There are red snakes in Florida, and they are a type of non-venomous snake. They are not dangerous to humans but can be a nuisance if they enter homes or yards. These snakes can grow to be about four feet long, and their red coloration can make them easy to spot. If you see a red snake in Florida, it is best to leave it alone and let it go on its way.
What are red snakes in Florida?
I don’t know what comes to your mind when you hear Florida snakes or any snake for that matter.
Regardless, many natives and visitors are scared out of their wits when it comes to snakes.
Florida has several species of snakes, about 45 species, harmful and harmless.
Yet, only 6 out of the 45 species in Florida are venomous. In fact, most Florida snakes are beneficial in removing extra rodent populations.
Consequently, a little knowledge of the same will go a long way in helping eliminate most fears. The red color in nature means danger. But this may not be all true when it comes to Florida snakes.
While some red snakes are considered dangerous, some are not. The red color of the snakes may sometimes be a way of camouflaging to mimic more dangerous animals whose bright coloring warns off potential predators.
Another interesting thing about Florida snakes is that they are of varied colors.
The red corn snakes are non-venomous species about 30 to 48 inches in length.
The adults are orangish-brown with black-bordered orange, red, or brownish blotches. The red corn snakes are found throughout mainland Florida in every county and occur throughout the Florida Keys.
Adult ring-necked snakes are about 8-14 inches in length. The snakes are characteristically slender with a black or slate-gray body and a yellowish ring across the neck, which may be present or not.
The underside of the tail and the belly of the ring-necked snake are orange, bright yellow, or red. Ring-necked snakes are non-venomous.
The Pine Woods Litter snake is a non-venomous species with a typical reddish-orange to reddish-brown color, with the lips having a whitish-yellow color. Adults are about 10-13 inches. There is a thin dark line that runs through the eye to the corner of the mouth. Although these snakes are found throughout most of Florida’s peninsula, these snakes do not occur in the Florida Keys.
The Harlequin Coral snake species consists of thin-bodied snakes with alternating red and black rings separated by narrower yellow rings. These snakes are venomous.
Scarlet snakes are thin-bodied, featuring whitish-gray dorsal ground color with long red blotches bordered by black down the entire body. The red and whitish-gray spots are separated by black. These snakes are non-venomous and are found everywhere in Florida and every county except the Florida Keys.
The Scarlet kingsnake appears almost like the scarlet snake, with yellow replacing the whitish-gray color. They are non-venomous.
The red-bellied adult mud snakes have large thick glossy black bodies with red to pink bars from the belly to the sides. Their belly has a typical pattern of alternating black and red or pink bars. These non-venomous snakes have a red iris and a thick, indistinct neck.
These snakes are found throughout Florida except in the Florida Keys.
Rainbow snakes feature a glossy black body with three thin red stripes running down the back and sides. On the other hand, black swamp snakes are small black shiny snakes with bright red bellies and black markings on the edges.
Redbelly snakes are small thin snakes with a gray to reddish background color and a bright red belly. These snakes are found throughout the northern peninsula south to Pasco and Orange counties and occur west. Redbelly snakes are non-venomous.
What kind of snake is a Solid Red Snake?
Most snakes exhibit a combination of different colors combined in different patterns. Snakes with a solid one color are not something out of existence, but solid coloration rarely occurs.
In the same light, Most of Florida’s red snakes do not have the red color covering their entire body.
Mostly, you will find them having blotches of red, bands of red stripes, and so on. However, some snakes exhibit a typical solid red color, whether it is in their band blotches or spots. Coral snakes typically exhibit solid red bands with yellow and black rings encircling their entire body.
Coral snakes’ bright red and black rings are separated by narrow yellow rings. Coral snakes are venomous and have a dangerous reputation.
Consequently, most non-venomous snakes tend to disguise this appearance to scare off their prey. The scarlet snakes and the scarlet kingsnakes have red, black, and yellow or sometimes white banding, which closely resemble the coral snake’s banding.
Is a Red Corn Snake Poisonous?
Corn snakes are a common site throughout Florida’s mainland and the Florida Keys. Most of the snake species in Florida are non-venomous, with only a handful being poisonous. Even the ones considered poisonous rarely pose any threat to people unless threatened.
Corn snakes are one of the non-venomous species in Florida. They do not pose any kind of threat to either people or pets, although they will readily bite to defend themselves.
Typically, these snakes are not aggressive and will avoid eye contact with both pets and people. Red Corn snakes are colorful, reddish to orange blotches with black borders running down the back.
So, what happens when a Red Corn snake bites?
Important to note is that these kinds of snakes do not have fans and are not harmful. Their bites rarely hurt that much unless you are experiencing the shock of having been bitten.
You really do not have to worry about getting poisoned from a Red Corn snake bite. Some people even keep them as pets because they are very meek. However, it is crucial to understand that any snake, whether venomous or not, will bite when threatened.
This may leave you wondering how the Red Corn Snake obtains its food if it does not bite, right? Good question. Well, these snakes are considered constrictors.
This means that they bite their prey to obtain a firm grip and then quickly coil around their meal. This action squeezes the prey tightly until the prey is subdued. Eventually, they swallow the food whole, head first.
Wrapping Up…
In conclusion, the vast majority of red snakes in Florida are non-venomous. The few that are venomous, such as coral snakes, pose no real threat to humans unless provoked.
Corn snakes, which are also red, are not venomous and make good pets.
However, all snakes will bite if they feel threatened. constrictors. This means that they bite their prey to obtain a firm grip then quickly coil around their meal.
This action squeezes the prey tightly until the prey is subdued.
Eventually, they swallow the food whole, head first.
