Venomous Training

While I was fishing a few weekends ago we came across a snake at the water's edge. He was small and brown (maybe 3-4ft long) and he was trying to catch a frog that had hopped up on the shore of the lake. My mother in law asked, "Is it venomous?". I realized I couldn't answer her. I had no idea. I got on my phone and started looking up native snakes, trying to match a picture to the one that was slithering only a few feet from our fishing poles. From what we could tell it was just a common water snake, but that got me thinking. As a herp hobbyist, I should be able to identify local herps. So now I'm planning on getting some books and doing some research online to help me learn to identify them.

But that brought up another thought. A while back, when I worked for a pet store, my co-workers called me on my day off to say a man had brought a snake into the store. They said "We don't know if its venomous but the guy said he found it in his backyard and was going to kill it if we didn't take it." So I drove the 45 min to the store and picked up the snake. I had no idea if it was venomous or not. It was in a deli cup. After some research I found out it was non-venomous and I released it behind my house. But what if I was ever faced with a situation where I had to physically remove a venomous snake from a home or business? How would I react to that situation. At this time I have absolutely no training in the handling or care of venomous reptiles. I think it would be a really neat idea to have some sort of training so that if I'm ever faced with having to remove a snake for someone or perhaps if I get into wildlife rehabilitation, I could take on venomous reptiles. I would NEVER keep venomous as pets, and I would never seek them out, but IF I had to, I could handle myself properly.

Does anyone know where I could get such training in VA? I'm also looking to gain experience with large species of python and boa in case I ever start a rescue.

Hi Jesse,

Great questions. I highly recommend you join the Virginia Herpetological Society www.vaherpsociety.com and check out our website where you will learn everything you need to learn about all of our native species. We also engage in educational activities. We are a non-profit here in Virginia and are VERY active in educating the public on all of our native species. We focus on research, conservation and education.

In Virginia out of the 34 species of snakes, we only have 3 venomous snakes. The timber rattlesnake, the copperhead and the water mocassin or cottonmouth. All three of these species are pit vipers.

The best way to tell the difference between venomous and non-venomous snakes is simple. Pit vipers have heat sensing loreal pits between the nostrils and the eyes. Additionally, our pit vipers also have vertical pupils (like cats) as opposed to non-venomous snakes who have circular pupils. The shape of the head is not the best way to tell the difference, because some non-venomous snakes may look like they have a triangular head.

Check out our Virginia Snake Identification Guide

The other way you can tell venomous from non-venomous in Virginia is through distribution ranges. The copperhead is the only venomous snake that is statewide distributed. The timber rattlesnakes are found in the western part of the state in the mountains and valley, with a subpopulation of the canbrake variety in the southeastern part of the state (Chesapeake, Va etc). The cottonmouth is ONLY found in the southeastern part of the state with the northern most population at the confluence of the James and Appmatox River.

Here is more information on how to tell the difference between a copperhead and some of our more common non-venomous snakes. and here is how you tell the difference between a cottonmouth/water mocassin and other non venomous snakes

I do want to add that relocating or killing snakes is illegal in Virginia.

If someone calls you to relocate a snake you cannot travel very far with it. The reason being is that you can potentially introduce disease to a new population of snakes in another part of the state. Additionally, snakes will always try to find their way back and usually don't do well when relocated and will end up dying. There are a number of reptile rescue organizations in Virginia and you can certainly contact the Virginia Herpetological Society for questions such as these. As far as handling venomous snakes, as a hot keeper myself I can give you some advice, perhaps off line.

Cheers!

Thank you so much for all of that info. I checked out the link and I am proud to say I was able to identify the venomous snakes in the tests with ease after looking at some of the idenification info.

I was aware that killing snakes in VA was illegal but I didn't know relocating them was. If, for example, one of my family members called me because they had a snake in their house or yard and wanted it removed, the best thing to do would be to call Animal Control? As the only reptile keeper in the family, I'm the first they'd call. And in cases like I mentioned before where a man just took it from his yard and threatened to kill it if we didn't take it (not kidding you, he threatened to take it out into the parking lot and set it on fire if we did not take it from him.) It was a Storeria dekayi if I remember correctly.

As someone who wants to work with reptiles for a living (I hope to make that a reality in the coming years) I want as much experience with as many species of herp as possible. I want to be able to identify native, and non-native herps and know their care (even though I would likely never keep venomous as pets).