Florida Snakes

Florida Snakes Introduction

 Identification of harmful/harmless

characteristics

 Managing snake encounters

 Poisonous snakes

Non-

 Non-poisonous snakes

 A few exotic snakes

Non- look-

 Non-snake look-a-likes

Annemarie Post

Extension Agent, Environmental Horticulture

Rd.,

UF/IFAS Sarasota County Extension, Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Rd., Sarasota, FL 34241

861-

(941) 861-9815 apost@scgov.net http://sarasota.extension.ufl.edu

http://sarasota.extension.ufl.edu



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Overview Biting

 There are over 45 species and 44  Almost all snakes will bite as a defensive

subspecies of native snakes in Florida act, but most are relatively harmless.

 Only 6 venomous snakes in Florida:  For a short time after a snake is killed,

– Rattlesnakes (E. Diamondback & Timber) its reflexes may continue to work. Those

– Pygmy Rattlesnake reflexes typically cause the body to

– Cottonmouth writhe slowly for a while. Poking or

– Copperhead (not here) prodding a freshly killed snake can cause

– Coral Snake a convulsive contraction and a bite. Do

not handle a newly killed venomous snake.

 A snake can only strike half its length

so a broom is long enough to keep  Many snakebite victims are bitten on the

someone safely out of striking range. hands and arms when handling the snake.

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Avoiding Snakes Capturing/Removing

 After laying a plastic garbage can on its

 If you find a snake and you do not know side near a snake, stand safely back and

whether it is venomous or harmless, leave reach out with a regular house broom to

it alone. sweep the snake into the can.

 Most snakes are not aggressive and,  Slow but firm brush

unless they are cornered, most will flee strokes are best.

when humans approach.  Flailing at it with

 Use a broom to herd larger harmless the broom will only

snakes out of human habitations. agitate the snake.



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Releasing Captured Snakes

 To release a snake from your garbage

Venomous Snakes

can, take the lid off, tip the can over  Only 6 venomous

and dump the snake out. Don’t handle

Don’ snakes in Florida:

the snake. Simply retrieve your garbage – Diamondback

Rattlesnakes (&

can and leave.

Timber)

 If the snake is small, – Pygmy Rattlesnake

turn it loose in your – Cottonmouth

garden to treat pests – Coral Snake

(but NOT where you

– Copperhead (not

have recently here)

applied a pesticide).

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Diamondback Rattlesnakes Diamondback Rattlesnakes

 The body is bulky; the head is larger

 The snake stays still in the

than the neck and is striped on its

undergrowth until it is disturbed. It is

sides.

very hard to see. It commonly inhabits

diamond-

 The back has dark brown, diamond- flatwoods,

palmetto pine flatwoods, at the edge of

shaped blotches with thin light bands; wet savannas, but found anywhere.

tail has rattle.

S-

 Makes an S-shaped striking position.

 Timber Rattler has stripe. The rattle can be heard for a long

distance.

one-

 The strike can reach at least one-third

the total length of the body. Its fangs

can penetrate through clothing and thin

Eastern Diamondback Timber shoes.

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Diamondback Rattlesnakes Pygmy Rattlesnake

 Usually eats small mammals, from mice to  The smallest rattler,

rabbits. only 18 inches long.

 As the largest native snake, Diamondback  Gray body with

Rattlers can reach a length over eight alternating rounded

brown and red spots.

4-

feet, but are usually around 4-6 feet long.

 Rattle sound is like

 Baby rattlers are born live with fangs and can’

an insect buzzing, can’t be heard more

venom, but no rattle on the tail. than several feet away.

 Very quick to strike, but not usually

deadly.

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Pygmy Rattlesnake Cottonmouth

 A large pit viper

 Bite is painful and swells, but never

water moccasin,

reported as fatal.

up to 5 feet long.

 Will coil and strike rapidly.

 Brown to black,

flatwoods,

 Prefers pine flatwoods, marshes, and tall

grasses, canal and pond banks. cross-

with or without cross-bands on back.

 Eats bugs, frogs, lizards, snakes, etc.  Stout, with abrupt tapering

 Gives birth to live young, capable of tail, no rattle.

poisonous bites.  Head wider than neck,

 Similar to a harmless Hognose snake, but frowning eyes, dark band

has vertical pupils and a rattle. behind the eyes.

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Juvenile









Cottonmouth Coral Snake

 Unpredictable behavior, striking from

ANY position, in water or on land.  Most potent venom in America!

 Can be very aggressive, even chasing  “Red touch yellow, Kill a fellow;

people. Bite can be fatal, even with Jack!”

Red touch black, Friend of Jack!”

treatment. Opens mouth when  No fangs or rattle. Head is

threatened. same size as body. Pupils

are round.

 Is the ONLY poisonous water snake.

 Not aggressive. Usually

 Usually found in daylight on tree limbs or bites only when handled.

grassy patches near shoreline. Usually 2 feet long.

 Eats fish, frogs, small mammals, etc.  Found in leaf litter, etc.

 Babies have yellow tails.  Lays eggs.

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Coral Snake Non-

Non-Venomous Snakes

 The Scarlet Kingsnake and the Scarlet

Snake often are confused with the  Most snakes will flee when approached.

Coral Snake, but the coral snake has a Don’

Give them room to run. Don’t panic.

black nose while the scarlet kingsnake  All snakes are carnivorous.

and scarlet snake have red noses.

 Smaller snakes eat smaller prey – insects,

worms, etc.

 Larger snakes eat

Coral Snake Scarlet Kingsnake Scarlet Snake larger prey – rodents,

 Eats lizards, other snakes, and frogs. rabbits, larger snakes.



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Black Racer Eastern Indigo Snake

 Fast mover – 5 mph

 20- 56”

20-56”, diurnal  Glossy black with

 White chin & belly iridescent blue,

 All dry habitats belly lighter color,

 Eats frogs, lizards, adult spots on chin.

small snakes (including 60- 74”

 Stout body, 60-74”,

venomous).

diurnal

 Egg layer in leaf litter/

mulch, May-Aug.; eggs

May-  THREATENED species

hatch Aug.-Oct.

Aug.- juvenile

 All drier habitats

 Hyperactive  Lives in tortoise burrows

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Corn Snake Rat Snake

 Various colors – red

to yellow to gray  Red to yellow to gray

18- 44”

 18-44”, good  40- 77”

40-77”

climbers and

burrowers  Same habitat and life

 All dry habitats, diurnal style as Corn Snake

 Eats lizards, frogs, rodents, birds &  Excellent climbers

eggs

Egg- July-

 Egg-layer in summer, eggs hatch July-

Sept.

 Lives up to 22 years.

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Florida Kingsnake Scarlet Kingsnake

14- 20”

 14-20”, nocturnal

 36- 48”

36-48”, diurnal  Distinct rings

 Distinct crossbands black”

– “red touch black”.

 Fairly common in

 Relatively uncommon

pinelands and

 Eats snakes hardwood hammocks.

(even immune to rattler  Eats small snakes, lizards, rodents

venom), lizards, frogs, Egg- May- 3”

 Egg-layer from May-Aug.; babies 3” long

rodents, birds & eggs)  Burrower and great climber; not

aggressive

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Scarlet Snake Eastern Coachwhip Snake

 Distinct bands, not  Large, slender

rings – whitish belly brown snake, head

is darker

 Dry habitats: pine

flatwoods, dry

flatwoods, 50- 72”

 50-72”, diurnal

prairies, hardwood  Dry habitats

hammocks, sandhills.

sandhills.  Tail is long and

slender, coarse scale texture

14- 20”

 14-20”, nocturnal; burrows under rocks,

logs, underground.  Very fast mover, disappears quickly

 Eats lizards, small mammals, birds

 Eats small snakes, lizards, rodents, and

reptile eggs  Will strike and rattle tail in defense

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Garter Snakes

Rough Green Snake

 Typically green or blue

 Arboreal, 22-32”

22- 32” with dorsal stripe (and

sometimes lateral

 Bright green w/pale stripe).

yellow belly 20- 28”

 20-28”, diurnal

 Eats insects  Drier habitats, but can

Eastern Garter Snake

seek food near water

 Habitat is mixed hardwood and

 Eats earthworms, frogs,

bottomland forest fish, etc.

 Freezes when startled, sometimes sways  Related to Ribbon

 Egg-layer in mid- to late summer, under Snakes

Egg- mid-

damp objects Bluestripe Garter Snake

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Ribbon Snakes Hognose Snakes

20- 28”

 20-28”, various colors,

diurnal  Sometimes confused

with Pygmy Rattlers

Semi-

 Semi-aquatic, in

(head flattens when

pinelands, marshes,

threatened), hisses

flooded areas, ponds,

etc.  Eats toads,

sometimes lizards, Southern Hognose Snake –

 Frequently in residential areas.

frogs, sm. snakes, etc. defensive posture, flat head

 Eats small fishes, frogs, salamanders,

14- 21”

 14-21” (Southern, rare)

and earthworms

20- 33”

 20-33” (Eastern,

 Related to Garter Snakes

common)

July-

 Bears live young, July-Sept.

 Variable colors, patterns head

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Hognose Snakes Pine Snake

 Feigns death

 Species of Special

 Flattens head and neck, Concern; rare

hisses; may strike with

mouth closed.  Habitat loss

 If further harassed,  Eats only pocket

flips on back, convulses, gophers; burrows

Eastern Hognose Snake

may defecate and  Lives only in deep sandy soils (gophers)

regurgitate.

48- 66”

 48-66”, stocky

 Remains motionless with

its belly up, mouth open,  Indistinct pattern of blotches and colors

and tongue hanging out.  Will inflate & raise head when threatened

 Looks around and crawls

away in few minutes.

minutes. Eastern Hognose Snake

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Southern Ringneck Snake Watersnakes”

“Watersnakes”

10”

 6-10”, slender, black with  Nonpoisonous, round or

colored ring around neck elongated heads

and light belly.

 Good tree climbers

 Nocturnal, dry habitats

24- 52”

 24-52”, usually nocturnal

 Commonly found in pools Brown Watersnake

after falling in to get drink, too small to

climb out. Lives in landscapes.

 Eats small earthworms, slugs, frogs,

anoles, geckos, skinks, snakes, and

salamanders.

Banded Watersnake Midland Watersnake

egg-

 Terrestrial burrower; egg-layer. Panhandle Panhandle

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Watersnakes”

“Watersnakes” Watersnakes”

“Watersnakes”







Mud Snake, 40+”,

Fla. Banded Watersnake Fla. Green Watersnake Crayfish Snake, 14-23”

eats salamanders



Mangrove Salt Marsh Snake,

Gulf Coast, 14-28”. Brackish

water and salt water areas.

Eats small fish & invertebrates

in tidal pools.

Florida Brown Snake,

Swamp Snakes, 10-15”

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all Florida, 7-12”.









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“Watersnakes”

Watersnakes” Uncommon or Rare Snakes



 Most active at night, but sun themselves

over-

on banks and over-water vegetation

 Can startle easily and sometimes fall into

boats and canoes passing beneath them

Brahminy Blind Snake, 2-7” Crowned Snakes, 7-9”

 Watersnakes bear live young

 Eat frogs, fish, crayfish, salamanders,

tadpoles, carrion, snails, slugs, etc.

 Usually freshwater habitats, swamps,

marshes, ponds, lakes, streams, rivers and

Redbelly Snakes, 8-10”

wetlands. One in saltwater. Earth Snakes, 7-10”

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Uncommon or Rare Snakes Mistaken Identities







Pinewoods Snake, 10-12”

Short-tailed Snake, 14-20” Glass Lizards (legless),

18-42”, eats worms, insects





Five Lined Ground Skink

eats insects, spiders



Rainbow Snakes, 40-54” Tropical House Gecko

Mole Kingsnakes, 30-40” eats insects

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Snakes should not be a major concern.

Go out and enjoy Florida’s great

Florida’

Resources

outdoors!

 Online Guide to the Snakes of Florida:

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/FL-

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/FL-

GUIDE/onlineguide.htm

– The source of most pictures and info used

 UF/IFAS Extension online information:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu

 UF/IFAS Sarasota County Extension:

http://sarasota.extension.ufl.edu







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