Poisonous v. Venomous (What is the Difference?)

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Venomous Definition

Secreting venom, or capable of injecting venom by means of a bite or sting.

Poisonous Definition

Causing or capable of causing death or illness if taken into the body.

Basic Comparison

If an animal can cause damage by biting or stinging you, it is venomous, if you must ingest the animal for it to harm you, it is poisonous. If you drink venom, unless you had a ulcer or something that would lead it to the bloodstream, you would be perfectly fine. If a poisonous animal (that was not venomous as well) bites you, you would not be harmed. I make this page to tell you that when you think of a rattlesnake or hila monster, they are not poisonous but venomous, and this is why.

"My Greatest Pet Peeve"

Many times I will be outside with my fellow peers and I will hear someone tell another friend to, "watch out because the snakes in the trees are poisonous". There are 2 main things that irritate me with that statement. The first of which being that there are no arboreal dangerous snakes in my area. The second being what I made this page for. This page is made to distinguish the difference between poisonous and venomous. My goal of this website is to educate people around the world and in my community about reptiles so that they can be educated about the species in their area, and what termology is used for them (or more practically, in what ways they can and cannot harm them). I hope that at least a few people stop themselves from making statements like the ones I hear too often. This page is part of this mission to cover, in my opinion, one of the most common misconceptions about snakes and other animals that I hear people mistake. (Side note, there are some animals (including snakes) that are venomous and poisonous, but I think these can cause more confusion than help in explaining this so I do not include them in this page, but they do exist.)

Learn more about me and my goal for this website? Click Here!

Author Bio
Venomous Poisonous Harmless Venomous Poisonous Harmless
Gila Monster Poison Dart Frog Rat Snake Jellyfish Mold Crested Gecko
Lionfish Pufferfish Cat Rattlesnake Salmonella Watersnake

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