South Florida Rat Snake

Of florida s 46 native species of snakes 34 are found in the south florida region shown in dark green on this map including four of the six venomous species timber rattlesnakes and copperheads are only found in north florida three non native species are also found in south florida.

South florida rat snake. But where you re likely to find them you can normally find cottonmouths. This article focuses on the north and central american species in the pantherophis genus. In south florida you re likely to find coral snakes eastern diamondbacks and pygmy rattlesnakes. Weekly keeled scales range.

The florida banded water snake for example is common near bodies of water and is entirely harmless. Some are single uniform colors. Perhaps the most common is the eastern rat snake which is widespread from new york to florida. Based on the photo mitchell took her sparring partner looked like an eastern rat snake a largely nonvenomous reptile according to the national wildlife federation.

Classically these snakes have yellow irises and four barrow brown stripes that go down their backs. Here is a quick look at most of florida s snakes by pattern. It s range includes most of florida east of the apalachicola river south to key largo. South florida s snakes.

In florida the rat snake occurs in the panhandle east of the apalachicola river and throughout the peninsula south to key largo however it does readily hybridize with the gray rat snake pantherophis spiloides in the panhandle. Side of the head e. Red rat snake corn snake eastern rat snake yellow rat snake. Eastern ratsnake blotched juvenile upper image and striped adult lower image photos by kenney krysko flmnh upper photo and dirk stevenson lower photo.

They are a morph of black rat snake eastern rat snake with orange or yellow coloring all over. Underside of the head chin and throat c. It kills its prey by grabbing it with its mouth then wrapping its body around. There are numerous species and subspecies of rat snake across the world.

Others have dark or light markings organized into stripes spots blotches or some other pattern. It s also found in a good chunk of north america east of the appalachians into canada. This group of snakes is very common and well known and there are at least ten different known species. Front face view of the head d.

Florida snakes visual identification. Florida s snakes eastern yellow or everglades ratsnake pantherophis alleghaniensis formerly considered a subspecies of elaphe obsoletus non venomous blotched juvenile striped adult. Different species of snake can often be distinguished by their characteristic color patterns. State of florida non venomous.

This list of snakes of florida includes all snakes in the u s. As you might guess from the photographs on this page the yellow rat snake is a constrictor.