Snakes of Ocala, FL

Ocala snake

Welcome to ocalasnakes.com! I am David, a snake enthusiast living in Ocala, FL. Many people don't know that Ocala is in fact full of snakes! You just need to know where to find them - they can often be shy and elusive. Some Florida snake species are more common outside of the city limits, in different parts of Marion County FL, but many types of snakes are indeed common in the more urban parts of Ocala. This guide is meant to help educate you about the beautiful snakes of Ocala, and to help you identify the most common snakes of Ocala, as well as the venomous snakes of Ocala that you should learn to recognize and avoid. If you want more detail, click here for my complete list of ALL snake species in Ocala. Remember the following:

  • Most snakes of Ocala are harmless and don't want to encounter you
  • Venomous snakes exist but are uncommon in Ocala, Florida
  • Snakes eat rats and mice and are a valuable part of the Florida ecosystem
  • Never kill a snake - if you leave a snake alone, it will leave you alone.

Common Snake Species in Ocala

Ocala snake Black Racer: To the natives of Ocala Florida, this particular snake is commonly known as the Coluber constrictor. This snake is a big fan of daylight rooms and you can easily come across it roaming around your neighborhood at any time of the day. Though black racers are non-venomous, they might strike at you if threatened. So if you find it, just let it go on its way. To hunt, these dark snakes with white chin-patches on their body use their great sense of smell, daylight vision, and swift and fast body movements to kill rodents, lizards, and frogs.



Ocala snake Banded Water: Banded water snakes are one of the largest non-venomous snakes you are most likely to come across in Ocala Florida if you roam outdoors often. These snakes are 40 inches in length and are red or deep brown. Their striking similarities with cottonmouths make many people confuse them with these venomous snakes. Banded water snakes prefer staying around swampy areas where is an abundance of water-dwelling prey such as tadpoles, frogs, and some small fishes. Though banded water snakes are non-venomous, these serpents are very aggressive and don't like to be disturbed.

Ocala snake Florida Pine: Also known in this part of the world as the bull snake, this tall and pointed head snake with patches of brown, red, and black color blocks on its body are common snakes of Ocala Florida. Due to their striking color, Florida pines look quite intimidating when you see them. But they are completely harmless and non-venomous. Although they will strike if threatened and to do this, they will flatten their head, hiss loudly, and aggressively vibrate their tail. The average length of a Florida pine snake is between 4 and 8.3 feet and they are more common in grasslands and cultivated fields.



Ocala snake Eastern Indigo: This particular snake is usually confused with the black racer because of their striking resemblance. But in the case of eastern indigos, they are about 8 feet long and the males are usually longer than the females. Eastern indigos are dark in color with an iridescent appearance which is usually blue or purple.






Venomous Snake Species in Ocala

Ocala snake Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake: These particular snakes are the most feared, largest, and dangerous snakes in Ocala Florida. These snakes can grow up to 72 inches under natural conditions. If by chance you come across an eastern diamondback rattlesnake, you need to understand the fact that this snake is capable of a long strike within a distance of 4 feet, which is about the length of a typical shovel. As a result of this, you need to keep your distance. Eastern diamondback snakes are quite easy to identify. It has a series of black diamond patterns on its body that are bordered by yellowish thick lines. The color of this snake is vivid and the patterns are easy to identify.

Ocala snake Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake: With an average length of 12 to 24 inches, you will always find this venomous snake around Florida. Though it is venomous, the venom of a dusky pygmy rattlesnake is not capable of killing humans. But you might need urgent medical attention. This snake has a greyish color with patches of dark blotches on its back.





Ocala snake Coral Snake: This is a beautiful snake with an appearance that makes it seem harmless. But in the real sense of it, a bite from a coral snake is lethal enough to kill a human. The body is made of beautiful stripes of yellow, black, and red and a mature coral snake is between 20 to 30 inches long.





If you're unsure, you can email me a photo of the snake at info@ocalasnakes.com and I will email you back with the snake's species. If you found a snake skin, read my Found a Skin? page, and you can email me a photo of the skin, and I'll identify the snake for you. If you need professional Ocala snake removal help, click my Get Help page, or see the below website sponsor I found, who provides that service.



Remember, the term is not poisonous snakes of Ocala, it's venomous snakes of Ocala. Poison is generally something you eat, and venom is injected into you. That said, dangerous snakes are very rare in Ocala. The few venomous snakes of Marion County are rarely seen. But they are commonly misidentified, so learn about all the snake species of Ocala in order to correctly identify them. These snakes are usually also found in the surrounding towns of Belleview, Dunnellon, Silver Springs Shores, Reddick, McIntosha> and the surrounding areas.

Read our article about:
How Do Snakes Kill Their Prey?

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