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It's strange how many people are using the word poisonous when referring to venomous snakes. A snake is only poisonous if you get injected by it's fangs. The correct term to use is venomous. Normally venom is harmless if ingested but if the venom is injected into tissue it is toxic and the tissue around the site of injection and other parts of the body will suffer one way or another.

Rattlesnakes

Rattlesnakes with the Latin Name Crotalus comes in different varieties and there are numerous sub species, color variations etc. One thing that they do however have in common is jointed rattles on their tail.

In the section about rattlesnakes you'll find detailed descriptions of the most common rattlesnakes in USA. A bite from a rattlesnake is deadly in some cases.

Cottonmouths

The cottonmouth snake is also known as the water moccasin. The name cottonmouth comes from the fact that its mouth looks like cotton when it opens it mouth. This snake has been considered aggressive but studies have shown that this is not the case. Cottonmouths reaches a length of approximately 30-48 inches. The cottonmouth snake is one of the most common snakes in Florida. Other Florida Snakes includes the 3 other not very deadly US snakes also described in this website.

Coral Snakes

Coral snakes are easy to recognize from their alternating black, red and yellow bands. Not to be confused with other non-venomous snakes that mimic their appearance, the coral snake's red and yellow bands touch each other. They are usually shorter than 40 inches. Their preferred place of staying is beneath debris or flat wood or anywhere that offers some kind of protection.

Black Mamba Snakes

Black mamba snakes are one of the most venomous snakes in the world. Its also one of the largest, in fact the longest venomous snake in the world.

Copperheads

A copperhead snake is even shorter than both the coral- and the cottonmouth snake. It's the most often encountered snake in Eastern parts of the United States like Alabama, Missouri and Arkansas, but of course also all other states. Copperheads are responsible for most venomous snake bites in the USA. Bites are however the last line of defense for this and many other poisonous/venomous snakes.

Sea Snakes

Sea snakes are close related to Cobras. True sea snakes, as some herpetologist call them, only lives in water. They have adapted to a live in water and have small flattened heads that minimizes water resistance when they swim. Their favorite food is fish.

Cobra Snakes

This is perhaps the most dangerous snake in the world when it comes to person damages. Under conditions of high prey availability they can reach a length of 6 feet. Its venom completely paralysis its prey making resistance almost impossible.

Rhinoceros viper

Bitis nasicornis is smaller and more docile than its cousin the Gaboon Viper. This snake is also known as the river jack. Its triangular shaped head is smaller than its body. When fully grown this viper measures nearly four feet long. The striking colors and patterns which make it such a beautiful snake actually work as camouflage, helping to conceal the snake in its lush tropical habitat. It has two or three horn like features above each nostril.

There are three different species of puff adders, this snake is one of them. When excited this snake has the capability to enlarge its size by inflating its body. Sometimes it can double its apparant size when displaying this behaviour. It also has a hissing barklike sound.

Rhinoceros Vipers use long fangs, potent venom and powerful jaw muscles to kill their prey. The venom of this snake is hematoxic and can be deadly. Its venom is both heotoxic and neurotoxic. The rhino vipers fangs are controlable in that they can or can not let their fangs out when they open their mouths. The fangs are hollow and the venom flows through the fangs to enter its prey. The fangs are shed periodicly every 6 to 10 weeks. They usually feed on small mammals though they have been seen eating fish and amphibians. This snake's venom is extremely potent and can be fatal to humans! It will usually not bite unless provoked or hungry. Though generly this snake is slow moving, when it strikes for a kill it can be extremly fastnoceros viper is incredible.  Because of the various patterns and colors, the rhino viper has often been regarded as one of the most beautiful snakes in the world (see the above picture).  Coloration in the rhinoceros viper is an adaptive feature.  The degree of light and dark colors of this snake depends on its habitat.  This wetland species of adders has darker colors which allow it to blend well with the jungle floor where it would most likely be found. 

 Rhinoceros viper, also called the river jack, can grow to be somewhat large in size.  Adults normally grow to be 2 to 4 feet in length.   even cites them as being able to reach up to 7 feet in length!  The head of this animal is considerably smaller in size than its body.  The rhinoceros viper's head is one of its most distinguishing characteristics.  The rhino viper's head is in a triangular shape.  There are 2 or 3 "horns" above each nostril.  The coloration of the rhinoceros viper is incredible.  Because of the various patterns and colors, the rhino viper has often been regarded as one of the most beautiful snakes in the world (see the above picture).  Coloration in the rhinoceros viper is an adaptive feature.  The degree of light and dark colors of this snake depends on its habitat.  This wetland species of adders has darker colors which allow it to blend well with the jungle floor where it would most likely be found. 

Gaboon viper

The Gaboon Viper lives on the rain forest floor in the equatorial belt of Tropical Africa. Its markings help camoflauge it amongst the leaves and spotted sunshine of the rain forest floor. They spend most of their time motionless in the paths of where their prey are most likely to cross. Though the Gaboon Viper may seem sluggish, it strikes its victims with amazing speed and agility.

They are poisonous and deadly and they have two large venom glands. The venom is a powerful haemotoxin (destroys blood cells and vessels) and its venemous bite can kill a full grown human within 15 minutes or quicker. It is important to note however, that very few people have ever been killed by this beautiful snake.

Gaboon Vipers can reach an average length of 1.2 meters, but they have been found as long as 2.2 meters. These animals will weigh about 7 to 10 kg. Their head approximately 125 mm (5 inches) big and fangs almost 55 mm (2 inches). This gives it the longest fangs of any snake in the world. This snake has fangs that fold back against the roof of the mouth. It grips onto its prey until the animal is dead. It then swallows its food whole and can gulp animals as big as Rabbits. With age this viper grows a pair of large rostral horns. When threatened this snake makes a hissing sound while staying motionless.

The Gaboon Viper is the largest of the vipers and is one of three members of the African Giant vipers group. This group includes the Puffadder Bitis arietans, Gaboon Viper Bitis Gabonica, and the Rhinoceros viper Bitis nasicornis. East African Gaboons are smaller than their West African counterparts

Eyelash viper

The eyelash viper is a nocturnal, arboreal animal.  This  means that it does most of its hunting from late evening through early morning, and more than likely in, from, or around trees.  When subduing its prey, the snake grabs it and holds on while it injects a hemotoxic venom.  The snake holds on until the animal is dead and then proceeds to swallow it by "walking" it down the throat by moving one side of its jaw at a time. 
Eyelast vipers are usually not known to be an aggressive snake, however it strikes instantly if anyone brushes against it.  Vipers are also one of the most dangerous of the poisonous snakes on Central America.  Their venom affects the central nervous system of their victim as well as the cardiovascular system.  With small animals the venom can kill within minutes, but larger animals rarely succumb unless the viper manages to inject a large amount of venom into the victim. 

Because the viper is arboreal, most bites to humans are to hands, fingers and occasionally to the face.  They usually result in lots of pain, swelling, bleb formation, bruising and sometimes necrosis, that may lead to contraction or even amputation.  The most common effects that happen from the venom are vomiting, diarrhea, prostration, or sometimes loss of conciousness.  There are sometimes very severe cases that lead to death, mainly to crop farmers and plantation workers.

Oh, a word of warning, sometimes vipers get accidently shipped overseas in banana shipments, so be careful if you have to open any up.

Vipers use their sense of smell to find mates.  The males go through an amazing thing called "the dance of the adders" when they are competing  for the same female.  They face each other with the head and the forepart of the body held erect, while trying to puch the other to the ground.  This sometimes can go on for hours.  The ironic thing is that during this competing there is no biting from either contestant. 

Vipers bear litters of 6 to 20 live young that range in length from 5 to 8 inches.  The young look exactly like the adult except they are smaller.

Deserd horned viper