If you live or plan on travelling to an area that has venomous snakes, it is important to know which ones could pose a threat to you. Florida is home to almost 50 different kinds of snakes but there are only 6 Venomous Snakes in Florida.
There is no need to worry if travelling to an area with venomous snakes. You are unlikely to encounter them, and some basic precautions will help reduce the chance of being bitten if you are to encounter one of these snakes.
It is important to know the difference between harmless snakes and venomous snakes in Florida. Some of the more common non-venomous snakes you could encounter include Corn Snakes, Garter Snakes, Rat Snakes and Black Racers. These snakes pose no threat to people and are extremely important to the ecosystem, keeping rodent populations under control.
Venomous Snakes in Florida
Out of the 6 venomous snakes in Florida, 5 of them are Pit Vipers while the other is an Elapid. All these snakes have the ‘potential’ to kill a person but thanks to the availability of anti-venom, deaths from Venomous Snakes in Florida are rare.
Below is a list of 6 Venomous Snakes in Florida. It is important to be aware that there is the potential for other venomous snakes to survive in Florida if they are released by irresponsible snake owners. For this reason, if you can’t identify a snake, it is best to leave it alone in case it is venomous.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes are the largest venomous snakes in Florida. They can inject a large amount of venom with a single bite and will readily bite if they feel threatened.
Most bites occur when people attempt to handle these snakes or if they are accidentally stepped on. The Eastern Diamondback will usually rattle its tail before striking. This is a warning signal to indicate that they just want to be left alone. The sound of the rattle is intended to intimidate a potential threat.
They are a heavy bodied snake and are reportedly the heaviest venomous snake in the world. They can grow to around 7ft in length meaning they are quite a bit smaller than the longest venomous snakes in the world.
They can be found throughout the South Eastern USA in states such as Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and into South Carolina. However, the most concentrated populations of Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes can be found around the Florida area.
They have a hemotoxic venom that kills red blood cells and causes tissue damage. They have a very high venom yield with a single bite containing enough venom to kill up to four adult men.
Timber Rattlesnake
The Timber Rattlesnake, also called the Canebrake Rattlesnake can be found in the Northern parts of Florida. They are a medium sized snake that generally grows to a length of 3-5 foot.
The Timber Rattlesnake is a beautiful snake, but they are one of the most Venomous Rattlesnakes in America so it is best to appreciate them from a distance. They can be found throughout much of the Eastern USA.
Their range extends into to North-Eastern States of the USA, which means they can be found much further North than most venomous snakes in the country. Their range extends as far West as Texas. They bromate during the colder winter months and have been found to bromate in groups with other species such as the Copperhead and Black Rat Snake.
The makeup of the Timber Rattlesnakes venom can vary depending on the locale of the snake but generally contains neurotoxic elements. They are considered one of the most dangerous snakes in America due to the high venom yield in a bite. However, the chances of being bitten are slim due to the snake’s tendency to give adequate warning before striking. The also brumate for a large amount of the year which reduces the likelihood of encountering the snake.
Coral Snake
Coral Snakes are the most venomous snakes in Florida. In fact, they are the most venomous snake in North America in terms of the potency of their venom. However, they generally need to “chew” to inject their venom.
They are a relatively small and slender snake and usually won’t grow much larger than 2 foot. They have striking colouration which consists of bands of red, black and yellow. Some harmless colubrid snakes mimic the colouration of the Coral Snake to appear more dangerous to predators.
The Eastern Coral Snake can be found throughout Florida but their range also extends into Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina and into Northern Carolina. Other sub-species of Coral snake can be found in Texas and Arizona.
While the Eastern Coral snakes are the most venomous snakes in Florida, there has only been one documented death from this snake since the introduction of anti-venom in the 1960’s.
This is due to a number of factors including the rarity of encountering the snake, their reluctance to bite and the availability of anti-venom throughout the snakes natural range.
The Coral Snake has neurotoxic venom which is toxic enough to kill up to six adult men. However, this snake is unable to control the release of its venom and cannot fully inject all its venom with a single bite.
Cottonmouth
The Cottonmouth, also known as the Water Moccasin is a species of Pit Viper. They are very dangerous to handle and should be avoided. These snakes have the unique ability to strike in any direction making them among the most dangerous venomous snakes in Florida.
They get their name, Cottonmouth from their tendency to open their mouth really wide when they feel threatened. When they do this, you can see the white lining of their mouth.
These snakes like the water and they are excellent swimmers. They are also very capable of striking from water and can be very unpredictable. They are almost always found around bodies of water such as river banks, lakes, marshes and swamps.
The Cottonmouth produces cytotoxic venom that can destroy human tissue. A bite from a Cottonmouth can result in tissue scarring and in extreme cases even amputations. However, fatalities are rare due to the availability of effective anti-venom.
Pygmy Rattlesnake
The Pygmy Rattlesnake is a small species of Rattlesnake that generally only grows to between 1-2 foot in length. It can be found throughout Florida and has a reputation of being quite feisty.
The rattle on this snake is very subtle and can be difficult to hear. It is often compared to the sound of an insect buzzing. These Rattlesnakes can be difficult to spot among leaf litter.
They tend to prefer to live near bodies of water, in areas such as creeks, marshes and swamps but can be found in a wide range of other habitats. They can be found throughout many States in the South and South-Eastern USA.
The Pygmy Rattlesnake has a cytotoxic venom, but it is believed they don’t produce enough venom to kill an adult human. However, medical attention will still be required and bites can be more serious for young children.
Copperhead
The Copperhead is one of the most commonly found venomous snakes in America. Thankfully, their bite isn’t as venomous as other North American pit vipers and they are rarely fatal to humans.
The Copperhead can be found throughout much of the Eastern USA. However, in Florida their range is believed to be limited to the North-Western region of the State. Most Copperhead sightings further South are unverified or turn out to be a case of mistaken identity.
These snakes generally only grow to between 2-3 foot in length and have a characteristic copper head, hence their name. Their bodies are generally light brown with darker reddish-brown hourglass markings running the length of their bodies.
There venom isn’t particularly strong and it is estimated that they would need to inject at least 100mg of venom for it to be lethal. These snakes often give ‘dry bites’ as a warning to stay away. A dry bite is a bite that doesn’t inject any venom.