The Florida snakes, together with the turtles, lizards, alligators and other reptiles are altogether part of a composite wildlife structure that plays an unbelievable role in the maintenance of Florida’s ecosystem. There are many species of Florida snakes. There are 44 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 6 Florida snakes are venomous and they happily coexist with their nontoxic cousins. They even go into towns and cities too. The best way to stay out of trouble with snakes is to learn their morphology and therefore be able to identify the various Florida snakes. The wisest approach to adopt in relation to all snakes is avoidance.The Coral snakes and pit vipers are by far the most dangerous of the Florida snakes. They’re identifiable by quite a range of common characteristics. Pit vipers which include the Rattlesnake, the Cottonmouth and the Copperhead 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 character of Florida snakes is haemotoxic, which means that their venom attacks the red blood cells, destructing 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 described each year in the United States are caused by Florida snakes or by rattlesnakes to be more precise. As their venom spreads very quickly throughout the body, the victim will die within less than half an hour without immediate anti-venom.

A major exception in this group of Florida snakes is the copperhead, the venom of which very rarely, if ever, requires anti-venom. Their poison is the least potent and thus they are considered the least dangerous of the poisonous Florida snakes.

It is precisely because of the danger that they present that poisonous snakes get the most attention, although the most usual of Florida snakes is the Black Racer, which is a non-poisonous species that depends upon its sharp fangs to capture its prey.

Although the usual tendency of home owners is to remove snakes from their properties, specialists stress the fact that, without them, rodents would breed out of control giving us even more cause for alarm.

Therefore, unless there are any special causes for worrying, like snakes breeding in great numbers in your garden or shed, there is no real reason why you should upset the lives of these usually shy, useful animals.