Zigzag-lined Water Snake

About the Zigzag-lined Water Snake

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Zigzag-lined Water Snake

Is the Zigzag-lined Water Snake venomous?

Yes. The Zigzag-lined Water Snake (Rhabdophis lineatus) 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 Zigzag-lined Water Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Zigzag-lined Water Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.

Is the Zigzag-lined Water 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 Zigzag-lined Water Snake live?

The Zigzag-lined Water Snake has verified records in 1 country, including Philippines. See the distribution section below for its full range.

If you are bitten by the Zigzag-lined Water Snake

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 Colubridae snakes

• 
  Heller's Red-necked Keelback
  Rhabdophis helleri
• 
  Tiger Keelback
  Rhabdophis tigrinus
• 
  Chinese Tiger Keelback
  Rhabdophis lateralis
• 
  Siamese Red-necked Keelback
  Rhabdophis siamensis
• 
  Specklebelly Keelback
  Rhabdophis chrysargos
• 
  Green Keelback
  Rhabdophis plumbicolor
• 
  Banded Keelback
  Rhabdophis nigrocinctus
• 
  Taiwan tiger keelback
  Rhabdophis formosanus

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 lineatus

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.