Reptiles and Amphibians of Florida
Venomous Snakes
These six species of venomous snakes are native to Florida, they pose a serious threat to humans and pets and should never be approached or handled. If you are bitten by any snake and are unsure of its identity you should seek emergency medical attention.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Canebrake Rattlesnake, Pygmy Rattlesnake, Water Moccasin, Coral Snake, Copperhead
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake - Crotalus adamanteus
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest and heaviest venomous snake in North America, and is able to deliver an equally large amount of venom with a lightning fast strike reaching up to 2/3 of its body length. An average sized 3-5 foot eastern diamondback has fangs nearly two-thirds of an inch long and carries more than enough venom in its glands to deliver a fatal bite to an adult human. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes can grow to eight feet in length.
Eastern diamondbacks have a brownish body and are so named because of the distinctive row of black diamonds with brown centers and cream colored borders that run down their backs, they have a broad, triangle shaped head with a dark diagonal stripe running through their eyes, the tail ends in a rattle composed of keratin. The number of segments in the rattle does not indicate the age of the animal, rather indicates the number of time the snake has shed its skin with a segment added at each shed. The rattle is also thin and brittle, with segments often being broken off. Rattlesnakes are pit vipers, they are equipped with heat sensing organs called thermal pits located between the eyes and nostrils, this gives them the ability to "see" the heat signiture of warm blooded mammals even in complete darkness.
Diet - Adults feed on rats, mice, rabbits, squirrls and birds, juveniles feed mainly on mice and rats. Diamondback rattlesnake venom is a strong hemotoxin that destroys red blood cells and tissue. Ambush predators, eastern diamondbacks prefer to lie hidden camouflaged in undergrowth waiting for their prey to come within striking distance. They bite and release their prey, then follow the animals scent trail.
Found in all Florida counties,and although preferring drier pine and palmetto flatwoods they may be found in virtually any type of habitat from the ocean dunes to cypress swamps.
When they feel threatened, a diamondback rattler will usually coil up with its head raised and neck in a -S- position ready to strike. Note - Rattlesnakes do not always rattle, so don't rely on this to warn you of a nearby snake.
A rattlesnake can control how much venom it releases when it bites, sometimes none at all, this is called a "dry bite".
Timber Rattler / Canebreak Rattler- Crotalus horridus
The timber rattler is present in 12 northern Florida counties, from roughly Volusia county northward on the east coast and from Levy county northward on the west coast. A heavy bodied snake, adults average in size from 3 to 5 feet in length, the official record is 74.5 inches.
The timber or canebreak rattlesnake has a brown/tan or yellowish to pinkish grey body with a rusty reddish brown stripe down the middle of its back, with dark brown to black "V" or "W" shaped crossbands on its body. The head is large and heavy, there is a brownish stripe running from the back of the jaw through the eye or just behind the eye, the end of the tail is black, tipped with rattles. Scales are keeled lengthwise, and they don't lay eggs they give birth to 6 to 10 live youngin late summer to early fall.
The timber rattler has excellent camouflage and tends to lay motionless waiting in ambush for prey to come within striking distance. Diet consists of frogs, mice, rats or other small mammals, lizards, and birds. Timber rattler venom is both a nurotoxin and hemotoxin affecting both the nervous and circulatory systems.
Prefered habitats are moist areas near and around cane thickets, low lying hammocks, borders of swamps, river, creek and stream banks.
Pygmy Rattlesnake - Sistrurus miliarius barbouri
Also found throughout Florida, this small snake measures 18 inches or less in length and although they have lesser quantities of venom than the diamondback rattlesnake it is a more potent "cocktail".
A grey background coloration coupled with its small size can make it difficult to spot. The Pygmy rattlesnake has alternating reddish-copper colored markings along its back.
Pygmy rattlers tend to be aggressive and quick to strike, their rattle can only be heard for a few feet and the sound resembles an insect buzzing.
Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin - Agkistrodon piscivorous conanti
The Cottonmouth grows to over 5 feet in length, with somewhat variable coloration. Water Moccasins range from a bland brownish color to nearly black & may or may not have visible darker cross bands.
As the name implies this is a water snake found around swamps, marshes, lakes and ponds. A nocturnal hunter, it usually rests near the water during daylight hours.
The Cottonmouth is unpredictable in that some individuals are very aggressive, this is the only snake that will sometimes actually pursue anyone that intrudes into its space, whereas other snakes will retreat if possible.
Copperhead - Agkistrodon contortrix
The Copperhead has a limited range within Florida, reported from 7 counties in the western panhandle and Apalachicola river valley.
While bites to healthy adults are usually not fatal, children and those with health problems are at higher risk from this snakes bite.
Average adult Copperhead size is 2 to 3 feet long, maximum recorded size is 53 inches. Light brown to gray cross bands alternate with those of darker brown to reddish brown. Southern Copperheads sometimes have a overall pinkish tint.
Preferred habitat is low lying wet areas in and around swamps, ravines and river beds. A very well camouflaged snake in its native woodlands.
Coral Snake - Micrurus fulvius fulvius
The Coral snakes body is banded with black, yellow and red rings with the red and yellow bands touching, this is very similar to the pattern on the harmless native Scarlet Kingsnake however on that snake the red and yellow bands are separated by black bands and do not touch. Hence the old adage "Red touches yellow kills a fellow, red touches black is a friend of jack". The Coral Snake has a black nose or snout, the Scarlet Kingsnake has a red snout.
Unlike the other venomous snakes listed here the Coral snake is shy and secretive by nature, spending most of its time burrowing under leaf litter or fallen trees looking for its prey consisting of small snakes, frogs, and lizards. Most bites from the Coral snake come about as a result of careless handling the snake. The coral snake does not have fangs like other venomous snakes, however it more than compensates for this with its very potent venom that is similar to cobra venom, a strong neurotoxin.
Symptoms of a bite may be somewhat delayed and include slurred speech, double or blurred vision and difficulty swallowing, possibly progressing to respiratory and cardiac collapse.