Snake Control Experts

The Six Venomous Snakes Native to Florida

1. Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus). Largest venomous snake in North America. Diamond-shaped pattern down the back, distinct rattle, broad triangular head. Found throughout Florida in pine flatwoods, palmetto thickets, and abandoned gopher tortoise burrows. Highly toxic hemotoxic venom; bites are medical emergencies. Identification at distance: heavy-bodied snake 3-5 feet long with clearly visible rattle.
2. Timber / canebrake rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). Range limited to north Florida and the panhandle. Lighter gray or yellow background with dark chevron crossbands, often with a rust-colored stripe down the spine. Pit-viper triangular head. Less commonly encountered than the diamondback in Central Florida.
3. Dusky pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri). Florida’s smallest rattler (18–24 inches typical). Gray with dark spots and a rust-colored vertebral stripe. Tiny rattle that sounds more like an insect buzz than a true rattle. Responsible for the most venomous bites in Central Florida because it sits motionless in leaf litter, palm fronds, and mulch beds — people step on it. Bites are painful but rarely fatal for adults.
4. Florida cottonmouth / water moccasin (Agkistrodon conanti). Semi-aquatic pit viper found around lakes, ponds, swamps, drainage canals, and golf course water features. Dark olive to nearly black, with a distinctive white interior to the mouth that’s flashed defensively. Heavy-bodied. Often confused with non-venomous water snakes (Florida banded water snake is a common look-alike).
5. Eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius). The one non-pit-viper venomous snake people are likely to see in Central Florida. Bright red, yellow, and black bands — red bands touch yellow bands (the rhyme: “red touch yellow, kill a fellow; red touch black, friend of Jack” distinguishes it from the harmless scarlet kingsnake). Small mouth and fangs; bites are rare but neurotoxic.
6. Southern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix). Range is restricted to a small portion of the western panhandle around the Apalachicola River. You will essentially never see one in Central Florida. Hourglass-shaped crossbands; light tan to coppery background.

How We Remove and Prevent Snakes

Snake removal is a different job than rodent or raccoon work. Snakes don’t need entry holes; they enter through gaps small enough to defeat most pest exclusion. Our four-step process:

1. Inspection. Walk the property to identify habitat features that attract snakes — standing water, dense ground cover near the structure, woodpiles, rodent activity (snakes follow rats), and gaps around AC line penetrations, dryer vents, and slab edges where snakes enter buildings.
2. Capture. For a snake currently on the property, our technician uses a hook and tube or a sealed catch container appropriate to the species and size. Venomous snakes are handled by a trained operator with the right equipment; we do not attempt one-handed pickups. The animal is relocated outside the immediate property when state law permits, or humanely dispatched if it is an invasive species or relocation is illegal for that species.
3. Exclusion. Seal entry points around the structure with stainless steel mesh (snakes can squeeze through gaps as small as 1/4 inch), repair damaged screen on pool cages and crawl-space vents, and install snake-rated door sweeps. The exclusion is what prevents recurrence; capture alone is a temporary fix.
4. Snake Shield habitat modification. Recommend or perform changes that reduce snake attraction — clearing dense ground cover within 18 inches of the foundation, eliminating rodent food sources, removing leaf and brush piles, and managing water features. The Snake Shield program comes with a satisfaction guarantee against recurrence.

Florida Law and Snake Handling

A few legal points every Florida homeowner should know before responding to a snake on their property:

• All native Florida snakes are protected under FWC regulation beyond the limited list of species that may be legally taken. Killing a native snake (especially a non-venomous one) without an exemption can result in a fine. See FWC’s snake protection rules.
• The Eastern indigo snake is federally threatened. Harming or harassing one is a federal offense under the Endangered Species Act. The indigo is a large, glossy black snake sometimes mistaken for a black racer.
• Burmese pythons and other invasive constrictors have the opposite rule — in much of South Florida they may be legally removed and dispatched by anyone. In Central Florida, Burmese python sightings are extremely rare and should be reported to FWC’s Exotic Species Hotline (888-IVE-GOT1).
• Venomous snake handling requires FWC authorization for any commercial operator. Dr. Critter holds the current Florida Nuisance Wildlife Trapper credential, which covers handling and removal of all native venomous species.

Common Central Florida Snake Encounters

Practical scenarios we see weekly, with the right response:

• Snake in the pool cage. Yellow rat snake or black racer most commonly; both are non-venomous and beneficial. We’ll relocate it and patch the screen breach that let it in.
• Snake in the garage. Often a rat snake that followed a rodent inside; the underlying problem is the rodent activity, which we address as part of the visit.
• Snake under the AC pad. Common in summer — the slab is cool. Pygmy rattlesnakes and coachwhips both like this spot. Important not to reach blind.
• Snake in the pool. Most pool snakes are harmless banded water snakes, occasionally a cottonmouth in lakefront properties. Use a long pole net — do not try to grab.
• Snake skin found in the attic. A shed skin doesn’t mean the snake is still up there, but it does mean one was. We’ll inspect for ongoing activity and seal the rodent entry points that brought it in.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if a snake is venomous?

Florida’s venomous species fall into two groups. The four pit vipers (Eastern diamondback, timber, pygmy rattlesnakes, and cottonmouth) have triangular heads, vertical pupils, and visible heat-sensing pits between eye and nostril. The coral snake breaks the rule: it has a small round head and round pupils but is still venomous — identify it by red bands touching yellow bands. If in doubt, treat any snake as potentially venomous and call a professional. Our own illustrated walkthrough of how to identify venomous Florida snakes shows each species side by side, and the FWC snake guide has photos of every Florida species.

What should I do if I see a snake in my yard?

Stay back at least 6 feet, do not turn your back on it, and call us. Do not attempt to kill it — most snakebites in Florida happen during attempted DIY removals. Most non-venomous snakes leave on their own within an hour if undisturbed. If you must keep an eye on it until we arrive, spray it with a garden hose from a distance to encourage it to move into the open where we can capture it safely.

Do snakes climb into attics in Florida?

Yes. Yellow rat snakes and gray rat snakes are excellent climbers and routinely access attics through soffit gaps and via tree limbs touching the roof. They follow rodent populations, so the underlying problem is usually rats. Sealing the structural gaps and addressing the rodent issue handles both problems.

What does professional snake removal cost?

A standard non-venomous snake call is priced as a single service visit. Venomous snake removal — especially eastern diamondback rattlesnake or cottonmouth — is priced higher due to risk and equipment. Snake Shield exclusion work is quoted after inspection based on structure size and the number of entry points to seal. We provide free phone estimates.

Are baby snakes more dangerous than adults?

For pit vipers, this is a partial myth and a partial truth. Baby pygmy rattlesnakes and cottonmouths can deliver fully toxic venom from birth, but adult snakes deliver larger doses. The real reason baby snakes are dangerous is that they’re harder to see, easier to step on, and easier to misidentify as a harmless species. Treat any snake under 18 inches with the same caution as an adult.

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