How to Tell the Difference Between a King Snake and a Coral Snake

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[brotherlonewolf]

My 4th grade teacher said, "Red touch yellow, kill a fellow. Red touch black, venom lack".

[lindamills]

I won't have to worry about what color touches what, the heart attack will do me in before it bites.

[feliciahaynes]

I'm here because I just seen one rn omg I'm freaking out. Houston tx

[daemonsilver]

Thanks for the quick and understandable video! Looks like I just found myself a king snake. Very cool, I let him go on his way.

[sharkgooch]

That is not generally true, some coral snakes such as Micrurus ibiboboca have similar patterns and colors like scarletsnakes

[TrollingHistory]

So which one do I order online? I have both in my basket now and I'm very impulsive ill get both and return the wrong one I guess. Let me know though faster the turn around the better but snakes sleep 3 days a week so its fine. I'll order from Europe anyway.

[zacharybrown]

This reminds me of the Arthur episode “Hide and Snake” where Arthur brings home a king snake and all his friends think it’s a coral snake and everyone freaks out

[TheMagnaficent]

What matters most is where you step regardless of which snake it is for reasons like your saftey and the snakes

[danhansen]

This only apllies to Corals in the US, not necessarily to Corals from central and South America.

[bellbrass]

We were taught in the Boy Scouts, "Red next to yellow will kill a fellow; red next to black: don't jump back."

[Landrar]

Rely on the snout only. The banding colors is not reliable.

First, it's only for the Eastern Coral snake in the US. It will not be useful in identifying any other coral.


It's also not reliable for Eastern corals. Genetic mutations happen so it may not have yellow bands or the red might only barely be visible when you're far too close.


To identify a coral, look at the snout. A coral snake will be blunt and rounded. The scarlet king and scarlet snake, two mimics, will have thinner elongated snouts similar to an alligator.

Remember, if you can't positively id the snake, assume it's a coral and keep your distance.


Nobody wants a $100, 000 hospital visit.

[boomer]

I thought King Snakes were black and white; thanks for clarifying.

[yolacintia]

You won't remember that when the snake surprises you, believe me 🥴
We go by "if it has 2 colors with wide bands" it is venomous.

[MatthewSmith-tohz]

My granddad kept a king snake like this in his workshop.

1. To keep rats away

2. To keep rattlesnakes and copperhead away.

It work. He named him George.

[LKMNOP]

Whereas this is true about the head of the coral snake, let's face it's usually that you step on the sucker and get bitten. And if you get close enough to one to stare at its head, you're already too close.

[haslina]

Dude I was sitting outside then seeing a snake I thought it wa snot dangerous. Saw this video and no know that to not get close one

[steveturner]

Coral snake has a black and yellow head. King snake has red on yellow head

[IndigenousUndergroundPrimate]

I have a poem to help save the lives of everyone including you! It goes like this:
Red next to yeller, can kill a feller,
Red next to black can kill a person, too!
Yeller next to Red can kill a feller,
But Black next to Red is okay.

[amyj]

I have a king/milk snake and the head is black with a yellow band... and then the rest of it is red touching black

[vman]

Red on yellow killed a fellow,
Red on black venom lack.