Florida Snakes

Florida snakes, together with the many turtles, lizards, alligators and other reptiles are part of a complex wildlife structure that plays a marvelous role in Florida’s ecosystem maintenance. Florida snakes species are numerous: there are actually forty-four species living in incredibly varied habitats, from salt marshes to fresh water marshes and dry uplands or coastal mangrove swamps to residential areas.

Only six Florida snakes are poisonous and they happily live with their non-poisonous cousins. They even go into towns and cities too. The best way to stay out of trouble with snakes is to learn their morphology and therefore be able to identify the various Florida snakes. The best approach to adopt in relation to all snakes is avoidance.

The Coral snake and pit vipers are by far the most dangerous of Florida snakes. They can be identified by quite a wide range of characteristics. Pit vipers include the Rattlesnake, the Cottonmouth and the Copperhead. They all have in common: vertical eye pupils, a v-shaped head and facial pit sensors: one between the eyes and nostrils and the others along each side of the head.

The poison of this type of Florida snakes is haemotoxic, which means that their venom attacks the red blood cells, destroying the walls of the blood vessels and causing uncontrolled bleeding. Coral snakes however, use neurotoxic venom, with the toxins in the venom acting on the body’s nerves causing paralysis.

Most of the snake bites reported every year in the United States are caused by Florida snakes or by rattlesnakes to be more precise. As their venom spreads very quickly throughout the body, the victim will die within less than half an hour without immediate anti-venom.

A major exception in this class of Florida snakes is the copperhead, because its venom very rarely, if ever, requires anti-venom. Their poison is the least powerful and therefore they are regarded as the least dangerous of all the venomous Florida snakes.

Because of the threat they pose. poisonous snakes are the first kind to attract attention, however the most widespread of Florida snakes is the black racer, a non-toxic species that relies on very sharp fangs to capture its prey.

Despite the fact that home owners usually try to eradicate snakes from their gardens, experts stress that, without them, rodents would soon be so numerous as to be an even greater cause for concern.

Therefore, unless there are any special reasons for being worried, like snakes nesting in large numbers in your garden or shed, there is no reason to upset the lives of these usually retiring, useful animals.