Is the Taiwan tiger keelback venomous?

Yes. The Taiwan tiger keelback (Rhabdophis formosanus) is venomous and belongs to the Colubridae family (keelback (rear-fanged)). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.

Is the Taiwan tiger keelback poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Taiwan tiger keelback is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.

Colubridae

Taiwan tiger keelback

Venomous

Rhabdophis formosanus

The Taiwan tiger keelback (Rhabdophis formosanus) is a venomous snake in the Colubridae family.

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: Colubridae
Danger: high

About the Taiwan tiger keelback

The Taiwan tiger keelback belongs to the Colubridae family, colubrids. The largest snake family, and the one most snakes you meet belong to.

Colubridae is by far the biggest family of snakes, with roughly two thousand species worldwide. It is a catch-all of mostly slender, agile, day-active snakes: ratsnakes, kingsnakes, gartersnakes, watersnakes, racers, whipsnakes, and hundreds more. The vast majority are harmless to people and kill prey by grabbing or constricting rather than with venom.

Its genus, Rhabdophis, covers keelbacks. Asian keelbacks look like harmless water snakes but carry two separate weapon systems, including borrowed toad toxins stored in the neck.

The Taiwan tiger keelback is venomous. Treat any bite as a medical emergency, do not try to handle or capture the snake, and get professional medical care right away.

Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.

Frequently asked: Taiwan tiger keelback

Is the Taiwan tiger keelback venomous?: Yes. The Taiwan tiger keelback (Rhabdophis formosanus) is venomous and belongs to the Colubridae family (keelback (rear-fanged)). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.
Is the Taiwan tiger keelback poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Taiwan tiger keelback is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
Is the Taiwan tiger keelback 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.

If you are bitten by the Taiwan tiger keelback

A venomous snakebite is a medical emergency. Call your local emergency number immediately. In the US, dial 911 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

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.

More Colubridae 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: Colubridae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species: Rhabdophis
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Rhabdophis formosanus

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.