Snakes of Fort Lauderdale, FL

Fort Lauderdale snake

Common Snake Species in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale snake Black Racer Snake: The black racer snake, also known as the North American racer, is a species of small to medium-sized snakes. These snakes can be anywhere between two and four feet in length, and they’re known for being quite slender. These snakes are black in color, but the undersides of their chins are white. Young black racer snakes, however, are grey in color. The young also have red patches covering their bodies. Black racer snakes are non-venomous, and they aren’t aggressive either. These snakes have a varied diet, and they’ll eat anything they can find. This includes eggs, small rodents and mammals, birds, insects, spiders, lizards, amphibians, and even other snakes. The black racer lives in a variety of locations, from forests to prairies. Yet it’s not unheard of for them to appear near suburban homes.

Fort Lauderdale snake Common Garter Snake: The common garter snake is a small, non-venomous snake. These reptiles are only two feet in size. Garter snakes come in a variety of colors, but they all maintain the same general pattern. These snakes have a dark body with three yellow or white lines running down their back, along with a yellow chin and belly. These snakes are found in a wide variety of environments. These include forests, plains, and wetlands. Common garter snakes can also be found in your garden, where they’re known to prey on small pests. Their diet consists of worms, slugs, and insects. They’ll also eat small rodents, fish, and amphibians.


Fort Lauderdale snake Ring-Necked Snake: The ring-necked snake is another small, non-venomous snake, and it’s quite common in parts of the United States. These snakes are even smaller than garter snakes, as most are only one foot in size. You can identify a ring-necked snake by its dark body, which is highlighted with an orange or yellow ring around its neck. These snakes also have a colorful belly, and are typically orange, yellow, or white in color. These snakes typically live under rocks and fallen logs. They’re also known to hibernate underground during parts of the year. Ring-necked snakes primarily feed on amphibians. They’re especially fond of red-backed salamanders. Yet they’ll also eat slugs, insects, and other small creatures.

Fort Lauderdale snake Cottonmouth: Cottonmouths or water moccasins are another species of highly venomous snakes, and they’re quite common in Florida and other South-Eastern states. These snakes are typically two to four feet long, but some adults are able to reach six feet in length. These snakes have a light brown body with lots of different dark brown patches covering it. What these snakes are well-known for is the white insides of their mouths, for which they get the name “cottonmouth”. Like other water snakes, the cottonmouth tends to live near bodies of water. These include rivers, lakes, swamps, and plenty of others. While these snakes do primarily eat fish, amphibians, and other aquatic animals. They will hunt and eat any nearby animal, such as birds, small mammals, and even other cottonmouth snakes.