides to visit a scarcely populated marsh or mangrove forest in North America must be wary of this brown and black-colored beast. There are some unmissable features that make it quite easy to spot and identify an eastern diamondback rattlesnake. As with other rattlesnake species, even this species has a rattle that cannot be missed. This snake is also one of the largest ones found in the region. The diamond-like patterns on the back of this snake are likely to have you in awe of the animal. However, it would be best to stay as far away from this snake species as possible since it is highly venomous. In fact, since the amount of venom that this snake delivers in one bite is so high and is potent, there are many human fatalities that have been linked with this snake’s bite over the years.The closely related and similar-looking western diamondback rattlesnake is also a species that locals and experts are scared of greatly. This snake is found in Texas so often that it is popularly referred to as the western diamondback snake. This snake species, however, prefer to live in drier areas such as forests and deserts. This snake is unlikely to shy away from biting a human being if the opportunity presents, and since the venom of a western diamondback rattlesnake is so potent and loaded with damaging components, it is best to stay away from it. The venom of this snake is so dangerous that snake bites of this variety have a 20% mortality rate in humans when gone unattended. In comparison with its eastern relative, the western diamondback rattlesnake is slightly shorter, although, that clearly does not play a role in its dangerous nature.The eastern coral snake may look like it’s a cute and harmless snake, but it would be best to not get tricked into thinking less of them. The coral snake in fact has one of the most venomous snake bites and can cause fatality in many cases. The only factor that makes coral snakes slightly less intimidating is that 50% of their bites are dry ones. This essentially means that no venom is transferred through the bite. At the same time, it is also important to understand that the eastern coral snake can easily be confused with another similar-looking snake species which is actually quite harmless and shouldn’t be shooed away. The easiest and most useful way to understand if the snake that you recently had an encounter with was an eastern coral snake or not would be to try to observe its bands. If the red and yellow bands on the body of the snake are not separated by a black band, you can be sure that it is an eastern coral snake. If the bands are separated, it is the other harmless species that you can get slightly friendly with.The Mojave rattlesnake or Mojave rattler is one of the deadliest snakes that are found in North America. Named after the Mojave desert where this snake species is found in abundance, the bite of this snake species has been intimidating generations of Mexicans and North Americans. The venom of Mohave rattlesnakes is so potent and dangerous that it can cause death in a matter of hours. Treatment with antivenom is absolutely important when a person is injected with Mojave rattlesnake venom. It often happens that since the symptoms of this snake bite do not begin to show quickly, people throw caution into the air and then suffer from the more severe symptoms such as breathlessness and difficulty in swallowing. This snake’s venom is similar to that of a cobra, and hence, Mojave rattlesnakes should definitely make it to the list of animals and reptiles that you must stay away from at all costs!Venomous Snakes In North AmericaWhen it comes to North American venomous snakes, the list can be quite long. Many of the snake species that we have already talked about, like the eastern coral snake and the western diamondback rattlesnake find their homes in the varied habitats of North America. In fact, there are many other snakes in North America that you must look out for because no matter how fascinating and regal these reptiles may look, they are definitely not ones to get friendly with! The four most venomous snakes in the US would be eastern diamondback rattlesnake, western diamondback rattlesnake, Mojave rattlesnake, and timber rattlesnake!The timber rattlesnake is one of the North American snakes that you must be wary of. These snakes are medium-sized and have large patches of brown and black on their body. Although a timber rattlesnake bite is unlikely to prove fatal for any human being, it can be extremely painful and may be coupled with excessive swelling and vomiting. Help from medical experts would be absolutely essential in all cases of a timber rattlesnake bite. In case you are wondering which areas you should keep out of in order to avoid getting in a sticky situation with a timber rattlesnake, you will be concerned to know that this snake species is found all around the eastern parts of the United States of America. Since they can live in any and all rocky terrains, avoiding the timber rattlesnake species may be quite an impossible task if you decide to go hiking or camping!Talking of rattlesnakes and just how deadly they are, the tiger rattlesnake is also a species to stay away from. This snake is also found in large numbers in North America and has one of the deadliest venoms in the snake world. Fortunately, the amount of venom that they deliver in each bite is quite low and hence is rarely fatal. Although, some people tend to have raging venom-related allergies. If you know of any such allergies that you may have, it would be best to get such a bite treated with antivenom at the earliest. It has also been observed by scientists and experts that a tiger rattlesnake bite is most fatal in the case of children and old people. Since these people run a higher risk, they should be protected from any bad situations involving a tiger rattlesnake. That being said, it is also impossible to not take note of just how beautiful these snakes are. They have a dark gray to black coloration on their body, which gives a rather beautiful monochromatic appearance! If you have the chance to observe these snakes from a safe distance, make sure to behold their beauty and bask in their glorious presence!The copperhead snake is named after the coloration of its body and is a rather easily found resident of North America. The color of their body often has a large range and can even be orange or rust-colored. The copperhead snake is not much of an offensive reptile and is known to often just lay still when other animals or human beings seem to be approaching. However, if they are threatened, these snakes are unlikely to run away. A copperhead snake bite is rarely fatal but that should not mean that you can play with such a dangerous snake. In severe cases, the bite symptoms may include extreme pain, cramping, and diarrhea. Children and old people are most vulnerable when it comes to the bite of these snakes. One of the most interesting facts about these snakes is that they usually deliver a warning bite. The warning bite is usually one without any venom and is used to ward off any threats. A dry bite may seem harmless but it would obviously be much more preferable to not be bitten at all!The cottonmouth snake or water moccasin has one of the most toxic venoms known to humans. The venom toxicity of the cottonmouth snake is such that it can stop blood from clotting. Hence, in bites that involve cottonmouth snakes, the human being or animal undergoes severe bleeding. Untreated bites can be quite fatal since these relatively small snakes are extremely aggressive. The name of these snakes comes from the white or baby pink color of the reptile’s mouth. In contrast with the black or dark gray coloration of the skin, the whitish mouth definitely stands out and justifies the name assigned to the species! The other name, water moccasin, comes from the fact that these snakes are mostly found in or near water bodies and feed on fishes and small mammals.The yellow-bellied sea snake has a very potent venom and hence, must be avoided. These snakes prefer to live in warm temperature oceans and usually feed on fishes that are found in such habitat. The Pacific and Indian Oceans often see a yellow-bellied sea snake or two when they care to venture into foreign lands. These snakes do not spend a lot of time on the shores, neither do they ever venture into freshwater lakes or reservoirs. This snake’s venom is so potent that even the tiniest dose can be fatal for a human being. The potency of the venom is such that a fraction of the amount of venom delivered in a single bite can kill any human being in a matter of hours, if not minutes!Venomous Snakes In South AmericaThe south of America also witnesses a lot of snake bites on an annual basis, and hence, if you live there or plan on taking a vacation there, it would be best to keep some names and appearances in mind.The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is not only found in North America but is also quite common in Southeastern America. This snake happens to be one of the most dangerous rattlesnake species that is known to man. Since it is widely found and lives in densely populated areas, small mammals and rodents often fall into traps and become food for these snakes. The potent venom is delivered in large amounts and proves to be fatal in a large number of cases!The cousin, that is, western diamondback rattlesnake is also a name that is frequently heard in places such as southern New Mexico and Arizona and into southern California. This rattlesnake is nearly just as deadly as the eastern diamondback rattlesnake and is not to be played around with. The fatalities caused by this snake species are high because they tend to cause excessive internal bleeding in the animals that they bite.The Massasauga rattlesnake may not be the most dangerous snake but this member of the pit viper family should still be avoided. Even though the number of fatalities associated with the bite of this snake is low, the bite itself can be quite painful and largely unpleasant.Coral snakes such as the western coral snake and eastern coral snake are found extensively in the Southeast United States and the southern coastal plains. Even though these reptiles have an adorable appearance, it must be kept in mind that they can be quite deadly as well. Eastern coral snakes are from the same pit viper family as the deadliest snakes of the world such as the black mamba and cobra. A coral snake is best identified through the red and yellow stripes or bands on its body, which are not separated through a black band. They are often slender but it would be best to not be misled by the looks!Avoiding A Snake BiteWhether it be pit vipers such as a timber rattlesnake or Australia’s famed tiger snake, being bitten by a snake can be quite scary.Understandably, even the thought of being bitten by such a deadly animal is likely to send anyone into a panic, and it is not always that we can observe the features of a snake to determine if the bite would kill us. The best alternative is therefore to simply avoid getting in any unfortunate situations with these temperamental reptiles. If you trek a lot or love adventures, investing in a good stick to carry around such places would be a good idea. Most snakes such as the pygmy rattlesnake and eastern diamondback rattlesnake blend in with the environment. Understandably, if you mistake a venomous species of snake to just be dried leaves and step on it, the reptile will retaliate and bite you. Poking around with a stick and trying to understand the surroundings is sure to give you some wiggle room and warn you of any snakes that may be around. It would also be advised to watch where you put your hands and feet. These reptiles have evolved over several centuries to camouflage themselves, and hence, it would be best to not disturb them in their own habitat!Treatment Of A Snake BiteVenomous snakes are found all around the world and it can be quite difficult to completely avoid them on some occasions. If you or your loved ones are ever bitten by a snake, getting medical help would be important.Rush the victim to a hospital so that proper treatment is given in the form of an antivenom. It would also be important to remember the snake that carried out the deadly task. For instance, even the coral snake and Mojave rattlesnake, which are both pit vipers, have different treatments. Making a mental note of the appearance of the snake will help your doctor in treating you. Even though there is no immediate first aid in the case of snake bites, you can cover the bite with a clean dressing and then get to a hospital as soon as you can.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for the most venomous snake in the US then why not read about Florida water snakes, or eastern diamondback rattlesnake facts?
Even if you love snakes, there is no chance that a snake bite would be nice!
