Any Florida Snake Experts?

[Ira Runyan]

Found this snake in Brevard County, Florida in a lake (cell) located in the Viera Wetlands. At first glance I thought it was a Red Rat Snake, but the colors and patterns are all wrong.



Anybody know what it is?

[Dylan8i]

my guess would be a color variation of a corn snake. looks like the red spots are trying to be lined by black on some parts. although the fact the red spots are more stripes than sots is kinda strange as well. do you have any photos of the belly, especially under the tail. or top of the head looking straight down?

*edit* after looking at the snakes in florida, i'm about 99% sure this is what it is. there is a keys version that loses almsot all the black, so id say it was close to that.

[caleb7mm]

its a corn snake that has recently shed

[Sushigaijin]

Nope, it's a florida watersnake. Nerodia fasciata.

A very pretty one at that. Definitely 100% not a rat snake, even a rosy rat from the keys.


edit: of the pictiventris subspecies, of course.

[Ira Runyan]

Nope, it's a florida watersnake. Nerodia fasciata.

A very pretty one at that. Definitely 100% not a rat snake, even a rosy rat from the keys.


edit: of the pictiventris subspecies, of course.

Yes, Your ID confirms what others have indicated. I have photographed many Florida Banded Watersnaks, but this is the first one I have seen with most of the black colors suppressed.