Snakes

The eyes of non-venomous snakes, like this brown snake, have round pupils, unlike those of venomous snakes, which have cat-like pupils with vertical slits. (Photo courtesy of Robert Lewis)

When people sometimes see snakes in or around their homes, they usually worry about whether the snakes are dangerous. Knowledge about snakes will help you understand how to handle situations when snakes are encountered. For your safety in managing snake problems around your home, it is important to be able to identify snakes as venomous (poisonous) or nonvenomous (nonpoisonous) types.