Venomous Florida Snakes
The Florida snakes, together with the turtles, lizards, alligators and other reptiles are all part of a complex 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 venomous, 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 identify the Florida snakes. A relaxed attitude of avoidance is the wisest thing a human being could show in relation to snakes.
The Coral snakes and pit vipers are by far the most dangerous of the Florida snakes. They are 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 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 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 thirty minutes without immediate 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.
It is precisely because of the danger that they present that poisonous snakes get the most attention, although the most common of Florida snakes is the Black Racer, which is a non-poisonous species that depends on its sharp fangs to hold onto 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 concern.
Therefore, unless there are any exceptional causes for worry, like snakes breeding in great numbers in your garden or outhouses, there is no real reason why you should upset the lives of these usually shy, helpful animals.
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