Elapidae
Blue-bellied Black Snake
VenomousPseudechis guttatus
6 photographs of the Blue-bellied Black Snake. © Max Tibby.
The Blue-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis guttatus) is a venomous snake in the Elapidae family, recorded in 1 country.
If you are bitten
This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
- Family
- Elapidae
- Danger
- high
About the Blue-bellied Black Snake
The blue-bellied black snake (Pseudechis guttatus), also known commonly as the spotted black snake, is a species of extremely venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to eastern Australia. The adult blue-bellied black snake can reach a total length of 1.5 meters. The colour of its surface is predominantly a dark blue or black colour, with the underside ranging from a dark grey to black. Some individuals can also be cream or pale grey in colouring with black-inflected scales, giving a spotted appearance. In all individuals the head is uniformly dark. The blue-bellied black snake is found in most habitats including open forests, grasslands and wetlands. It eats a variety of frogs, lizards and small mammals. The species is oviparous.
Description
On average, P. guttatus grows to a total length (including tail) of 1.2 m (3.9 ft), but some specimens have been found to measure as long as 1.5 m (4.9 ft).
Distribution and habitat
P. guttatus is endemic to the inland areas of south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. The preferred natural habitats of P. guttatus are grassland, shrubland, and savanna.
Diet
P. guttatus is carnivorous. Its diet consists of frogs, lizards, and small mammals.
Reproduction
P. guttatus, like most other snakes, is oviparous, laying 7–12 eggs during the breeding season.
Venom
The average venom ejection of P. guttatus is unknown. The snake's venom is the second most toxic of all the Australian black snakes. It is naturally very shy, and will warn threats away by hissing loudly and flattening it's forebody into a low S-shape. It will not bite unless provoked (by being stepped on by a boot, prodded by a stick, etc.), and will hang onto the victim if it does. A human, if bitten, may suffer severe pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, diaphoresis and regional lymphadenopathy at the location of the bite, similar to a red-bellied black snake's bite symptoms. Bites are infrequent. If bitten, tiger snake antivenom is the preferred treatment.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Blue-bellied Black Snake
- Is the Blue-bellied Black Snake venomous?
- Yes. The Blue-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis guttatus) is venomous and belongs to the Elapidae family (cobra, mamba, coral or sea snake). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.
- Is the Blue-bellied Black Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Blue-bellied Black Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Blue-bellied Black Snake dangerous?
- This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
- Where does the Blue-bellied Black Snake live?
- The Blue-bellied Black Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Australia. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- What does the Blue-bellied Black Snake eat?
- P. guttatus is carnivorous. Its diet consists of frogs, lizards, and small mammals.
If you are bitten by the Blue-bellied Black Snake
Do
- Get away from the snake and stay calm. Most bites worsen when people panic or try again to handle the snake.
- Call 911 or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) right away. Antivenom works best when given early.
- Note the time of the bite and, from a safe distance, the snake's color and pattern, a phone photo is enough. Do not chase it.
- Keep the bitten limb still and at roughly heart level. Sit or lie down and limit movement.
- Remove rings, watches, and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
- Gently wash the bite with soap and water and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.
Do not
- Do not cut the wound or try to suck out the venom.
- Do not apply a tourniquet or ice.
- Do not drink alcohol or caffeine.
- Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, they can worsen bleeding. Acetaminophen is safer for pain.
- Do not try to catch or kill the snake. A dead snake can still bite by reflex.
First-aid guidance adapted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC NIOSH), Venomous Snakes. Educational only; always follow the instructions of emergency responders.
Where it is found
More Elapidae snakes
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
- OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards
- Squamata
- FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits
- Elapidae
- GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
- Pseudechis
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Pseudechis guttatus
Keep learning
- Are Snakes Dangerous? The Real Risk, in PerspectiveMost snakes are harmless and avoid people. Here is the honest picture of snakebite risk worldwide and how to lower your own.
- Snakebite First Aid: What to Do (and What Never to Do)A clear, CDC-based guide to snakebite first aid: the steps that help, the popular myths that hurt, and how to tell a serious bite from a minor one.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.