Costa Rica has a variety of venomous snakes, but most of them are harmless. In the entire country, only 22 snake species are venomous. This means most of them are harmless snakes. Also, not all of the venomous species found here can kill a human.
I’ve been all over Costa Rica, and although most online sources claim that it’s rare to encounter snakes here, I’ve seen many. Most of the time I have seen them in the evening or at night, but you can run into both non venomous snakes and poisonous snakes in Costa Rica any time of the day.
Before getting into all of the different venomous snakes in Costa Rica, I want to share a story about what happened the last time I was there.
Most people feel like they are pretty safe in the cities and touristy areas, but snakes are snakes, and they live here…we don’t.
We were coming home from dinner, and walking back to our accommodations. I wasn’t paying too much attention, but I was walking a little too close to the side of the road. I walked past a section of brush that was overgrown, and before I knew it, there was a snake right next to my boot ready to strike.
I will tell anyone who travels here — don’t wear sandals. I know it’s tempting, but you are also tempting fate because most snakes strike the feet and ankles of people who get too close.
Thankfully, I had boots on that night, and I barely saw the black, red, and yellow bands on the snake as it quickly retreated into the brush. I didn’t dare try to find the snake, because I knew — this snake was one of two species based on the color pattern, and one of those species could kill me.
Venemous Snakes in Costa Rica – Mimicry is Common by Non Venomous Snakes
Mimicry is a trait that is often found in the animal kingdom, and it is when one creature or plant imitates another to gain an advantage in regard to survival. Some snakes do this, and in Costa Rica, there are four snake species that all look like the deadly coral snake.
Like the snake I saw that night, the coral snake has red, yellow, and black bands, but guess what? King snakes, milk snakes, and scarlet snakes, are all common species that also have red, yellow, and black bands, or rings. Out of all of these, only the coral snake is deadly; the other snakes are not.
There is something really interesting about this, too. Most of these other snakes are born with only one or two colors. For instance, the king snake is born black and red, but in areas where the coral snake also lives, like in Central America, the king snake develops the yellow ring.
Focus on Coral Snakes
There are many types of coral snakes around the world, but five species in Costa Rica. All of them are dangerous, and the venom can take up to 12 hours to take effect. If not treated, it can be deadly.
Coral snakes don’t have large fangs, so many times, they will bite and not deliver venom because the bite isn’t deep enough. These are called “dry bites.” Also, because these snakes are very elusive and smaller than you think, most bites people think are from coral snakes are actually from other, similar snakes, like the tropical milk snake.
In fact, there have been fewer coral snake bites recorded, so the production of anti-venom has actually fallen over the years.
So, how did I know if the snake that tried to bite me was actually harmless? I just looked at its rings. Though it’s true that coral snakes can be deadly, I remembered a rhyme — “When red touches yellow, it kills a fellow. When red touches black, it’s a friend of Jack’s.” I saw that the red ring of the snake was touching the black ring….not the yellow ring. So, I could have gotten bitten, which wouldn’t be great, but I wouldn’t be in any real danger.
A List of Venomous Snakes in Costa Rica
Here are some of the venomous snake species that you may find in Costa Rica. Keep in mind that the most dangerous snakes aren’t giant snakes…instead, they may be small animals that after delivering a healthy dose of venom, can kill you.
Hognose Pit Viper
When you see the Hognose Pit Viper, you can see how it got its name; it has an upturned nose like a hog. These are small snakes in the viper family that are mostly brown and gray.
Eyelash Palm Pit Viper
The Eyelash Palm Pit Viper is a beautiful snake with colors like yellow, red, and bright green. This snake gets its name from the scales that grow above their eyes on its triangular head.
Bothrops Asper Pit Viper
The Bothrops Asper Pit Viper, also known as the Fer-de-Lance Pit Viper, is one of the most aggressive snake species you will ever come across. These are found throughout Costa Rica, and are responsible for more deaths than any other species in the world.
False Fer-de-Lance
The False Fer-de-Lance looks like the Bothrops Asper Pit Viper, but it’s venom is not as dangerous. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t worry about it, though. The bite can still be quite bad.
Jumping Pit Viper
This is a small snake that gets its name thanks to the claims of people saying it can leap at victims before biting them. The venom of this snake isn’t deadly, but it can be painful. They often hide in piles of fallen leaves.
Striped Palm Pit Viper
The Striped Palm Pit Viper is a green snake that has shocking yellow colored eyes. It often camouflages itself in the greenery of the jungle. This snake eats frogs, rodents, birds, and lizards.
Godman’s Montane Pit Viper
Godman’s Montane Pit Viper is found throughout Central America from Mexico to Guatemala. It eats small mammals and reptiles, but has also been known to eat spiders.
The Bushmaster
The Bushmaster is a huge snake that can grow up to 12 or more feet. Researchers say that the Bushmaster does have venom, but it’s not very strong. This snake has huge fangs, too, that can be an inch, or more, long.
Sea Snakes
You might think you are safe in the water, but in Costa Rica, sea snakes are also found, and they, too, are venomous snakes.
Neotropical Rattlesnake
There is one rattlesnake in Costa Rica, and it’s the Neotropical Rattlesnake. This snake is usually found in the drier areas of the country, and you can recognize it by the rattle, of course, as well as by the two stripes at the base of the snake’s head.
Mussurana
A snake that eats snake? This is the Mussurana. It is immune to almost all other snake venom, and it’s favorite food is pit vipers. The Mussurana does have venom, but it often constricts, like a boa constrictor, to kill its prey.
Vine Snake
The vine snake, like it’s name suggests, is often found in the trees. It hangs from tree branches while it catches its food. It is non-fatal to humans, but the venom can be used to immobilize their prey.
Coral Snakes
Coral snakes, as we’ve established, have small heads, blunt tails, and their shy nature makes them want to hide. In Costa Rica, these are the deadliest snakes to humans.
Remember this — snakes never want to purposely interact with a human. If it attacks you, bites you, or acts like it “wants to play,” it doesn’t. It is feeling threatened, and it wants to defend itself.
Tips for Avoiding Venomous Snakes
Here are a few practical tips you can use to avoid venomous snakes:
- When walking through dense foliage, shuffle your feet
- Try not to walk through marshy areas or places with tall grass
- Watch carefully when walking at night when snakes are active
- Almost all snake bites occur on the legs, feet, or ankle, so keep those areas covered
And for even more tips, read this page about avoiding snakes while you hike, travel, and tour this paradise.
About Peter C.
Peter is a digital nomad who largely writes from Asia, Europe, and South America. Always following the "vibe," he sets up shop in hostels and AirBNB's and continues to entertain us with wild stories from life abroad. Ask him anything in our community forum. Make sure to download the AllWorld Travel Hacks FREE ebook.
