Yellow Rat Snake Florida Poisonous

They are long slim snakes with a head only slightly wider than their body.
Yellow rat snake florida poisonous. Of the venomous snakes in florida you re most likely to see water moccasins. Rat snakes are large constrictors that are mainly found in the northern hemisphere. Coastal north and south carolina southward throughout peninsular florida. Scientifically it is known as elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata.
The yellow rat snake is a constrictor. Florida snakes visual identification. One of the more common kinds of sub species is the yellow rate snake. Different species of snake can often be distinguished by their characteristic color patterns.
Front face view of the head d. Here is a quick look at most of florida s snakes by pattern. Fortunately this reptile is a non venomous constrictor. The yellow rat snake above the most common color morph in peninsula florida is typically yellowish with four brownish black stripes along the body.
It suffocates its prey to death like pythons and other boa species. Underside of the head chin and throat c. These non venomous snakes thrive in and around urban areas where there tend to be lots of rodents. Side of the head e.
Facts about the yellow rat snake that ll leave you flabbergasted. While the yellow rat snake loves the state of florida it can also be found in north and south carolina along the coast as well as georgia. Rat snakes can grow to be six feet long 1 8 m. But if cornered it may deliver repeated painful bites in defense.
Weekly keeled scales range. The snake s irises are yellow in color and they have four brown stripes going down their backs too. Yellow rat snakes from the southern tip of their range tend to be more golden butter yellow overall and have lots of yellow highlights on the belly and under the chin compared to the tannish straw yellow colored yellow rat snakes from central and northern florida. Florida is home to 45 snake species many of which may look dangerous to humans.
Top of the head b. As intimidating as the yellow rat snake might look it is as harmless as a rope. In florida the rat snake occurs in the panhandle east of the apalachicola river and throughout the peninsula south to key largo however it does readily hybridize with the gray rat snake pantherophis spiloides in the panhandle. Common non venomous snake species include the black racer corn snake eastern garter snake eastern southern hognose snake yellow rat snake red rat snake southern black snake rough.
Others have dark or light markings organized into stripes spots blotches or some other pattern. Rat snakes are one of the largest kinds of species of snakes with over 50 types of sub species. Population of the yellow rat snake is prevalent in regions from coastal north carolina to southeastern georgia and over most of the florida peninsula. However most are ultimately beneficial in the capture of rats and mice.