How Impressive Is Your Venomous Snakes Knowledge?

By: Jhoana Porter
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
How Impressive Is Your Venomous Snakes Knowledge?
Image: Picture by Tambako the Jaguar / Moment Open / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Snakes aren't the most loved creatures in the world, and venomous snakes are loved even less. Of over 3,000 snake species, around 600 use venom for hunting prey or defending themselves. According to the CDC, about 20 of those are found in the United States and are responsible for venomous snakebites in 7,000-8,000 people each year. Needless to say, venomous snakes are dangerous creatures that should be avoided as much as possible.

If you live in the city and work in an office, you're in luck - an encounter with a venomous snake is improbable. However, the same isn't true if you work outdoors or live close to nature. And if you like going on adventures in the wild, your likelihood of seeing a venomous snake increases.

But whether or not you're likely to encounter a venomous snake, it can be helpful to know a thing or two about them. While these reptiles may seem homogeneous, they actually have different physical characteristics, temperament and behavior. Expanding your knowledge about these dangerous yet fascinating creatures can help prevent you from becoming another venomous snakebite statistic.

So, do you think you could identify a venomous snake in the wild? Do you know how to deal with a venomous snakebite? Ace this quiz and be a self-proclaimed venomous snake expert!



Rattlesnake
Kristian Bell/Moment/Gettty Images
Which of these snakes will rattle anyone with their quick, accurate strike that goes as far or even farther than 33.3% of their body length?
Copperheads
Water moccasins
Coral snakes
Rattlesnakes
Eastern Coral Snake
Shutterstock
These are pretty docile snakes that only bite as a last resort. What are they?
Black mambas
Coral snakes
Green anaconda
Yellow anaconda
3 Snake Venom
Brasil2 / E+ / Getty Images
Of over 600 species of venomous snakes, how many pose a real threat to human beings?
About 200
Less than 30
Over 400
None

Advertisement

4 snake bite
Prapass Pulsub / Moment / Getty Images
How do you treat someone who has been bitten by a venomous snake?
By sucking the poison out with your mouth
CPR
By administering antivenom
Surgery
Black Mamba
Shutterstock
No other species of snake can beat this when it comes to speed. Which one is it?
King cobra
Black mamba
Yellow-bellied sea snake
Sand adder
Cobra
n/a
Which of these snakes spreads out its neck ribs to appear bigger and more threatening?
Death adder
Cobra
Aesculapian snake
Egyptian asp

Advertisement

Saw-scaled Viper
Kristian Bell/Moment Open/Gettty Images
They may not have the strongest venom, but they're behind most snakebite deaths in humans every year. What are they called?
Tiger snake
Boa
Saw-scaled viper
Flying snake
King Cobra
Shutterstock
King cobras are the longest venomous snakes in the world. How long was the longest known king cobra?
6.7 ft
19.2 ft
10.4 ft
35.8 ft
Western Australian Tiger Snake
shutterstock
Their venom doesn't only have neurotoxins; it has myotoxins, hemolysins and coagulants as well. What are they called?
Green mambas
True cobras
Eastern brown snakes
Tiger snakes

Advertisement

inland taipan
Jack Reynolds/Moment Open/Getty Images
Can you identify this deadly venomous snake that is often called the "fierce snake"?
Inland taipan
Peron's sea snake
Russell's viper
Forest cobra
Cottonmouth Snake
Wiki Commons by scott.zona
This snake is normally found in or around a body of water and is the only semiaquatic viper in the world. Which one is it?
Philippine cobra
Jararaca
Cottonmouth snake
Chinese cobra
12 Southern Copperhead Snake
Kristian Bell / Moment / Getty Images
When frightened, this snake freezes instead of escaping, increasing its chances of being stepped on, which in turn makes it more likely to get a snakebite. Can you identify it?
Copperhead snake
Timber rattlesnake
Eastern coral snake
Black diamond rattlesnake

Advertisement

13 Copperhead snake closeup
R. Andrew Odum / Photodisc / Getty Images
Can a snake's head still bite you after it has been decapitated?
Yes
No
Gaboon Viper
Tom Brakefield/Photodisc/Getty Images
Which type of snake has the longest fangs?
Gaboon viper
Indian cobra
Malayan krait
Eastern brown snake
Copperhead
Rex Lisman / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these are responsible for most cases of snakebites in the United States?
Rattlesnakes
Water moccasins
Coral snakes
Copperheads

Advertisement

16 Venomous Southern Copperhead snake
Rex Lisman / Moment / Getty Images
How many species of venomous snakes can fly?
1
0
5
7
17 Snake venom
Rithwik photography / Moment / Getty Images
Which one of these snake venoms target your blood?
Neurotoxic venom
Cytotoxic venom
Hemotoxic venom
Proteolytic venom
18 Snake venom collection
Ed Reschke / Photodisc / Getty Images
Which of these snakes doesn't primarily produce hemotoxins?
Sea snake
Copperhead
Rattlesnake
Cottonmouth

Advertisement

19 Diamondback rattlesnake mouth open
Stan Tekiela Author / Naturalist / Wildlife Photographer / Moment / Getty Images
Are venomous snakes the same as poisonous snakes?
Yes
No
20 Banded sea snake
ifish / E+ / Getty Images
Sea snakes are divided into two groups, with one being true sea snakes. What's the other one?
Saltwater eel
Coral reef snakes
Freshwater eel
Sea kraits
21 Coral snake
Mark Kostich / E+ / Getty Images
Which type of snake isn't a member of the viper family of snakes?
Rattlesnake
Cottonmouth
Coral snake
Copperhead

Advertisement

22 Sea snake
Bernard Radvaner / Corbis / Getty Images
A sea snake is often mistaken for an eel. How do you distinguish a sea snake from an eel?
Sea snakes don't have gills.
Sea snakes appear more like a ribbon when swimming.
Sea snakes have flatter and longer heads.
Sea snakes have fins.
23 Cottonmouth snake sunning itself
Spiraling Road Photography / Moment Open / Getty Images
Can venomous snakes give you a dry bite?
Yes
No
24 Man with snake in the wild
Dave Carr / Moment / Getty Images
What should you do if you encounter a snake in the wild?
Leave it alone and slowly walk away.
Approach and harass it.
Beat it with a stick or any hard tool.
Grab its tail and throw it as far away as possible.

Advertisement

South American bushmaster
Shutterstock
Vipers are generally large snakes. Which type is the longest in the world?
Green vipers
Gaboon vipers
Horned vipers
Bushmasters
Rattlesnake
Shutterstock
What are the rattles of a rattlesnake made of?
Fossil
Wood
Keratin
Stone
Anaconda
Shutterstock
Which of these snakes isn't venomous?
Prairie rattlesnake
Anaconda
Texas coral snake
Southern copperhead

Advertisement

28 Snake head mouth open
Martin Harvey / Photodisc / Getty Images
Which type of snake venom affects your nerves and brain?
Hemotoxic venom
Neurotoxic venom
Cytotoxic venom
Proteolytic venom
Cottonmouth
Rex Lisman / Moment / Getty Images
Which of the following doesn't have neurotoxic venom?
Black mamba
Cobra
Cottonmouth
Blue coral snake
30 Snake coiled to strike
Jason Todd / Photodisc / Getty Images
Snake venom is harmful to most animals including humans. But this creature is surprisingly immune to rattlesnake venom. Which one is it?
Turtle
Woodrat
Otter
Opossum

Advertisement

31 Getting venom from snake
John Foxx / Stockbyte / Getty Images
Cytotoxic venom targets what part of you?
Heart
Liver
Cells
Eyes
Black Mamba
shutterstock
Which snake isn't native to the United States?
Copperhead
Black mamba
Coral snake
Rattlesnake
33 Juvenile cottonmouth
Kristian Bell / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these characteristics describes a cottonmouth?
When threatened, it widely opens its mouth, which has a pinkish to white color.
There are pits between its eyes and nostrils.
Adult cottonmouths are green.
They can't swim.

Advertisement

34 Banded sea snake
James R.D. Scott / Moment / Getty Images
How long can true sea snakes remain underwater?
30 minutes
8 hours
2.5 hours
15 hours
35 Corn snake
Nathan Shepard / Moment Open / Getty Images
The non-venomous corn snakes are often mistaken for copperhead snakes. How do you tell them apart?
Copperheads don't have fangs.
Copperheads have small angular heads.
Corn snakes are redder, and they have thick blotches on the back instead of side blotches that look like hourglasses.
Corn snakes tend to be thicker.
36 Viper coiled to strike
Mark Kostich / E+ / Getty Images
Which of the following is NOT a snakebite treatment myth?
Using a snake bite kit
Applying a tourniquet
Putting a cold pack on the afflicted area
Removing any tight clothing surrounding the afflicted area

Advertisement

37 Snake in a bowl
ranplett / E+ / Getty Images
In case of a survival situation, can you safely eat a venomous snake?
Yes
No
38 Snake charmer
DavidCallan / E+ / Getty Images
Snake charming is a popular practice in Asia and North Africa. What makes the cobra dance?
The music
A drug injected into it
The musical instrument
They just like to dance when they're not hunting.
39 Pit viper rattlesnake
Amith Nag Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Vipers are found everywhere except New Zealand, Antarctica, north of the Arctic Circle, island clusters, Australia and Madagascar. Which doesn't describe pit vipers?
Long fangs
Triangular head
Speedy strike
Very alert

Advertisement

40 belchers sea snake
Godmonic / YouTube
Which type of water snake is believed to be 100 times deadlier than the fierce snake, inland taipan?
Northern water snake
Faint-banded sea snake
Brown water snake
Red-bellied water snake