With so many species and subspecies of snakes out there, it is easy to get confused and mistake one for the other. However, while some make excellent pets, others can be deadly so, knowing how to differentiate between a few popular snakes can go a long way.
The King Cobra can reach up to 13.1 ft (3.99 meters) and is highly venomous, while the Cottonmouth Snake is much smaller but similarly venomous. King snakes and rat snakes can grow up to 5 ft ( 152.4 cm), are both non-venomous, and make good pets.
In this article, we will take an in-depth look at these four snakes. I’ll discuss their color variations, size, habitats, diet, and so much more, so if you want to learn more about them, read on!
Cottonmouth Snake vs. King Cobra vs. King Snake vs. Rat Snake: The Differences Explained
Confusing a dangerous snake with a harmless snake can be fatal if you get bitten. Therefore, it is essential to know the difference between snake species. Here’s a table showing the most important differences between these four remarkable snakes:
| Species | Cottonmouth Snake | King Cobra | King Snake | Rat Snake |
| Scientific name | Agkistrodon piscivorus | Ophiophagus Hannah | Lampropeltis | Columbridae |
| Venomous | Venomous | Venomous | Nonvenomous | Nonvenomous |
| Geographic location | Southern United States | Southern and Southeast Asia | United states and Mexico | Northern Hemisphere |
| Color | Black with brown or gray patches. | Black with white stripes. | Various (brown, black, red, yellow, gray, lavender). They can have stripes, bands, rings, or speckles. | Various (black, gray, tan, yellow, orange, red, cream). They can be solid in color or have stripes or blotches. |
| Length | 3 ft – 6 ft (91.44 cm – 182.88 cm) | 10.4 ft – 13.1 ft (3.17 meter – 3.99 meter) | 2 ft – 5 ft (60.96 cm – 152.4 cm) | 3 ft – 5 ft (91.44 cm – 152.4 cm) |
| Habitat | Ponds Lakes Swamps Creeks Streams Marshes | Forests Grassland Rainforest Lakes Wetlands Shrubland | Tropical forests Deserts Shrublands | Forests Mountainous regions Wetlands Grasslands Swamps Floodplains Semi-arid desert Farms Barns Parks |
| Activity | Active during the day and night. | Active during the day but can be spotted at night. | Mostly active during the day. | Varies according to sub-species. |
| Behavior | Aggressive but will only bite when threatened. | Avoids confrontation with people but will defend itself when threatened. | Docile, but will bite if threatened. | Docile, but will bite if threatened. |
| Diet | Fish Frogs Snakes Birds Insects Lizards Baby alligators | Snakes | Snakes Lizards Rodents Birds Eggs | Rats Mice Birds Eggs Frogs Lizards |
| Reproduction | Live young | Lays eggs | Lays eggs | Lays eggs |
| Captivity | Not recommended | Not recommended (illegal or restricted) | Popular exotic pet | Popular exotic pet |
| Lifespan | 15 to 20 years | 20 years | Up to 30 years depending on the subspecies | Up to 30 years depending on the subspecies |
I will explain these differences in more detail below.
Length
The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is by far the largest snake of these four species. It can reach lengths of up to 13.1 feet (3.99 meters) and is the world’s largest venomous snake.
The Cottonmouth Snake (Agkistrodon piscivorus) comes in second place with a maximum length of 6 feet (182.88 cm), while the King Snake (Lampropeltis) and Rat Snake (Columbridae) share third place with a length of 5 feet (152.4 cm).
While they all differ in length, snakes as a species are all deceptively strong. This muscle strength allows them to strike at their prey quite quickly and is one of the most deadly tools in their arsenal.
It’s particularly important for constrictor snakes that rely on these muscles to feed.
Color
The Cottonmouth Snake is a species of pit viper that is usually black with brown or gray patches. These snakes have thick bodies and broad, triangular heads. Hatchlings and sub-adults are lighter, and the tip of their tails are yellow.
The black coloring with white stripes of the King Cobra are well known as this snake is often depicted in movies. It can also be brownish-gray, and the males are typically larger than the females.
The King Snake and Rat Snake have many sub-species, which come in various sizes and colors.
The King Snake’s different colorations are:
- Solid black
- Solid brown
- Black or brown with varying stripes of color, bands, rings, or speckles.
The stripes, band, rings, and speckles of the King Snake can be a variety of different colors, such as:
- White
- Red
- Yellow
- Gray
- Lavender
The Rat Snake can be solid in color or have striped patterns or blotches of other colors. The different colorations of a Rat Snake are:
- Black
- Gray
- Tan
- Yellow
- Orange
- Red
- Cream
Diet
The Cottonmouth Snake, King Cobra, and King Snake all have one thing in common; they eat other snakes. This might be surprising, but it is common, as over 100 species of snakes are cannibalistic.
Outside of this major difference, the diets of most snakes are relatively similar. As an entirely carnivorous species, snakes’ entire diet is some form of meat.
Many snakes are also limited by size as well as location in their choice of diet. While rodents are a common choice among most snake species, larger snakes like the Boa Constrictor can eat rodents as large as a capybara. Smaller snakes are limited to rodents like rats and guinea pigs.
Cottonmouth Diet
These snakes are ambush predators, meaning they hide out of sight until their prey comes close enough for them to attack. They hunt during the day and night and are semi-aquatic.
Since the Cottonmouth Snake is an ambush predator, it eats a wide variety of prey, including:
- Fish
- Frogs
- Birds
- Insects
- Lizards
- Baby alligators
- Snakes
King Cobra Diet
The diet of the King Cobra mainly consists of other snakes. It will even eat other snakes of its own species. The King Cobra will only eat rodents and lizards if it is starving and cannot find a snake.
They eat a variety of snakes, including;
- Rat Snake
- Keelback
- Pythons
- Indian Cobra
- Malabar pit viper
- Banded Krait
- Green whip Snake
- Banded World Snake
- Hump-nose Pit Viper
- Blyth’s Reticulated Snake
Here is an informative YouTube video showing a king cobra eating a spectacled cobra.
King Snake Diet
These snakes are constrictors and eat a variety of prey. The common King Snake is immune to the venom of many other venomous snakes, making it a particularly good predator of other snakes.
The King Snake’s diet consists of the following:
- Snakes
- Rodents
- Lizards
- Birds
- Eggs
Some of the snakes on its menu include:
- Rattlesnake
- Cottonmouth Snake
- Rosy Boa
- Water Snakes
- Brown Snake
- Copperhead Snake
- Corn Snake
- Gopher Snake
- Bullsnake
- Garter Snake
Rat Snake Diet
These snakes are also constrictors which means they kill their prey by suffocating them. They mainly eat rodents but will eat other prey as well.
The Rat Snake’s prey includes:
- Mice
- Rats
- Birds
- Frogs
- Lizards
- Bird eggs
Behavior
King cobras are highly venomous but not aggressive. They will avoid confrontation with humans as much as possible. However, if they feel threatened, they will attack.
These snakes cannot be domesticated and should never be kept as pets. They are solitary and monogamous creatures, meeting up with the same mate for breeding every year.
The Cottonmouth Snake is known to be relatively aggressive. These are dangerous snakes and should not be approached. They hunt during the day and night but are more active during the day. These are not pet snakes and should not be treated as such.
Rat snakes are popular exotic pets and are not dangerous to humans. They have a variety of subspecies, which are broken down into two categories: Old World species and New World Species. Of these, Corn Snakes, Black Rat Snakes, and Texas Rat Snakes are the most popular choices for pets.
New World species are typically more docile than Old World species. Regardless, rat snakes are generally easy to handle regard and make good pets for snake enthusiasts.
The King Snake has a painful bite but is non-venomous. They are easy to handle and care for, which makes them popular exotic pets.
Like the Rat Snake, they also have a variety of subspecies.
Venom
It is essential to know which snakes are venomous and which aren’t. Mistaking one species of snake for another or thinking a snake is harmless when it isn’t can be deadly.
Some snakes are docile and completely harmless, while others are aggressive and highly venomous. Knowing the difference can save your life.
Still, you should always keep your distance from strange snakes, even if you’re relatively sure it’s not venomous. While being able to identify the snake correctly can make a difference if you get bitten, it’s much better to avoid them altogether.
Cottonmouth Snake
These snakes are highly venomous, and although they might retreat when they come into contact with humans, they have the potential to be quite aggressive, especially when threatened.
If bitten by a Cottonmouth, you should seek immediate medical care. Deaths are rare, but their bite is excruciating and can lead to scarring and even amputation in worse cases.
King Cobra
King cobras are quite deadly. They are well deserving of their name with their ability to inject a large amount of venom quickly, along with a very painful bite.
The symptoms of a King Cobra bite are:
- Blurred vision
- Vertigo
- Drowsiness
- Paralysis
- Cardiovascular collapse
- Coma
- Respiratory Failure
- Death
The bite of a King Cobra can kill a human within 30 minutes, so it is vital to seek immediate medical care. Even if you’re not completely sure what snake it was, it’s much better to err on the side of caution than to roll the dice.
King Snake
These snakes are non-venomous and often kept as pets. Their bite can still cause a lot of pain, so avoid being bitten.
Rat Snake
Rat Snakes can be divided into two categories: Old World and New World. The New World species are non-venomous. There are some Old World species that are slightly venomous, but their venom won’t do any harm to humans.
Geographic Location
These snakes also live in vastly different habitats, with some primarily being found on one continent while others are more evenly distributed around the world.
Cottonmouth Snake Location and Habitat
Cottonmouth snakes can be found in the Southeastern United States. There are three subspecies that can be found in different states.
The Florida subspecies can be found in:
- Florida
- Southern Georgia
- Some islands
The Western subspecies can be found in:
- Texas
- Illinois
- Alabama
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- Indiana
The Eastern subspecies can be found in:
- Florida Keys
- North Carolina
- Georgia
- Islands in the Gulf of Mexico
Cottonmouth Snakes are semi-aquatic and live in habitats where there is a lot of water, including:
- Creeks
- Ponds
- Swamps
- Lakes
- Streams
- Marshes
King Cobra Location and Habitat
King Cobras are Endemic to Southern and Southeast Asia. They can be found in many countries there. These incredible snakes like to be close to the water and usually live in these habitats:
- Forests
- Himalayan Foothills
- Grasslands
- Rainforests
- Lakes
- Wetlands
- Shrublands
Due to habitat destruction and being used for meat, skin, and medicine, the King Cobra is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
King Snake Location and Habitat
King Snakes live in the United States and Mexico. They don’t climb or swim but can be found in various habitats.
They can be found living in:
- Tropical forests
- Shrublands
- Deserts
Rat Snake Location and Habitat
These snakes can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They are adaptable to their environment and can be found in various habitats.
Rat Snakes can be found in:
- Grasslands
- Forests
- Wetlands
- Mountainous regions
- Semi-arid desert regions
- Swamps
- Floodplains.
These snakes can climb trees and are commonly found in farms, barns, and parks. Their population is thriving and is of the least concern, according to the IUCN Red List.
Final Thoughts
There are numerous differences between the Cottonmouth Snake, King Cobra, King Snake, and Rat Snake.
Among these four, three are known to be venomous. However, the King Cobra and Cottonmouth are deadly and should never be kept as pets.
On the other hand, the King Snake has trace amounts of venom but is largely harmless, outside of a particularly painful bite.
Even with the ability to differentiate, though, I’d advise you to keep your distance from unknown snakes unless you’re an expert, as mistaking them can be fatal.