Central Florida's Venomous Snakes
All images copyright 2002 by the photographers - all rights reserved - please ask before using them.

Eastern diamondback, Crotalus adamanteus. Copyright Tanith Tyrr
Eastern diamondback:
Crotalus adamanteus

Quick reference:
Heavy head, rattle, diamond markings
Strike ½ body length, more if over 85F
Use tongs or sweep into container.
Bite is serious. Wyeth antivenom.
Rare and valuable for venom work
Call a snake expert to remove.
Harmless snakes can rattle their tails.

 

Eastern coral snake, Micrurus fulvius fulvius. Copyright Tanith Tyrr
Coral snake: Micrurus fulvius fulvius

Quick reference:
Red touch yellow, kill a fellow
Nose is black, head is yellow.
Two look-alikes have red noses. Compare.
Burrowing snake found under leaf cover.
Physically weak, small mouth, doesn’t strike
Very few recorded bites to humans or pets
Heavy gloves or scoop sufficient for handling.

Florida cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti. Copyright Tanith Tyrr
Cottonmouth: Agkistrodon piscivorus

Quick reference:
Water snakes are close look alikes.
More look alikes (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Babies brighter colored than adults.
Banded, greenish brown, tan or black
Distinctive facial "mask"
Serious but not fatal bite. CroFab AV
Sweep into bin or handle with tongs.

Pygmy rattlesnake (or pigmy rattlesnake), or ground rattler. Sistrurus miliarius barbouri. Copyright Tanith Tyrr
Pygmy rattlesnake:
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri

Quick reference:
Babies can coil on a quarter, yellow tail tips
Grey with black blotches, faint red stripe
Rattle hard to spot, sounds like buzzing bee.
Bite does not usually require antivenom.
Small ones best handled with plastic scoop
Sweep larger snakes into bucket or bin.

 

Remember for your safety:
Most bites happen because the human attacked the snake. Don't attack snakes.
Moving or containing a snake with tools is safer than trying to kill or handle it.
Do not hurt the snake. A hurt snake is much more dangerous than an uninjured one.
If you don't cause the snake pain, the snake won't cause you pain. Move snakes gently.
A snake that is not scared or hurt is very easy to move with a broom.
You can scare a snake away from a distance using water from the garden hose.
Scared snakes usually leave and never come back. Let them go.

Click here for an interactive online guide to the Snakes of Florida.
Is one of these snakes in your backyard? Click here to find out what to do.
Take the Florida Snake Quiz to test your snake recognition skills.
Where do I get professional tools for safer snake handling?


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