Which Texas Snakes Are More Helpful Than Harmful

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department say their state is home to over 105 different species of snakes. This includes various subspecies of slithers as well. But of all these different types of snakes, only 15 of them are poisonous enough to be considered dangerous to humans.

The main four groups of snakes the cause concern in Texas are Copperheads, Cottonmouths, Rattlesnakes, and Coral Snakes. Most of these dangerous snakes can be easily recognized. With Rattlesnakes, you obviously have their tails that will alert you to what they are, even tough you might not recognize before its too late. Copperheads have vibrant colors and patterns that help to identify them, even from a distance. Even though Copperheads can actually find ways to hide with their colors; deep weeds and mixed brush can help hide them.

Coral Snakes, the only Cobra in the state, do have bright yellows and reds on their markings, but they share those colors with other species of snakes. The way to identify them is the pattern of the colors. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says Coral Snakes will be the only ones with these colors where the red and yellow touch. That's how you know if you're dealing with the "real deal" or not.

The last venomous danger when it comes to Texas snakes is the Cottonmouth, or Water Moccasin. These are easy to identify when they open their mouth and show you where the name "Cottonmouth" comes from, but by then its probably too late. These guys are big, and angry, which should also help to identify them.

But not all of the snakes in Texas are dangerous. In fact, if these are the only worries out of over 100 different types, the LARGE majority aren't dangerous.

In fact, some of the non-lethal (to human) snakes in Texas are actually helpful to people. Check this out...