The Florida snakes, along with the turtles, lizards, alligators and other reptiles are all part of a complicated wildlife structure that plays a marvelous role in the maintenance of Florida’s ecosystem. There are numerous species of Florida snakes. There are forty-four species living in an incredibly varied habitat, ranging from salt marshes and fresh water marshes to dry uplands and coastal mangrove swamps to residential areas.

Only six Florida snakes are poisonous, and they happily coexist 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 distinguish between these Florida snakes. Avoidance is the best approach a human being can adopt 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 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 attacks by Florida snakes or by rattlesnakes to be precise. As their venom spreads very rapidly 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 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 point out that, without them, rats and mice would soon be so numerous as to be an even greater cause for concern.

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

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