Animals · Science

Poisonous or Venomous?

Poison or venom? Meet surprising animals and learn how the difference gets delivered.

Watch on YouTube
Poisonous or Venomous?3:04

A song. A few new discoveries.

Meet frogs, pufferfish, cone snails and surprising venomous mammals as we explore the difference between poison and venom. The song's bite-it/bites-you rhyme is a memory aid: poison can harm through eating or contact, while venom is delivered through bites, stings or other specialized structures.

Watch wild animals from a safe distance. Never touch or taste an unfamiliar animal to test the rhyme.

Made for curious kids around ages 6–12 and the grown-ups watching with them. Music and animation created with AI tools under Mike Sego’s direction. YouTube’s video description includes the release notes and credits.

Read the sing-along lyrics
Smarty Party! Some animals are poisonous. Some are venomous. What's the difference? Listen close... If you bite it and you feel sick—it's poisonous! If it bites you, and it stings—it's venomous! Poison's when you touch or eat it, whoa! Venom gets delivered—look, but don't touch, no! The poison dart frog is bright, tiny, and neat— Its skin is the danger, so don't take a seat! The pufferfish puffs, and it's poison to eat; The monarch tastes nasty, so birds skip the treat. The cane toad oozes from glands on its back; The pitohui's a bird with a poisonous knack! The fire salamander's got spots, yellow and black— If you try to eat one, it'll poison you back! If you bite it and you feel sick—it's poisonous! If it bites you, and it stings—it's venomous! Poison's when you touch or eat it, whoa! Venom gets delivered—look, but don't touch, no! The rattlesnake rattles, then fangs deliver the dose; The scorpion stings with a tail that's too close! The box jellyfish drifts with its tentacle strings; The honeybee buzzes, and yes, it stings! The stonefish is hiding with spines on its fin; The blue-ringed octopus flashes, then bites—don't swim in! The cone snail's a slowpoke, but listen to this: It shoots a little harpoon tooth that won't miss! If you bite it and you feel sick—it's poisonous! If it bites you, and it stings—it's venomous! Poison's when you touch or eat it, whoa! Venom gets delivered—look, but don't touch, no! Now here come the weirdos, the ones you don't expect: The platypus has a venom spur—on its back legs, check! The slow loris licks its elbows for a venom bite, it's true; And the tiger keelback snake is poisonous AND venomous too! If you bite it and you feel sick—it's poisonous! If it bites you, and it stings—it's venomous! Poison's when you touch or eat it, whoa! Venom gets delivered—look, but don't touch, no! So... broccoli isn't poisonous? Nope. You still have to eat it. Smarty Party Songs! Like, subscribe, PARTY!

Lyrics from the published video’s caption file.

Keep the discoveries coming.

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