Tim Vandenberg has found a Cottonmouth

in his garage. Here is some information on

the snakes that we may find in our area and
how you can best deal with them!

Home About Reptiles Articles Care Sheets Blog Contact

Venomous Snakes of North Carolina

2015, Brandon Cornett | All rights reserved

Welcome to our pictorial guide to venomous snakes of North Carolina. On this page, you
can learn about the different types of venomous reptiles found in North Carolina. Without
further ado, let's jump right in.

A Warning About North Carolina Venomous Snakes

In several places throughout this article, we discuss how some species are more
aggressive than others. While some of the venomous snakes on this list are somewhat
even-tempered, they are still very dangerous. All of these animals possess venom that can
cause serious illness, injury or even death. If you encounter one of these North Carolina
venomous snakes in the wild, you should observe it from a safe distance -- and leave it
alone. You should never try to handle a snake in the wild, despite how easy the experts Latest Articles
on TV might make it seem.

Copperhead
This venomous snake is found throughout North
Carolina. The copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)
a relatively small snake, with adults averaging less
than three feet (36 inches) in length. This snake
has a pale tan or pinkish-tan background color that
darkens toward the mid-body area. It has a series
of darker crossbands.

Like most of the North Carolina venomous snakes,

the copperhead is a pit viper. This means it has a
sensory pit located midway between the eye and
nostril, on either side of its face. The copperhead uses these pits to detect its warm-
blooded prey. (Side note: The coral snake is the only species on this page that is not a pit
viper.)

While this venomous snake is certainly dangerous, it does not account for very many
human fatalities. A copperhead bite can do a lot of tissue damage in the area of the bite,
but it rarely causes death. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians
(AAFP): "Bites from copperhead snakes ... seldom require antivenin therapy because they
have the least potent venom [of all the North American pit vipers] and a negligible fatality
rate."

If you encounter this North Carolina venomous snake in the wild, observe it from a
distance and leave it alone. These snakes only bite when they feel threatened, or when
stepped on.

Dell Business
Outlet - Dell.com
- Official Site

Timber Rattlesnake
This North Carolina venomous snake is widespread
throughout the state. It is also referred to as the
canebrake rattlesnake. Adults can reach a length of
five feet or more. The timber rattlesnake (Crotalus
horridus) has a color / pattern combination that
helps it blend in with the soil, rock and leaf litter
where it spends most of its time. These venomous
snakes usually fall into one of two color patterns.
The yellow phase has black or dark-brown bands
on a lighter background of yellow or gray. The
black phase has dark bands on a dark background,
and may appear totally black at first glance.

This snake has large fangs and produces a large venom yield. As a result, a single bite
from a timber rattlesnake can cause serious illness or death. Fortunately, this snake is not
particularly aggressive. It will only strike when it feels threatened. It bears repeating: A
rattlesnake will not attack a human unless threatened or provoked.

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus
adamanteus) is probably the best known of all the
venomous snakes in North Carolina. This
rattlesnake can be found in the southeastern part
of the state. This is a very stout, heavy-bodied
animal. In fact, the eastern diamondback is the
heaviest of all the venomous snakes in North and
South America -- though not the longest. These
snakes can weigh more than 20 pounds when fully
grown.

This snake has a background color that is either brownish, brownish-gray, brownish-
yellow, gray or olive colored. It has a series of darker colored diamonds down its body.
These diamonds usually number around 30 when the snake is fully grown.

This is a large and powerful snake, but it's not particularly aggressive (by rattlesnake
standards). Still, you wouldn't want to get anywhere near one in the wild. This venomous
snake has a potent hematoxin that attacks red blood cells and tissue. The bite can be fatal
if untreated. As with all of the other North Carolina venomous snakes, you should only
observe this animal from a safe distance.

Pigmy Rattlesnake
Also known as the dusky pigmy rattlesnake
(Sistrurus miliarius), this venomous snake is mostly
found in the eastern part of North Carolina. As the
name implies, this is a relatively small species of
rattlesnakes. The adults average 14 - 22 inches in
length. The snake's rattle is very small and hard to
hear. These rattlesnakes usually have reddish-
orange markings that run down the back, as you
can see in the accompanying photo.

This snake is venomous and can cause serious pain

and localized tissue damage. But its bite is usually not life threatening.

Pigmy rattlesnakes are a protected species in North Carolina, where it is listed as a species
of special concern. Several of the other venomous snakes on this page are also protected,
including the eastern diamondback and the coral snake.

Cottonmouth / Water Moccasin

As one of its common names would suggest, the
cottonmouth or water moccasin (Agkistrodon
piscivorus) is often found near water. The
cottonmouth mostly eats fish and frogs that are
found in its semi-aquatic habitat. This snake
inhabits the wetland areas located in the eastern
half of North Carolina.

The "cottonmouth" name comes from the snake's

tendency to open its mouth and hiss when
threatened. The inside of its mouth is whitish-pink in color, which starkly contrasts the
darker coloration of its body.

Like most of the pit vipers, this venomous snake has a broad head. It also has a blunt
snout and (usually) a telltale stripe under each eye. Most cottonmouth snakes are mostly
black, and may appear completely black from a distance (aside from the aforementioned
head pattern). Some specimens may have a tan, gray or brownish ground color with
darker crossbands.

These venomous snakes of North Carolina have a reputation for being highly aggressive. It
is often said that they are one of the only snakes that will actually chase humans. These
claims are largely exaggerated, handed down from one person to another in anecdotal
fashion. In some instances, these snakes may exhibit territorial behavior by approaching
intruders (even humans) in an aggressive way. But if given the chance, they would seek to
avoid contact with humans.

Coral Snake
Of all the North Carolina venomous snakes on this
list, the coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) is rarely seen
in the wild. These secretive animals spend a lot of
time burrowing and hiding under things. They
inhabit the south and southeastern parts of the
state. Coral snakes are not pit vipers, which makes
them different from all the other snakes on this list.

The color pattern of this snake is easy to identify. It

has a series of rings or bands that run the entire
length of its body. The wide red and black rings are
separated by a narrow yellow ring. It's important to note the color sequence here. Several
non-venomous snakes have similar coloration (such as milk snakes and kingsnakes), but
on these snakes the red does not touch the yellow. There are various rhymes to help you
remember the difference:

Red touch black, friend of Jack; Red touch yellow, kill a fellow

Red on black, venom lack; Red on yellow, kill a fellow

In other words, if the red and yellow bands are touching, it's a coral snake. If the red and
yellow bands are separated by black bands, then it's some other kind of snake.

While the coral snake is highly venomous, it rarely bites humans. It is non-aggressive and
secretive by nature (though it will certainly bite if it's handled or otherwise provoked).
Over the last few decades, there has only been one documented fatality from a coral
snake bite. It possesses a neurotoxic venom that is more closely related to cobra venom
than rattlesnake venom.

Learn More About Venomous Snakes

I hope you have enjoyed this guide to venomous snakes of North Carolina. If you're
interested in this topic, you might also enjoy our rattlesnake database.