Floridian Nature

Learn about Florida's beautiful and unique nature.





Florida Snakes: Non-Venomous Snakes
Florida has more species of non-venomous snakes than any other state east of Texas, a total of 37 different species. Florida's non-venomous snakes come in a great variety of size and colors and are found in all Florida habitats from mangrove swamps to the driest scrub, from limestone spring runs to the Everglades, and even the backyard.

Along with spiders, snakes suffer more human misunderstanding than any other animals. Snakes are feared in part because of the very few species which are actually dangerous and in part because of ignorance about their mysterious ways

The snake skeleton consists of hundreds of vertebrae joined together by special connectors in addition to the normal ball and socket joints which provide flexibility. When a snake eats a large meal, the thin skin between its hard scales stretches to allow great expansion of its body.

A snake's skeleton can accommodate this expansion because snakes do not have the restrictive bone of humans such as the breast bone or the pelvic girdle.

The motion of snakes has always been a mystery. Part of the confusion is that snakes have several ways of propelling themselves. The best known method is called serpentine motion or lateral undulation, and is the familiar S curve crawl. By applying pressure against irregularities on the ground from various points along its long body, a snake almost magically converts side to side motion to forward movement. However, on a smooth surface where a snake cannot get good traction, it will writhe vigorously with little forward movement.

All snakes can swim and they use of the S curve movement to propel themselves through the water. A snake can also move by first anchoring its front belly scales into the ground or another surface, bunching up its loose skin so that the skin slides forward long the the body, anchoring its rear scales, and then sliding its body forward within the skin.

Other kinds of movement include a back to front rippling motion, much like a caterpillar, and a side-winding movement used by sidewinders and the Florida Hognose Snake. 


Atlantic Salt Marsh Snake
Black Swamp Snake
Bluestripe Garter Snake
Brown Chinned Racer
Brown Water Snake
Crown Snakes
Eastern Coachwhip
Eastern Garter Snake
Eastern Hognose Snake
Eastern Indigo Snake
Eastern Mud Snake
Everglades Racer
Florida Brown Snake
Florida Kingsnake
Florida Pine Snake
Florida Green Water Snake 
Florida Water Snake
Glossy Crayfish Snake

Gulf Salt Marsh Snake
Mangrove Water Snake
Pine Woods Snake
Plainbelly Snake
Rainbow Snake
Rat Snake
Red Rat Snake (Corn Snake)
Redbellied Snake
Redbelly Water Snake
Ribbon Snake
Rough Green Snake
Scarlet Kingsnake
Scarlet Snake
Short Tailed Snake
Smooth Earth Snake
Southern Black Racer
Southern Hognose Snake
Southern Ringneck Snake
Striped Crayfish Snake

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