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Florida snakes, together with the turtles, lizards, alligators and other reptiles are part of a complicated wildlife structure that plays an incredible role in the maintenance of Florida’s ecosystem. There are numerous species of Florida snakes. There are actually forty-four species living in unbelievably different habitats, ranging from salt marshes and fresh water marshes to dry uplands and coastal mangrove swamps to domestic areas.

Only six Florida snakes are venomous and they happily coexist with their non-poisonous cousins. They even venture into towns and cities too. The best way to stay out of harm’s way with snakes is to learn their morphology and therefore be able to identify the various Florida snakes. The wisest 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 these Florida snakes is haemotoxic, which means that their venom attacks the red blood cells, destroying the wall of the blood vessel and causing uncontrolled hemorrhage. Coral snakes on the other hand use neurotoxic venom, with the toxins in the venom acting on the body nerves and inducing 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 thirty minutes without immediate anti-venom.

A one exception in this group of Florida snakes is the copperhead, the venom of which very rarely, if ever, requires an antidote. Their toxin is the least powerful and thus they are considered the least dangerous of the poisonous 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.

Although the usual tendency of home owners is to remove snakes from their properties, specialists stress the fact that, without them, rodents would breed out of control giving us even more cause for concern.

Therefore, unless you have special causes for worry, like snakes breeding in large numbers in your garden or outhouses for instance, there is no valid reason to upset the lives of these usually retiring, useful animals.

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