All snakes eat other animals and are classified as carnivorous. Kingsnakes eat mice, lizards and other species of snakes. They are immune to the venom of our venomous snakes and will kill and consume them if given the opportunity. Although many of our harmless snakes will bite to defend themselves, their bite usually their bite produces nothing more than simple scratches. All venomous snakes native to Missouri are members of the pit viper family.
Pit vipers have a characteristic pit Iocated between the eye and nostril on each side of the head.
Their pupils are elliptical in shape and they have a pair of well developed fangs. Our venomous species all have a single row of scales along the underside of the tail. Although the venomous snakes have a somewhat triangleshaped head, several harmless species, like the water snake, garter snakes and hognose snakes, can and do flatten their head and cause them to appear triangular in shape. Harmless snakes lack the sensory pit and fangs. They have round pupils and a double row of scales along the underside of their tail.