While everyone knows that Mississippi is a destination for nature lovers, you may not realize that the state is also home to thousands of snakes, six of which are venomous. But do not worry; With a little common sense and knowledge under your belt, you can stay safe and fang-free.
The problem
There are no less than 55 different types of snakes in Mississippi. The most common include old rat snakes, water snakes, and green snakes. Many of these snakes are beneficial to the environment, killing and eating not only pest species like rats and mice, but other venomous snakes as well. Speaking of which, a small minority of these species, 9 to be exact, are venomous.
poisonous snakes
These venomous snakes include the copperhead, coral snake, eastern and western varieties of cottonmouth (water moccasin), and five types of rattlesnakes, including the timber, reedsnake, eastern diamondback, dark pygmy and western pygmy. The Eastern Diamondback is the largest of these, reaching up to six feet, while the Timber Rattler is slightly smaller. While the telltale ‘rattle’ of these pit vipers is often heard as a warning, the smaller pygmy variants are nearly silent in movement, but no less dangerous. Most eastern Diamondbacks are found in southeastern Mississippi, but they are increasingly being found farther north.
Copperheads do not have a rattle, but they will sometimes shake their tails to imitate one, and often strike very quickly and without warning. They are pink in color and have a series of very distinctive dark bands.
The cottonmouth is one of the most common deadly snakes in Mississippi, especially around water. The bad thing about Mr. Cottonmouth is that the juvenile varieties of these snakes tend to have bright patterns on silvery-grey bodies when young and often allow themselves to be picked up by humans. This had led to several cases of people making ‘pet snakes’ out of these poisonous types without knowing any better. As they age, these markings fade and the snakes become much darker, with a disposition to match. Its name comes from the white linings inside its mouth.
Most of these dangerous snakes, with the exception of the coral snake, have very broad triangular heads that can appear almost “squashed.” The coral snake is a relative of the cobra, and while not extremely common in the state, it is disturbingly dangerous due to its vivid colors, non-threatening rounded head, and resemblance to the non-venomous kingsnake. They are found primarily in central Mississippi. Remember the rhyme, “Red on yellow kills a mate; red on black, poison is missing,” to keep the difference between the color bands of these two snakes. Milk snakes and scarlet snakes are sometimes confused with these potential killers.
Safety precautions
First, if you come across a snake and you’re not 100% sure it’s not venomous, give it a wide birth. It is always better not to play with a snake than to have to worry about a bite or illness. Even non-venomous snakes can bite and handling them can cause salmonella infections. Each year, about 70,000 people contract salmonellosis from contact with reptiles in the United States, many from non-venomous wild snakes. Be sure to educate your children and any new outdoor seekers to beware of venomous snakes as well. MDWFP has interactive activity sheets and handouts to help youth and adults spot dangerous snakes.
When in the woods, consider snake chaps or leggings over heavy pants and boots as a good snake-proof layer over your legs if walking through dense brush. In the summer, although snakes are more active, you may want to stick to that rule of thumb if you’re working trails, working on game cameras, or looking for shelter. Shorts can make you bite.
If you are trying to keep your campsite or home free of snakes, cleanliness is the best policy. Remove trash, trash piles, scrap wood piles, and other things that might lead to good bedding areas for the armless slider type. Spring is an especially strong time of year to keep an eye out at camp for invasive snakes that are very active during this time. The last thing you want to do is be out all summer and come back to find a cave of snakes.
If a snake, of any kind, but especially one that is potentially venomous, bites you, seek immediate medical attention. When you get help, you’ll want to know what type of snake bit you, so try to remember any details such as length, head shape, markings, color, and actions. Take a photo if you can with your cell phone or camera instead of trying to capture it. The last thing the hospital needs is for you to bring a strange snake into the ER with you.
I could drive them crazy like a rattlesnake.
