Do non venomous snakes have fangs?
No. The fangs of a venomous snake are two large, hollow teeth at the front of the mouth, used for injecting venom into prey (and spraying it as a defence mechanism in the case of spitting cobras). Elapids, such as cobras, have fixed fangs, whereas vipers and pit vipers, such as rattlesnakes, have hinged fangs which lie flat along the roof of the mouth when not in use, and swing down when the snake bites – this allows the fangs to be longer. The Gaboon viper has the longest fangs of any snake, measuring up to 2 inches. Non-venomous snakes obviously have no use for specialized venom-injecting teeth, since they kill by constriction. However, they do have teeth with which to grip their prey – six rows of them. They are sharp and backward-curving, in order to prevent the prey escaping. Whereas venomous snakes bite and then release their prey, having injected it with venom, constrictors bite and hold on, coiling their bodies around their victim and tightening them each time the prey breathes
