If seen near a dwelling, it could indicate presence of rat nests, an expert says.
Shakaya Andres| Florida Times-Union
Now that it's snake egg-laying season, people around the Beaches area and elsewhere are more likely to see snakes coming out of their hiding places in brush and other concealed areas to look for food, officials said.
Blackracer snakes' eggs can be found in the Beaches area, but corn, yellow rat, banded water and cottonmouth snakes are the most common, said Joe Burgess, a Guana Reserve reptile expert.
There are also unusual findings, such as a red, yellow and black scarlet king snake on South Roscoe Boulevard and a yellow pine snake in South Ponte Vedra Beach.
"Snakes are opportunistic in where they lay their eggs; they like brush piles because it provides protection, heat and moisture," Burgess said.
In August and September the eggs will hatch, said Kevin Enge, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reptile expert. Depending on the species, a snake could lay 20 to 100 eggs at a time, officials said.
"April is peak breeding season for snakes," he said." Some snakes lay eggs, others give live birth; all venomous species except the coral snake give this kind of birth."
Snake sightings near a dwelling could indicate the presence of rodents, such as rat nests, which are found underneath brush, lumber or other debris accumulation.
"Sometimes the snake hangs out in the nest after they've eaten; it's a nice place to hide already," Burgess said.
Burgess said the best thing people can do if they encounter a snake is to remain calm, walk away and come back in 15 minutes, when the snake will mostly likely be gone. If it's not gone, use a broomstick from a safe distance to disturb it. That will cause it to leave.
"People have no need to be afraid of snakes," he said.
Snakes have a bad reputation because they are misunderstood, people are misinformed, cultural negative representations are potentially dangerous and they aren't cute, reserve experts said.
In Florida, there are 50 established species, including the venomous cottonmouth, eastern diamondback, dusky pigmy, rattle and coral snakes.
Snakes aren't aggressive unless they feel threatened or cornered, officials said. They do everything in their power to get way or defend themselves including discharging feces, producing a musky secretion, making a hiss sound, striking without biting and rattling their tails.
"Snakes are animals, they are no different than any other animal," Burgess said. "All animals just want to be left alone. Snakes bite when they are picked up."
Most people are bitten by snakes while handling them. Nationally, about 40,000 bites occur annually, including 8,000 to 10,000 venomous bites, about 15 of which have led to fatalities.
If bitten, remain calm, identify or describe the snake if possible, remove any rings or other jewelry that could restrict circulation, keep the bitten limb below the level of the heart and seek immediate medical attention.
People who work or spend a lot of time in areas with snakes should learn about the local snakes and have a snake bite plan.
There is rarely a need to kill a snake, but in the event that one is killed, experts said that for a short time after a snake is killed, its reflexes may continue to work. Those reflexes typically cause the body to writhe slowly, but prodding a freshly killed snake can cause a convulsive contraction and even a bite. Do not handle a newly killed venomous snake.
Shakaya Andres can also be reached at (904) 249-4947, ext. 6319.
