🐍 Know Your Snakes: Dusky Pygmy Rattlers vs. Cottonmouths

🐍 Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnakes (a.k.a. "Pigmies")

(Photo Credit: Steve A. Johnson UF-AFAS)

• Size: Small but spicy—usually under 2 feet long.
• Look for: Gray with dark blotches, tiny rattle (often unheard or can sound like the buzzing of a large insect).
• Habitat: Dry, wooded areas, pine straw, decorative mulch, hiking trails, and—yep—your backyard.
• Behavior: Ambush predators. They're not out to chase you, but they won’t move unless provoked… or stepped on.

🐍 Cottonmouths (Water Moccasins)

(Photo Credit: Steve A. Johnson, UF-IFAS)

• Size: Thick-bodied, can reach 3–4 feet.
• Look for: Dark brown to black, often with faint banding and a wide, triangular head with a zorro mask over the eye. They’ll gape and show a white mouth when threatened.
• Habitat: Always near water—creeks, ponds, retention basins, flooded areas, even ditches.
• Behavior: Defensive, territorial, and more likely to stand their ground. These are the “get off my lawn” snakes of Florida.

⚠️ Coral Snake Side Note: Rare, reclusive, and not your biggest threat—but don’t rely on rhymes. Look for a black nose and bands with every other stripe yellow. Color variations do exist, and misidentifying them could be dangerous.

(Photo Credit: Steve A. Johnson, UF-IFAS)

✅ Want to get smarter about snakes?
Join the Facebook groups Florida Snake ID and National Snakebite Support. These are moderated by herpetologists, wildlife pros, and medical experts. You’ll get real, fast ID help—no fearmongering, no drama. Also, check out Free Snake Relocation Directory to get assistance removing a snake.