North Carolina Snakes

By

David Mooring &

The Crodile Hunter

Poisonous Identification

• Pit vipers have pits between each eye and nostril

• Pit vipers have catlike eyes with long and narrow pupils

• Their heads are triangular

• The Coral Snake has a black head

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

• North America’s largest venomous snake

• Feeds on rabbits, squirrels, rats, and birds

• Has Rattles

• Has Mask across eyes

• Can be 8 feet long, but usually 5 feet

• Found in Pine flatwoods and brushy fields

Pygmy Rattlesnake

• Small and fat snake

• Found near flatwoods, wiregrass, and along marshes

• Feed on frogs, lizards, Mice, and small snakes

• Small rattles sound more like a Buzz

Canebrake Rattlesnake

• Also called Timber Rattler

• Feeds on Rodents and other small animals

• Feed in day and night (Mostly night in hot summer months)

• Found all over NC and water

• Hides under stumps and woody cover

Copperhead• Also called White Oak or Red Oak Snake

• Very Aggressive

• Feeds on Cicada’s, Caterpillars, frogs, mice, lizards, and birds

• Lives in woody areas near rocks, ponds, & streams

• Active at night during hot summer

• Warm surfaces in cool months

• Hourglass shape across back

Water Moccassin

• Also Called Cottonmouth

• Found on or near water

• Feeds at night on fish, amphibians, birds and reptiles

• Stripe on side of head

• Bite more toxic than Copperhead

Coral Snake• Spends most of his life under sandy soils

• Found in sandhills woods and wiregrass

• Feeds on small reptiles and own species

• Not Pit Vipers, related to Cobras & Sea Snakes

• Not aggressive, must chew to bite

• Black Head

• Red and yellow kills the fellow

Hognose Snake

• Also called Puff Adder, bluffs with puffed head and neck

• Thrashes tail, hisses, and rolls over and plays dead

• Feeds on toads, insects, frogs, and mice

• Has upturned point on snout

• Individuals have varying colors

Red Belly Water Snake

• Color varies from reddish brown to pinkish gray

• Prefers wet, but will travel on rainy days

• Feeds on frogs, toads, and fish

• They will bite and discharge a fowl smelling musk

• Their belly is reddish orange

Eastern Milk Snake

• Feeds on Mice, Snakes, and Lizards

Northern Black Racer

• White patch under skin and throat

• Lives in brushy areas and under boards and tin around old buildings

• Feed on insects, eggs, mice, frogs, and lizards

• Will coil and rattle (bluff) tail when cornered or hurt

Corn Snake

• Black and White Checkered Bellies

• Easily kept in captivity, good pets

• Feeds small rats, frogs, and lizards

• Red, gray, orange or black patches

• Generally an orange colored snake

Rat Snake

• Called Chicken Snake

• Feeds on rats, mice, birds, reptiles, and chicken eggs

• Greenish yellow with four brown or black stripes down its side (black with spotted gray and white belly

Juvenile Black Rat

Gray Rat

Black Rat

Coachwhip

• When picked up it will bite repeatedly. It will run when it sees people.

• Feeds on mice, eggs, birds, snakes, & lizards

• Moves quickly on grassy dunes, wiregrass, pine sandhills, and maritime forests

Eastern Garter

• Variety of colors and patterns (blue, brown, green or red with black or brown spots and/or stripes

• They like moist areas

• Feeds on frogs, worms, salamanders, small fish and toads

• Exacting moisture environmental requirements

Stripped Garter

Southern Green Snake

• 14-26 inches long, thin like a pencil

• Green in color

• Likes grassy areas, trees, and shrubs

• Eat insects and spiders

Smooth Green Snake

Rough Green Snake

Scarlet Snake

• Red blotches surrounded by black on back (similar to Scarlet King Snake, Corn, and Coral)

• Does not have a black head like Coral Snake

• Blotches surrounded by belly color

• Feeds on insects, lizards, small snakes, reptile eggs, and mice

Eastern King Snake

• Un-aggressive and secretive daytime snake

• Found around sawdust plies, old buildings, grass, and under shrubs

• Feeds on snakes including copperheads, eggs, mice, and lizards

• Venom immunity

Ringneck Snake

• Black or slate gray snake with ring around neck same color as belly (yellow to orange belly)

• Found under flat rocks, logs, or loose bark of dead trees

• Feeds on worms, slugs, salamanders, lizards, and newborn snakes.

• They coil into a ball