Is it possible to tell a venomous snake from a non-venomous snake?
There is no one specific that will tell you if a snake is venomous or not, short of actually catching the snake and exploring in it’s mouth for evidence of fangs. This is not generally advised, and anyway, most snakes seen in the wild quickly disappear into hiding. There are a few clues to consider. If a snake raises it’s head and spreads a hood, you can usually be certain such a snake will be venomous, possibly of the cobra species. If the snake is relatively short and thick, with a distinct head, broader than the neck, this may be a viper and so caution should be taken. Most snakes however are slender and cylindrical, venomous and non-venomous alike, and an inexperienced eye could not possibly know what species it is. One thing is certain, if any species of snake encountered is given right of way, it will prefer to escape rather than confront.
