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Poison v Venom
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by borgber007 on February 24, 2005
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I heard a Park Ranger say that there is no such thing as a poisonous snake, only venomous snakes. Is the difference the fact that venom is only toxic if injected into tissue (as opposed to injested)?
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RE: Poison v Venom
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by guttersnacks on February 24, 2005
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Someone put it so simply to me once, it's stuck.
If the animal contacts you and it hurts, it's venom. If you contact the animal and it hurts, it's poison.
So, it'd be a venomous snake, or a poisonous frog.
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RE: Poison v Venom
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by Snakeman1982 on February 25, 2005
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Venoms are a form of poison though, just more defined. A toxic substance, sometimes defined as being produced by an animal is a poison. It is inappropriate to say poisonous snake but not necessarily incorrect. Venom is an injected poison. But cobra venom on the skin, without cuts, can still apparently cause pain. I wouldn't know that though.
Tom,
Good analogy but if you step on a stone fish, you touch it, but the spines inject a venom into you that are really painful. So not sure if the analogy works everytime. Plus if you touch a jellyfish, it injects venom into you as well.
Anyway, my opinion here,
Robert
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RE: Poison v Venom
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by Matt_H on February 26, 2005
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"Venom's injected, poison's ingested"
For the most part this is somewhat true with some exceptions to the rule. Venom is a compund consisting of proteins, enzymes and several toxins (poisons) produced in an animal to debilitate and partially digest it's prey. It is also used for defensive purposes. Venoms can be injected (in most cases) or it can be projected as in the case of the Spitting Cobra's (Naja nigricollis woodi & Naja pallida) and absorbed into the bloodstream through the eyes (which is the main source of entry) or through an open wound on the skin. In addition, the Coral snake (Micrurus fulvius fulvius) doesn't inject it's venom either. Rather it chews on it's victim causing open wounds for it's venom to be absorbed through.
Poisons are toxic substances usually secreted through the animals skin which are used primarily for defense. These substances are almost always aborbed or injested rather than injected.
So the theory of "venoms are injected, poisons are injested" is relatively true, though not iron clad as in the case of the saying about Coral snakes, "red on yellow kill's a fellow". This stands true in north america but once you cross borders that changes since many south american species have a different arrangement of bandings where the red (or orange) bands are against the black with the yellow bands between the black.
Venoms and poisons (or toxic secretions) are all poisons of sort with varying levels of complicity and different modes of transmission. Though proper terminology for reference or discussion would be venomous snake, poisonous amphibian.
Matt_H
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RE: Poison v Venom
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by Snakeman1982 on February 27, 2005
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"Red and yellow kills a fellow..." doesn't work except for the southeastern U.S. It isn't iron clad either. If you go to Arizona and catch a shovelnose snake, it will have red touching yellow. And central and South America has tons of mimics that break the rules and coral snakes that aren't red, black, and yellow (ex: Micrurus albicinctus is black and white with no yellow or red). There are 66 species of coral snakes in the Americas and they have many mimics and color variations. So common sayings are rarely ever iron clad since there are always exceptions. Otherwise we would all eat apples everyday so we wouldn't have to ever see the doctor again.
But coral snakes do inject venom in their prey. They also chew but they have hollow proteroglyphous fangs for injection. Not sure why you don't think they inject venom.
Risin is a poison and it is from a plant. So not all poisons are from animals. Infact, most poisons are probably from other biological organisms.
Robert
Robert
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RE: Poison v Venom
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by Sal on February 27, 2005
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Venom is USUALLY in prey capture (exception would be Platypus) but can be defensive. Poison is strictly used as defensive measure. Poison dart frogs don't use thier toxins to catch prey.
Another way to think about it is venom is used actively, while poison is used passively.
The toxins can actually be the same, like tetrodotoxin in puffer fish (poisonous) and the blue ringed octous (venomous). Same toxin, different use.
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RE: Poison v Venom
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by timberrattlesnake89 on February 28, 2005
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Spiting Cobras is one example of snakes using poison. It does not enject it into a preditors eyes. I sprays it and the venom gets absorbed so its a poison. Most poisons used by animals are for defense not hunting. Monarch Butterflies are another example of poisonous.
Phillip
Live and Let Live
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