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Nonpoisonous snakes can be a great benefit because they eat many creatures that are common pests, according to the website "Snakes and Their Control", written by Jeffrey J. Jackson, Extension Wildlife Specialist. He says that water snakes mainly eat amphibians and aquatic life. In addition, large land inhabiting snakes mainly feed on amphibians, rodents, birds, bird eggs, and other snakes. Small snakes primarily eat small rodents, toads, frogs, slugs, and certain insects. These harmless snakes should not be destroyed and can be a great asset to a yard or garden.
If poisonous snakes are indigenous to your area there are some steps that can be taken to discourage them from coming onto your property. "Snakes and Their Control" suggests removing debris, leaves, brush, rock piles, tall grasses, weeds, and dilapidated buildings. Also, plants and bushes that are close to a homes foundation can attract snakes, and they should be cautiously removed. "Snakes and Their Control" says there are no repellents or products to keep snakes away. Cleaning up is the best prevention.
According to the website "Safety Precautions With Snakes", published by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, a snake has a striking range that is approximately half the length of its body. It warns that a person who encounters a snake should not move suddenly because doing so may cause the snake to strike. The best way to react is to stand very still and usually the snake will leave. It goes on to say, if the snake does not leave you should slowly and cautiously take backwards steps. If bitten by a poisonous snake, prompt medical attention is necessary.
"Familiar Reptiles and Amphibians - North America", published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., lists several types of poisonous snakes, their locations, habitats, and descriptions. Learning to recognize various types of poisonous snakes is the first step to protecting yourself from them. The following information adapted from "Familiar Reptiles and Amphibians - North America" provides information on some of the most common types of poisonous snakes in the United States.
The Cotton Mouth is approximately twenty to seventy-five inches long, large-bodied, and has a flat, pointed head. The body has no descriptive pattern other than jagged crossbands. Young Cotton Mouths can be identified by a yellow tip on their tail. They are located in the Florida Keys, southeast Virginia to central Texas, southern Missouri, and southern Illinois. Cotton Mouths are most likely found in sloughs, ditches, swamps, streams, and around rivers.
Copperheads are approximately twenty-two to fifty-three inches in length. They have a wide, copper colored head with a deep hollow impression between the eyes and nose. It also has a distinctive reddish-brown hourglass shaped pattern across its back, and its body is usually pale pink, copper, or orange in color. The Copperhead inhabits wetlands, swamps, coastal woods, and rocky areas near water. They are found from southeastern Nebraska to southwestern Massachusetts down to Texas and the southern most tip of Florida.
The Massasauga is between eighteen and forty inches in length, has dark stripes across its head, and it has a rattle. It is most often found in swamps, wetlands, and rivers in the east, and in dry meadows and grassy locations in the west. The Massasauga is indigenous to central New York and southwest between southeast Arizona and the Texas Gulf Coast region.
One of the biggest rattle snakes is the Eastern Diamondback. It can range anywhere from thirty-six to ninety-six inches in length. It has a dark colored diamond shaped pattern with a light colored outline. Also, it has two off-white diagonal stripes on each side of its face. The Eastern Diamondback is found in the lower coastal plains, southern Mississippi, east to southeastern North Carolina, and down through the keys of Florida. This extremely dangerous snake is often in pine forests, sandhills, abandoned farm fields, and in thick palmetto groves.
Timber Rattlesnakes are about thirty-five to seventy-five inches long and are large in diameter. In the north they are black and yellow with splotches of dark brown on the back and sides. They are commonly found in rocky locations. In the south they can be identified by a brown stripe through v-shaped crossbands and are located in mostly wet locations. The Timber Rattlesnake ranges from southeastern Minnesota to southern New Hampshire and down to eastern Texas and over to northern Florida.
The Western Rattlesnake is located in the western portion of the United States. It is sixteen to sixty-four inches in length with brown splotches down the length of its body. Dark brown stripes encircle the tail. It can be found in sand dunes along the Pacific Coast, wooded areas, meadows, and desert locations.
In southeastern California, southern Nevada, across Arizona, southwestern Mexico, and into portions of Texas is the Mojave Rattlesnake. It can range between twenty-four and fifty-one inches in length. Wide light-colored and narrow black bands encircle the tail. A diamond shaped pattern runs down the back. The Mojave Rattlesnake is often seen in desert areas and grasslands.
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