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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 poisonous, and they happily live with their non-poisonous cousins, even venturing into towns and cities too. The best way to stay out of trouble with snakes is to care enough to learn about their morphology and therefore become able to identify the Florida snakes. A relaxed attitude of avoidance is the wisest thing a person could show in relation to snakes.

The Coral snake and pit vipers are the most dangerous Florida snakes. They can be identified by a wide range of characteristics. Pit vipers include the Rattlesnake, the Cottonmouth and the Copperhead. They all have vertical eye pupils, a v-shaped head and facial pits: one between the eyes and nostrils and the others on 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 attacks by Florida snakes or by rattlesnakes to be precise. As their venom spreads very quickly throughout the body, the victim will die within half an hour without the immediate administration of anti-venom.

A one exception in this class of Florida snakes is the copperhead, because its venom very rarely, if ever, requires an antidote. Their poison is the least potent 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.

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

Therefore, unless there are any special causes for being worried, like snakes breeding in large numbers in your garden or outhouses, there is no real reason why you should upset the lives of these usually shy, helpful animals.

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