Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

You want to know how to distinguish poisonous coral snakes from non-poisonous king snakes but their looks are similar? Both species have black, red and yellow markings, so it is difficult to distinguish if encountered in the wild. If you encounter this snake in North America, this article will help you distinguish the differences.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Look at the snake colors

1. 

   Consider the color of the snake compartment. Determine whether the red and yellow stripes of the snake are contiguous, if so, it is a poisonous coral snake. This is the easiest method to differentiate between king snakes and coral snakes.
   • Coral snakes have 3 red, black, yellow, and then red.
   • The king snakes are red, black, yellow, black, red, sometimes blue.

2. 

   
   
   The snake has a black or yellow tail. The tail coral snakehead has a black and yellow cavity, without redness. While the non-poisonous king snake has full color, the color spaces extend in order to the length of the body.

3. 

   
   
   Look at the color and shape of the head. Determine whether the snake's head is black-yellow or red-black. The coral snake's head is black in color and has a short snout. The head is almost red and the muzzle is longer.

4. 

   
   
   Take a lesson to remember the differences between the two species. People living in areas where both species of these snakes have created cards to make it easier to remember their characteristics:
   • Red stripes with yellow stripes, you die. Red stripes and black stripes, little friend.
   • Red stripes, yellow stripes, it's dead. Black and red stripes, gentle like a rabbit.
   • Red, yellow, red, yellow, killing the whole village. Black, red, red, goodbye.
   • Red gold red gold, stop dying. Red, black, red, eating ice cream.
   • Black and yellow is the end of life. Black red little friend.

5. 

   Remember that these methods are only applicable to snakes in the US. The distinctions in this article only apply to North American snakes Micrurus fulvius (Common coral snakes or oriental coral snakes),Micrurus tener (Texas Coral Snake), and Micruroides euryxanthus (Arizona Coral Snake), found in the south and west of the United States.
   • Unfortunately in other parts of the world, the color palettes of this snake are slightly different and it is impossible to conclude whether the snake is poisonous or not without its identity verified.
   • This means that the above card is not applicable to coral snakes elsewhere, as well as species like them.
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Method 2 of 2: Differences in behavior

1. 

   Beware of tree logs and leaf piles. Both the coral snake and the red king snakes like to hide for hours under logs or leaves. They are also found in caves and rock crevices. Be careful when lifting a rock or tree, or when entering an underground area.

2. 

   Find out which king snake is on the tree. If you see a colorful snake with colored markings crawling in a tree, chances are it is a non-poisonous king snake. Coral snakes rarely climb trees. You should also look closely to make sure it is not a coral snake, preferably keeping a safe distance.

3. 

   Check self-defense behavior. When the coral snakes feel threatened, they will move their tails and heads back and forth to confuse enemies. King snakes do not do this. If you see a snake swinging its tail abnormally, most likely a coral snake, step back.
   • Coral snakes live in hiding and are rarely seen in the wild. They only attack when they feel truly threatened, so when one shows up this behavior, you still have time to escape.
   • King snakes get this name because they eat other snakes, including poisonous snakes. They do not display this self-defense behavior, although sometimes wheezing and shaking their tail like a rattlesnake.

4. 

   Observe a characteristic bite pattern. To inject the venom, the coral snakes must gnaw and chew their prey. Since we can push the snake out before it can inject its venom, humans rarely die from the venom of a coral snake. However, if not treated in time, coral snake venom can cause cardiac arrest and death.
   • The coral snake's bite did not cause much pain at first. However, once poisoned, the victim will be stammered, blind, and paralyzed so even if you do not feel pain, please call an ambulance quickly.
   • When bitten by a coral snake, stay calm, take off your tight clothing and jewelry, and call for medical assistance immediately.
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Advice

• One of the possible ways to be sure is that the poisonous coral snake, even if the color is slightly different, is the head shape, the coral snake has a rough head with black that extends across both eyes, usually. on top will be two colors.
• Coral snakes and red king snakes are distributed in the southeastern United States, starting from North Carolina to South Florida.
• The tail of a coral snake has black and yellow markings without redness. The non-poisonous king snake has color spaces extending in order to the length of its body.

Warning

• Be wary of working, walking, resting ... in areas with distributed snakes.
• Coral snakes are very poisonous, stay away from them.
• The red king snake is not poisonous, but the bite is still painful.
• This rule does not apply to all coral snake subspecies, for example "Micrurus frontali" a species of coral snake with red, black, yellow, black, yellow, black, red markings. For these species, the red mark next to the black is very toxic. A victim who is bitten 5 minutes later becomes paralyzed and one hour after death.