[sware2cod]

They can be anywyere in the state but you will rarely see a venomous snake even if you are outside every day. Don't assume there are more in one area versus the other...they are spread all over.

The Eastern Diamondback Rattler is perfectly happy in very dry areas, far from the Everglades.

Never take a step where you cannot see where you are walking. Else you step on....a FIRE ANT HILL.

That's what is gonna mess with you and possibly your dog. Now ants those ARE everywhere.

[oalquimista]

Thank you all! Some really great information, and now I have more things to consider~

[Sgt. Buzzcut]

Don't ever assume that just because you are in a developed area, you won't encounter one. For instance, as a child I saw a Pygmy Rattler in my school hallway. My neighbor shot a 5 1/2 Eastern Diamondback in his back yard when I was a kid. I just recently found my cat playing with a 16" Coral Snake in my front yard.

Strange thing about the Coral Snake is FWC and a couple of other agencies I called didn't want the snake. I figured they would take it just to produce anti-venom. After more research I even found some pharma companies don't even produce anti-venom for Coral Snakes anymore, they are so rare and they don't bite much because unlike the pit vipers they're heads are so small.

I've read that Eastern Diamondbacks prefer palmetto scrub and bamboo, but can be found just about anywhere. I prefer to carry a long walking stick and be noisy when I'm walking around in the woods and even poke around in my flower beds and landscaping around the yard...try to scare them away. Also beware of holes that other animals burrow into , they like to occupy them at times. You're probably very unlikely to encounter poisonous snakes here, I've only seen about 5 or 6 in my entire 37 years here but it's good to research what to do to prevent an encounter and what to do if you or your animal are bitten before EMT arrives. I certainely wouldn't let it deter me from moving to FL though.

[boxus]

I would be more worried about people than a snake.

[Winter_Sucks]

Originally Posted by THX 1138

Doesn't matter what side of the state, it does depend on where you live though. A more rural setting, then expect more snakes. Also you can never rule out having one of the 6 venomous species in a more developed area. Also can't rule out the occasional exotic venomous, Cobra, Green Mamba and etc, these are extremely rare occurrences but it has been reported that some exotics escaped during Hurricane Andrew and that some may have been released by their owners. Due to the climate they have no problems surviving, but due to not having a breeding pair, it's questionable if many will become a problem?

Basically living in Florida takes common sense, the dangers from Gators aside which is blown out of proportion. I have a Dog and when I go outside for walks, I watch where my dog walks at all times, my Dog is on a leash all the time, when I go out at night I use a high powered flashlight and scan the area that we walk and look out for anything that might pose an issue. Most of the Dog's that get into trouble are unsupervised and often go after the snakes who often end up in the wrong area and are just defending themselves. People have fenced in yards or let their dogs run loose unsupervised often experience this. I read about dogs dying due to snake bites and/or by them picking up Bufo Toads often, but not everyday.

There are the 6 native venomous species in Florida. California for example, has has 8 native venomous species.

Statistically it's more dangerous to get up and drive to work then it is to get bit by a snake or attacked by an alligator, that is you can improve those odds by being stupid, like going for a dip in a lake or letting your dog play fetch in a lake and etc.

Yup. I worry more about people than snakes or other animals. People are by far the most dangerous animals you will ever run into.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by THX 1138

Then count yourself lucky, one of my friends use to breed dogs and had a fenced-in yard in a rural part of the County, a bunch of his dogs went after a huge Eastern Diamondback Rattler and several of them were lost after the incident, even after receiving vet care it was too much. Also he had another dog that had a close call with a Pygmy Rattler and survived after getting anti-venom.

Also several Dogs have been killed over the years in Palm Beach County from Coral Snakes. Typically if you have a breed that goes after things, Bufos, Snakes, Geckos and etc, they will often get themselves into trouble. Some dogs don't care about those things and keep walking.

People have to remember it's a rare event and no you should not live in fear but you can't be carefree about it either. Actually the risk is probably higher someone would steal your dog then a snake encounter here.

Coral snake kills dog, more snake sightings put fear into Boca Raton residents - Sun Sentinel

That article you linked was Swimmom32's neighborhood so between poisonous snakes and a B rated high school she must be at her wits end!

Seriously, common sense goes a long way in dealing with mother nature! Greg Norman's golf course development in Hobe Sound is just off US1, several miles east of I95, just 2 miles from the ocean and it is a wildlife haven! The Medalist has tons of gators, several types of venomous snakes and even some bats running around with an occasional panther stopping by the million dollar homes!

Don't go looking in the bushes for golf balls, don't put your hands/feet anywhere you can't see them and leave the 8 ft gator alone (sunning on the shoreline doesn't = dead or stupid).

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by Sgt. Buzzcut

Don't ever assume that just because you are in a developed area, you won't encounter one. For instance, as a child I saw a Pygmy Rattler in my school hallway. My neighbor shot a 5 1/2 Eastern Diamondback in his back yard when I was a kid. I just recently found my cat playing with a 16" Coral Snake in my front yard.

Strange thing about the Coral Snake is FWC and a couple of other agencies I called didn't want the snake. I figured they would take it just to produce anti-venom. After more research I even found some pharma companies don't even produce anti-venom for Coral Snakes anymore, they are so rare and they don't bite much because unlike the pit vipers they're heads are so small.

I've read that Eastern Diamondbacks prefer palmetto scrub and bamboo, but can be found just about anywhere. I prefer to carry a long walking stick and be noisy when I'm walking around in the woods and even poke around in my flower beds and landscaping around the yard...try to scare them away. Also beware of holes that other animals burrow into , they like to occupy them at times. You're probably very unlikely to encounter poisonous snakes here, I've only seen about 5 or 6 in my entire 37 years here but it's good to research what to do to prevent an encounter and what to do if you or your animal are bitten before EMT arrives. I certainely wouldn't let it deter me from moving to FL though.

100% right on! The coral snake literally has to gnaw on you to inject venom due to the lack of fangs. They also are frequently confused with king snakes (non venomous) due to similar color schemes.

[season10]

I've lived in the Tampa area, SE Florida and most recently in Palm Coast which is just south of St Augustine. Never saw a poisonous snake in a residential area until Palm Coast. We were over run with cottonmouth snakes to the point I had to buy a high power pellet rifle to shoot them off our front foyer, the doors to our lanai and the yard in general. My neighbor used a 9mm loaded with rat shot. We could hear gunshots throughout the neighborhood in warm weather. Lots of neighbors shooting snakes. No storm sewers in Palm Coast, they have a swale system of ditches. Also, lots of vacant lots. Pine and palmetto scrub combined with those ditches equalled a lot of poisonous snakes, cottonmouths but also rattlesnakes. Probably habitat like that anywhere in the state will mean snakes and some pretty interesting wildlife. The Hawks, bobcats, eagles and wild turkeys killed a lot of the snakes and ate them but still a lot got away. Nothing like watching a hawk or eagle strip the flesh off a huge viper up in one of your tall pines. Look for snake habitat and avoid it. Oh, the dunes are lousey with rattlesnakes and cottonmouths.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by Jo48

A few months ago a coyote attacked a small dog while on a lease by it's owner in broad daylight. There were also a couple of attacks and kills, of pet cats and dogs in the same area of Naples. People just need to be very careful with their pets, and small children, around wildlife. Even though you are 10 or 15 miles from the Everglades, this does not mean that all wildlife will just STAY confined to there. It's very said when this happens, but if it causes awareness among pet owners and parents, then perhaps it will prevent loss of another life; animal, or human.

This type of thing happens in virtually every State. FL is targeted about this (Snakes, etc ), but isn't any worse than most other places to live, though only a few with gators.

[Fredesch]

I would think finding a condo that is dog friendly would be a bigger concern than snakes. With a dog friendly complex you can ask neighbors what their concerns are. As you know therapy dogs are not recognized as service animals and fall into the category of a pet. So you need to find a place that takes pets. And if you have more than one dog at a time allows multiple dogs.