[gatorblueyes]

Originally Posted by cmsvmom

The larger black snakes are the indigo. They are harmless, eat rodents, and are very beautiful. Hold them up to the light, and you will see the rainbow effect which is described in the raven trickster tales.

I love indigo snakes. They are beautiful. They are so docile too.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by SouthFloridaNative

I think there are only a few poisonous snakes in Florida: Rattlesnakes, Water Moccasins (cottonmouths), and Coral Snakes. The poisonous ones can be distinguished from the others (good snakes) by thier viper face. The others don't have a viper face.

That is absolutely not true in the case of coral snakes. They have an oval head and round eyes, like most non-poisonous snakes.

The rattlesnakes and water moccasins I've seen have fat bodies and fat heads. Coral snakes are often confused with King snakes and so there is a rhyme to help distinguish them. But anyway, we like the non-poisonous snakes and I wish more people did know the difference. I've met people that just kill ALL snakes and don't care if they are non-poisonous. I think that's terrible. I am glad the OP asked instead of killing it just b/c it's a snake.

No one should be killing the poisonous ones either unless they are a direct threat. Call animal control, that's what they are there for.

[Mike_CFla]

I live just over a mile from the downtown area of a major city. I'm in the garden quite a bit all year except for summer. We have a barn owl that hoots at night and apparently several black racers that come and go regularly. I've seen the BRs confront each other before - they are fast and apparently territorial.

In the Spring my wife will be walking in the backyard shooting bull with her girlfirends. I'll hear a howl - BR ran over her bare feet or across her path. Priceless!

Mike/CF

[riveree]

Originally Posted by Strel

Call animal control, that's what they are there for.

Good luck with that in Jacksonville ! They are so underfunded, they are closed all weekend and you get a voicemail (no return call, naturally) the rest of the time.

Here, you are on your own with animal concerns.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by riveree

Good luck with that in Jacksonville ! They are so underfunded, they are closed all weekend and you get a voicemail (no return call, naturally) the rest of the time.

Here, you are on your own with animal concerns.

Sorry to hear that...there are also private alternatives, if you are willing to pay.

Mainly I just didn't want people to get the idea that killing snakes is an OK thing to do, unless they pose some kind of direct threat. I've killed water moccasins and rattlesnakes, but only when they were in a kid's playground or something like that.

[nytoflorida]

How do you kill them? I'm thinking of moving down to Fl, and this talk of the snakes worries me. I've never dealt with them in NY. Should I be prepared in some way? Do they get into the house easily, through pipes or anything like that?

[33458]

I love my dinosaurs. The neighbor in back kills anything he sees.









Coral snakes vs. Scarlet:

Red on Black, venom lack. Red on Yellow, kill a fellow.

Red Yellow Black Snakes Coral Florida Scarlet Kingsnake

[33458]

Oh yeah, snakes climb trees down here. :P

I'm having fun, but really, you do have to keep your eyes open...because they really do.

[floridamove2]

I hate snakes !

[33458]

I usually only see the Racers around here, and they tend to go the other way instead of coming after you.

Husband saw what he said was a baby Rattlesnake years ago at his condo...that I am less likely to want in my garden.

But up north (Hudson Valley) we had Copperheads to watch out for. I thought we had Water Moccasins too, but upon researching I've found them listed further south.