Eastern Coral Snakes

The colorful eastern coral snake is often mistaken for a scarlet king snake. Here its important to remember that if black touches yellow talking about the bands around the snake it can kill you. The scarlet king snake as you can see in the photo is colored similar but there is a distinct difference. If you ever have a doubt leave the snake along because the eastern coral snake is one of the most venomous of all the poisonous snakes in the United States.

The eastern coral snake occurs from North Carolina down to southern Florida and west to Louisiana though the snake does occur in Texas and has been found as far north as Kentucky. the snake likes to live under old rotten wood.

The eastern coral snake is usually around three feet but five foot specimens have been found. Somewhere between 2 - 3 feet is the usual size of most eastern coral snakes.

The eastern coral snake uses a small set of fangs in the upper jaw to deliver their poisonous venom. They are known to feed on smaller snakes, young birds in the nest, and small rodents. Some will also feed on frogs and lizards. Their venom takes time to work and they usually strike their prey and follow it before swallowing their prey.

Coral snakes will hold on while biting and the eastern coral snake accounts for only 1 percent of all snake bites in the United States. A lot of people are bitten by a coral snake while they are moving old wood or gardening. if you ever suspect you have been bitten by a coral snake call 911 at once and tell them you think you were bitten by an eastern coral snake. Remain calm and wait for the ambulance to arrive.

The Eastern Coral Snake should never be kept as a pet snake. It is a very dangerous snake that can kill you. Its venom is extremely toxic and it can quickly kill you.

The eastern coral snake possesses one of the most toxic venom's of any venomous snake in the United States. It takes 75 - 100 MG of coral snake venom to kill a human. There are from 15 - 25 eastern coral snake bites in the United States each year.

The venom is very dangerous nerotoxin that paralyzes the breathing muscles of a human and soon after a eastern coral snake bite a human can stop breathing and the person who has been bitten must be put on artificial respiration. The person who has been bitten will need large doses of anti-venom or they will die. Fortunately the eastern coral snake will flee from a human if at all possible. Any type of scratch or penetration by a coral snake requires immediate medical attention. Their is usually only mild pain from a eastern coral snake bite but complete respiratory failure can occur in only a few hours.

If you know their have been eastern coral snakes found in your area use care around rotten wood laying on the ground and if you spot what you think is a eastern coral snake avoid it. If you can see it call the local police or animal control and tell them you suspect you have a coral snake on your property. Do not attempt to pick up a eastern coral snake. You can receive a dangerous bite that can kill you.

If you have to work with rotten wood use a rake to turn over and move the rotten wood around before you pick the old wood up. If you see what you think is a coral snake get away and call the police or animal control. Never try to deal with a eastern coral snake by yourself. The snake can be quite fast and it will try to get away but it will strike if cornered or picked up. If it bites you it may hold onto you and chew. If this happens get away from the snake and call for immediate medical help.

There are other species of coral snakes in the United States and around the world. Some people argue that the coral snake found in Texas is a separate species while it is accepted that the Arizona Coral Snake is indeed a separate species of Coral Snake. All of them are venomous and dangerous and should be avoided. Anti-venom for coral snakes is no longer being manufactured in the United States because there is no money to be made by the drug companies. Coral Snake anti-venom is manufactured in several foreign countries.

If you have comments or questions about the Eastern Coral Snake please post them below in the comment section now. And thanks for reading.