The Florida snakes, together 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 numerous species of Florida snakes. There are forty-four species living in an unbelievably 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 poisonous, 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 distinguish between 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 the most dangerous Florida snakes. They can be identified by a wide range of characteristics. Pit vipers include the Rattlesnake, the Cottonmouth and the Copperhead. They all have vertical eye pupils, a v-shaped head and facial pits: one between the eyes and nostrils and the others on each side of the head.
The venom of this type of Florida snakes is haemotoxic, which means that their poison works on the red blood cells, destroying the walls of the blood vessels and causing uncontrolled bleeding. Coral snakes however, use a neurotoxic venom, the toxins of which act on the body's nerves causing 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. Because their venom spreads very quickly throughout the body, the victim will die within less than half an hour 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 toxin is the least powerful and therefore they are regarded as the least dangerous of all the poisonous Florida snakes.
It is because of the danger they present that poisonous snakes are the first kind to attract attention, however the most widespread of Florida snakes is the Black Racer, which is a non-toxic species that relies on very sharp fangs to hold onto its prey.
Although home owners usually try to remove snakes from their gardens, specialists stress the fact that, without them, rodents would soon multiply out of control giving us an even more cause for alarm.
Therefore, unless you have special causes for worry, like snakes breeding in large numbers in your garden or shed for instance, there is no valid reason why you should upset the lives of these usually retiring, useful animals.
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