Detail photo - Florida Banded Water Snake

DESCRIPTION: Notice the black bands below the mouth.

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Banded water snakes range from two to four feet in length and range from light brown to black in color with black bordered bands across their back. They are semi-aquatic and have thick bodies. The banded water snake lives in the Florida panhandle, along the coastlines northeast to North Carolina, and in southwestern Alabama. They will exude an unpleasant musky odor and bite if startled.

The banded water snake loves fresh water habitats and feels at home in almost any of them like marshes, streams and ponds. They enjoy sunning themselves on logs and are comfortable on branches that hang over the water. Banded water snakes hunt in shallow water for prey like frogs, fish, crayfish, and salamanders.

They breed well both in nature and in captivity, bearing up to 40 live young at a time. Their natural mating season is in the spring and their young are born in the summer. The young are brightly colored and generally about 8 inches in length.

Since they do live around fresh water sources, it is likely that you will see one if you are sunbathing, swimming, or canoeing. It is important not to panic on land or in the water. If you are in the water swimming, move away carefully and do not yell. You do not need water getting into your lungs.

If you are canoeing and you see a banded water snake swimming toward your boat calmly smack your paddle against the water’s surface to scare it away. Again, do not panic. You may flip your canoe and send everything in it, including you, down river.

If you happen to see a banded water snake hanging in a tree or sunning on a log while you are sunbathing, leave it alone. It will not bother you. If you have people with you and you feel confident that they will not harm it, let them know; however, if you do not feel good about telling others just leave it alone and do not tell them unless it comes closer.

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Running a wildlife removal business in the state of Florida gives me the chance to see all kinds of interesting snakes! Florida has about 45 species of snake, and I've seen 29 of them so far. I've always got my eye out for new species, and I love spotting rare snakes in Florida. I also have a thing for venomous snakes - they're not too common in FL, so I always enjoy the chance to see a poisonous serpent. I really like snakes, and I've never hurt or killed one. They're an important part of the ecosystem, and often persecuted. Still, if you don't want snakes in your house or on your property, and judging from the number of phone calls I receive regarding snake problems, you don't, then give me or a local snake expert in your area a call, and we can remove the snakes from your property for you. I use many snake control methods - from snake traps, to snake repellents, to habitat modification, but most of all, good old-fashioned capture and removal. If you want to learn more, please read my How To Get Rid of Snakes page.

AAAnimal Control is a privately owned wildlife removal and pest control business, located in Orlando Florida. I deal strictly with wild animals including snakes inside houses. I am not an extermination company, but a critter removal and control specialist. The above photos are some of the many that I've taken in the field over my years of work. Please email me if you have any questions about the above photographs, or any questions about wildlife problems or Florida snake removal issues.

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Wildlife Photographs by David     Email me with questions: david@aaanimalcontrol.com     Residential & Commercial     Licensed & Insured