Snake Venom
Pit vipers account for many more bites than coral snakes, but bites from either are not always poisonous. When they are, the amount of venom can vary. This is because snakes control the release of their venom: The greater the threat it perceives, the more dangerous its bite. Nicks says that one in four pit viper bites are “dry,” or free of venom, while 50% of coral snakes’ bites deliver venom.
“The swelling and destruction can occur within an hour,” says Calello, “but the damage is generally not permanent if it’s treated.”Left untreated, the tissue damage will get worse. That can lead to the loss of a limb or fingers, says Nicks, a spokesman for the American College of Emergency Physicians.“If you have enough venom to cause large amounts of tissue damage, it can become gangrenous when the tissue dies,” he says.
Bites from coral snakes have few immediate signs to show that you’ve been poisoned. It can take 12 to 18 hours before serious symptoms set in. The venom, which contains neurotoxins, affects the brain’s ability to control the body’s muscles. Your speech may become slurred, and it may be hard to swallow. You could also get weak muscles, blurred vision, and paralysis. The poison can eventually make it difficult to breathe. That can be fatal, but only one death from a coral snake has been reported since the 1960s. Bites from these snakes don’t happen often. In Florida, where coral snakes are most common, poison centers respond to fewer than 50 cases each year
-snake venom
The garter snakes (Thamnophis) belong to the collective category of harmless, effectively non-venomous North American snakes also often referred to as garden snakes. Many species and subspecies range across much of the continent. The “garden snake” moniker stems from how frequently garter snakes are found in gardens and yards, where they prosper amid moist soil conditions and rich food sources. Although many people irrationally fear garter snakes, they are actually beneficial in controlling garden pest populations such as slugs.
-TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
Many people call garter snakes – some of the most common, widespread and frequently observed snakes in North America – “garden snakes,” a reflection of their common occurrence in yards and farm plots. In other words, a garter snake and a garden snake are one and the same.
-Garter Snake Description & Range
Most garter snakes boast bold coloration, lateral stripes and checkered patterns, making them fairly easy to spot. The underside or belly tends to be a pale yellow or white with no stripes on both males and females. Garter snakes are normally between 18 and 26 inches long with males being a bit thicker and longer than females, but they can reach lengths of up to 4 feet. Garter snakes range throughout much of North America, from central Canada south through Mexico; in the Lower 48, they’re only absent from portions of the Southwest.
-Habitat and Diet
Garter snakes can swim but are not agile climbers; they inhabit meadows, marshes, ditches and damp woods, staying close to the ground looking for insects, frogs, salamanders, fish and tadpoles. They’ll also occasionally eat bird eggs, mice, leeches and small carrion – not to mention smaller snakes, such as the ring-necked. Farms, forest edges and roads make common hunting grounds for garter snakes
snake venom
