U.S. Guide to Venomous Snakes and Their Mimics

by Scott Shupe

The Definitive Reference for Differentiating Venomous Snakes from their Harmless Look-Alikes

This easy-to-use guide is the most comprehensive resource for snake admirers in the United States. Full-color photographs for every venomous snake in the country make for easy reference, and dividing the snakes based on their regional habitats makes finding the right snake a breeze. Whether you are trying to identify a western coral snake or its mimic, the sonoran shovel nosed snake, Scott Shupe’s guide is the extensive handbook for which all snake aficionados have been waiting. With full-color maps and a thorough glossary of terms, you’ll be able to identify Arizona black rattlesnakes, eastern cottonmouths, and more in no time!
  Shupe’s guide covers the snake population of the entire United States. His expertise and knowledge of snakes is apparent in the thoughtful descriptions and handy hints on how to tell poisonous snakes from their harmless imitators. He also includes an informative natural history of the reptiles and the scientific terms by which they are referred. As a gift for a young naturalist, a reference book for your library, or a handy tool in a sticky situation, this guide is practical, useful, and fun!

160 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[Thebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, despite its wonderful organization, lacks good descriptions on how mimics can be distinguished from their mimics from a distance. With the exception of coral snakes, most of Shupe's tips on distinguishing the two species ends with "note the round pupils and lack of facial 'pit'." In the field, as Shupe also notes, it is difficult to see if a snake has a pit or the shape of pupils. The book does provide a basic knowledge of the venomous snakes in different U.S. regions, but it could benefit from describing how to identify mimics from venomous species by scale pattern and color.

[Claire Binkley · Rating 3 out of 5]

You may be aware that I have been trying unsuccessfully for the past several years to conduct some sort of an experiment - any sort of an experiment - before I completely disappear from the planet like some of my honoured relatives. The Chinese people told me that I am from the year of the snake, so I have been reading all I can about snakes with my cats... ^_^ They tend to arrange themselves to either side of the monitor these days!

The Year of the Snake is 1989, which is when I was born, which is why I read these books, but it comes back some other times. Whatever is 12 years from that, and 24, and 36, and 48, et cetera ad infinitum. (I'm not actually a mathematician, per se, I'm Claire-chan. I'm a linguist. I read books and interpret them.) But it is also some other arbitrary numeric values... 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929, 1917, 1905.

So I found value in this manuscript, as it is, even if it's an abnormality in my GR continuum! Usually I I finish books and write reviews of them, but this one I'm "leaving on the shelf."

I have been copyediting this edition, but the work has been going slowly because my current pair of glasses has been giving me more headaches than proving to be helpful. This problem has more and more difficult for the past three months.

I wish I could see. It would make reading easier.

[Caleb Block · Rating 4 out of 5]

It contains a view of not only various snake species, but also subspecies, and it provides a good quick read for reptile-lovers (like me), and outdoors-men.