Do nonpoisonous snakes still bite you?

Question

Even though a snake is not poisonous, do they still bite and cause harm to their victims?

I discovered a large ribbon snake in my yard when I reached in some ivey. I am just wondering about nonpoisonous snakes in general---is there still danger to people who disturb them?

Answer 1

They definitely bite, that is how they catch their food in the first place.  They generally have very small recurved teeth, which means their teeth is curved backwards to lock in to whatever they bite.  They don't have huge fangs like poisonous snakes, but they will stick in your skin like velcro.  Depending on the size of the snake, it can be quite painful, and dangerous for the snake when you have to detach them.  And some of those tiny teeth can get stuck in your skin.  

So pretty much there is danger there, and it will hurt a little, it might get infected, but I certainly wouldn't be afraid of non poisonous snakes.  Unless you come across a giant python.  In that case...good luck.

Answer 2

phythons are not poisonous.....anyone dare to see if they bite or not????.....

Answer 3

Yes they will examples bull snakes , and garder snakes

Answer 4

from my own experience, Yes, they do.

Answer 5

Every snake bites> harmful or not harmful to the individual. Every snake wants it's own protection. In order to avoid people from harming or even touching them, they bite and give off a rattling sound. However, some dangerous snakes give a harder sound.

Answer 6

Some nonvenomous snakes bite really hard.  I once had a yellow bellied snake make my finger bleed profusely.  Colubrid  snakes usually kill with their bite and they are nonvenomous.

Answer 7

Yep, it'll bite you if you annoy it. Friend of mine had a python and if you didn't take the hint that it'd had enough, it'd bite.

Answer 8

yes, non-poisonous snakes still bite humans if you iritate them enough. it wont kill you by any means, but it will still hurt a lot.

non-poisonous snakes kill their prey through constriction, literally squeezing all the air out of their lungs until they die of suffocation. it would be extremely hard to find a snake large enough to do this to humans, unless you would in the jungles of africa or south america

Answer 9

Yes, no only does it help some of them get food it also can be used to protect themselves.

Answer 10

Yes they bite.  Some small snakes don't have strength to break the skin, but they will try if frightened.  And most snakes can break the skin if they try.  Sometimes they are just trying to drive you away, and don't bite too hard.  

If you get a snake bite and don't know whether the snake was venomous, look at the bite marks.  Two fang marks means the snake was venomous (though sometimes they don't inject the venom).  I pair of U shaped marks like this: ( ) is the bite of a non-venomous snake.  No bite marks means, don't worry about it.

Answer 11

Did you think non poisonous only sucked???

Answer 12

oh god yes do they bite, lol

small snakes aren't a danger to you.. but any bite should be well cleaned to prevent infection.. and it is possible for reptiles to spread slamonella

Answer 13

Poisonous or not, most snakes will bite if they feel threatened, and they all have teeth.  Even constrictors bite.  In fact, the first thing a constrictor does with prey is bite it so that it has a hold on it.  Without that hold, a constrictor might never get a coil around its prey.

I had a mildly venomous hog-nosed snake when I was a kid that would curl up just like a rattlesnake, and it would hiss and even strike, but it would strike with its mouth closed, if you can believe that.  And if it couldn't get you to leave it alone by threatening you, is would suddenly flop over and play dead, with its mouth open.  It was a pretty convincing show, but if you carefully turned the snake right side up, it would immediately flop over again.  When it realized its deceptions weren't going to work and it wasn't in danger, it chilled out and became a very good pet.

Answer 14

All snakes have teeth and can bite. Non-venomous constrictors seize their prey in their six rows of sharp, recurved teeth and hold onto it whilst wrapping their coils around it. They then tighten their coils each time the prey breathes out, until it can no longer draw breath and suffocates. Venomous snakes, as well as having smaller teeth similar to a constrictor's, have fangs - two large hollow teeth at the front of the mouth, through which venom flows into whatever the snake is biting. In some species, such as cobras, the fangs are fixed, whereas in others, such as rattlesnakes, they are hinged, lying folded against the roof of the mouth until needed. Venomous snakes bite, inject venom, and instantly release their prey. They then track it whilst the venom kills it, and consume it when they find it dead.

When a constrictor bites in defence, it will not try to constrict - it only constricts something that it's going to eat. It will therefore bite and let go (though they sometimes have trouble letting go, since the recurved teeth hook into the flesh). Venomous snakes are capable of giving 'dry bites' in defence - that is, biting without injecting venom. Venom is valuable, and the snake needs it for killing its prey - it does not want to waste it on defence.

Remember that all snakes would rather avoid conflict than bite you. They are not out to get you. If you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone.