One exception is the coral snake, so take that into special consideration. Rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths have a single row of scales on the bottom of their tails. read more
There are several keys. Look to see if the scales are keeled. Look for a faint ridge running down the middle of each scale. Look also to see if the anal scale is divided. read more
The shed skin is necessarily larger, both in length and girth, than the body of the snake that shed it, since the shed has to stretch in order to be pulled off the snake. Still, the relative proportions are often fairly similar, and both length and width can be clues to snake body size and shape. read more
The pattern, type and configurations of scales of shed snake skins are as unique and distinctive as finger prints are from humans. If you have found an intact/complete shed snake skin and wish to know if it is from a venomous snake, then please use the following steps to get the skin to us for an evaluation. Step 1: Place shed skin in a zip-lock or plastic bag. read more
Often it is possible to identify snakes by their shed skins alone (you can do so too, here).I have had some pretty serious exercise of this skill this week. read more