Poisonous Snakes of North Carolina

These Are the Ones that Are Dangerous!

North Carolina has plenty of outdoor fun during the spring and summer months, but with the fun comes snakes. However we only have 6 different breeds of poisonous snakes in North Carolina. I will list the ones that are poisonous and a little about each one. I will also provide tips for avoiding them, and what to do if you ARE bitten.

Copperhead

The Copperhead is probably the most common poisonous snake in North Carolina, thus the more likely to bite you. However the Copperhead's venom is relatively mild and a human death from their bites are rare. They are called Copperheads due to the copper color of their heads. The body is usually tan colored but can have a pinkish tint. They have dark bands usually hour glass shaped on them. Baby Copperheads have a yellow tip on their tails. They will live just about anywhere in North Carolina. They like to be near streams but will be found in many different types of habitats.

Canebrake Rattlesnake

The Canebrake Rattlesnake is pinkish to tan in color. It has brown to black blotches on the body. It has a stripe down it's back and one from the jaw to the eye. They like to live in forests and sometimes swampy areas and of course cane fields.

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

This is the biggest poisonous snake found in North America, much less North Carolina. Some 8 feet long have been captured. They tend to feed on larger mammals than most snakes, such as squirrels. They like to live in pine forests and brushy fields near forests.

Cottonmouth

The Cottonmouth can and will kill you! It has a very venomous bite, though like most snakes it will flee if it can. They are usually brown in the body and are named from the white on the inside of the mouth. It has a visible stripe on the side of it's head. If you are looking straight down at one, you can't see it's eyes, they don't protrude. Many harmless water snakes are confused with the Cottonmouth. They swim with their head stuck out of the water. They are found in swamps, rivers, lakes and even ditches in Eastern North Carolina.

Pigmy Rattlesnake