Common Snakes in Miami

There is little to fear in the way of snakes on the urban and suburban streets of Miami. In this teeming metropolis, the dense human population and ever-present traffic keeps most reptiles at bay, though you might glimpse a common garter snake in someone's backyard now and again. Outside Miami, however, an abundant snake population thrives. What follows is a small fraction of the nearly 50 different species living in southern Florida

  1. Black Racer

    • Black racers can reach 5 feet in length.

      The black racer is, as its name suggests, a slender, fast-moving, uniformly black snake. Known for its ability to swallow its prey while the victim is still alive, it is well-known by Miami-area locals, who might refer to it as a rat snake. If aggravated, a black racer will bite. It is not poisonous, but its bite can hurt a bit. Black racers reach up to 5 feet in length.

    Water Moccasin

    • Only six species of snake in Florida are known to be poisonous and the water moccasin is probably the most common of them. Also known as the cottonmouth, it lurks along most waterways including rivers, streams and creeks and is generally colored with reddish-brown crisscrosses along a brown background. The water moccasin is a relatively placid venomous snake and rarely bites, but if it does, seek medical attention immediately.

    Brown Water Snake

    • Often confused with the water moccasin, the brown water snake is a similar-looking, harmless snake that likes to dangle from trees along the water. When startled, the brown water snake often hurls itself from its perch into the water and swims rapidly away.

    King Snake

    • The smooth, robust Florida king snake ranges in coloration from pale brown to a vibrant black and yellow checkered pattern. Harmless, the king snake is particularly gentle towards humans despite its rather brutal reputation for eating other snakes, including other king snakes.

    Corn Snake

    • Corn snake is not as dangerous as it looks.

      The lively corn snake is common throughout Florida, distinguished by a pale brown coloring accentuated by bright orange splotches bordered by black rings. A stellar climber, the corn snake loves to work its way into trees of varying heights to hunt small birds and their eggs. The corn snake is harmless to humans.