When you think of a scary snake in Florida, you probably think of the cottonmouth or green-tailed moccasin. These pit vipers are venomous and found all over the southeastern u.s.
And people fear these snakes. Seeing one cross their yard can send them into a panic. Thankfully, the majority of snakes in the state are non-venomous. The most common indicator that someone has a snake problem is after a visual encounter; however, shed skin can also be an indicator. Certain species will often enter the attic or crawlspace of someone who is experiencing a rodent problem taking advantage of your misfortune. Snakes and rats go hand in hand. If you fall into the category, like most in Florida, of not knowing a venomous snake from a non-venomous Florida snake, it’s best to call an expert to take care of the problem.
All snakes in the Florida ecosystem have their place; however, that place may not be in your garage or in your home. Common Florida snakes are black racers, garden snakes, grass snakes, or a yellow rat snake.
Dangerous pet constrictors escape and are released by irresponsible owners constantly as well. These, along with the state’s venomous species, are a safety concern and if you see either a snake large enough to kill anything bigger than a squirrel, or a venomous Florida snake, you should be sure to call someone to humanely remove these animals.
Such as the eastern coral snake. Red and yella kills a fella, like ol’ mom used to say. There is little or no pain or swelling at the site of the bite, and other symptoms can be delayed for 12 hours. However, if untreated by antivenin, the neurotoxin begins to disrupt the connections between the brain and the muscles, causing slurred speech, double vision, and muscular paralysis, eventually ending in respiratory or cardiac failure.
And then the Water Moccasin, the country’s only venomous water snake. They have a blocky, triangular head, a thick body, and a deadly bite. Thankfully these guys get a bad wrap, and are generally harmless unless provoked. Both “water moccasin” and “cottonmouth” are common names for Agkistrodon piscivorus. The name ‘cottonmouth’ comes from the white coloration of the inside of the snake’s mouth. Water moccasins are pit vipers, like copperheads and rattlesnakes.
And finally, the most common venomous Florida snake is the dusky pigmy rattlesnake. The snake is grey in color with black blotches all over it’s body. There is a series of nearly circular black markings on the middle of the back, with a dotted brick-red to an orange line running right down the center of the back, between each black blotch.
These snakes only attain a length of 2½ feet, but average around a foot in length. Their small size and moderately mild venom keeps them from being a serious threat to human life, but the bite is still extremely painful. Unlike the cottonmouth, these guys are almost always ready to rumble. Be sure to give them a wide clearence.
