June 26, 2019

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Poison vs Venom

The terms poison and venom are often used interchangeably, but they actually have very different meanings. It is the delivery method that distinguishes one from the other.

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Today's Random Fact:

Poison is absorbed or ingested; a poisonous animal can only deliver toxic chemicals if another animal touches or eats it.

Venom, on the other hand, is always injected. Every venomous animal has a mechanism to inject toxins directly into another animal. Stab with tails. Slash with spines. Pierce with fangs or stings. Spike with spurs. Shoot with harpoons. Chew with teeth.

For example, frogs are usually poisonous while snakes are usually venomous.

Bonus Fact:

If you have to choose between being bit by a venomous snake or touching a poisonous frog, you might want to go with the snake. As it turns out, snakes don't always inject venom when they bite: Some 20 percent or more of bites from venomous snakes are "dry bites" that create a wound but don't include venom. Poisonous animals can't choose when to apply their toxins.

Some animals you might not know are venomous; the duck-billed platypus, the gila monster, centipedes, Millipedes, the komodo dragon and coral!