Elegant Snail-eater

About the Elegant Snail-eater

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Elegant Snail-eater

Is the Elegant Snail-eater venomous?

No. The Elegant Snail-eater (Dipsas elegans) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.

Is the Elegant Snail-eater poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Elegant Snail-eater is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Elegant Snail-eater dangerous?

The Elegant Snail-eater is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the Elegant Snail-eater live?

The Elegant Snail-eater has verified records in 4 countries, including Ecuador, Colombia, Honduras. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Where it is found

More Colubridae snakes

• 
  Catesby's Snail-eater
  Dipsas catesbyi
• 
  Brazilian Slug-eating Snake
  Dipsas mikanii
• 
  Neuwied's Tree Snake
  Dipsas neuwiedi
• 
  Neotropical Snail-eater
  Dipsas indica
• 
  Snail-eating Thirst Snake
  Dipsas brevifacies
• 
  Bolivian Snail-eater
  Dipsas turgida
• 
  Andean Snail-eater
  Dipsas andiana
• 
  American Snail-eater
  Dipsas articulata

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

Colubridae

GenusA close-knit group of very similar species

Dipsas

SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name

Dipsas elegans

Keep learning

• 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.
• 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 Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
• How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.