The Florida snakes, along with the turtles, lizards, alligators and other reptiles are all part of a complex wildlife structure that plays an incredible role in the maintenance of Florida’s ecosystem. There are many 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 regions.

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 human being could show in relation to snakes.

The Coral snake and pit vipers are by far the most dangerous of Florida snakes. They can be identified by quite a wide range of characteristics. Pit vipers include the Rattlesnake, the Cottonmouth and the Copperhead. They all have in common: vertical eye pupils, a v-shaped head and facial pit sensors: one between the eyes and nostrils and the others along 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 poison 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. Because their venom spreads quickly through the body, the victim will almost certainly die within half an hour without the immediate injection of anti-venom.

A one exception in this class of Florida snakes is the copperhead, because its venom very rarely, if ever, requires anti-venom. Their toxin is the least powerful and therefore they are regarded as the least dangerous of all the poisonous 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 home owners usually try to remove snakes from their gardens, experts point out that, without them, rodents would soon multiply out of control giving us an even more cause for alarm.

Therefore, unless there are any special causes for worry, 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 retiring, helpful animals.

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