1. By David Mooring & The Crodile Hunter
North Carolina Snakes By
David Mooring &
The Crodile Hunter

2. Poisonous Identification
Pit vipers have pits between each eye and nostril
Pit vipers have catlike eyes with long and narrow pupils
Their heads are triangular
The Coral Snake has a black head

3. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
North America’s largest venomous snake
Feeds on rabbits, squirrels, rats, and birds
Has Rattles
Has Mask across eyes
Can be 8 feet long, but usually 5 feet
Found in Pine flatwoods and brushy fields

6. Pygmy Rattlesnake Small and fat snake
Found near flatwoods, wiregrass, and along marshes
Feed on frogs, lizards, Mice, and small snakes
Small rattles sound more like a Buzz

8. Canebrake Rattlesnake
Also called Timber Rattler
Feeds on Rodents and other small animals
Feed in day and night (Mostly night in hot summer months)
Found all over NC and water
Hides under stumps and woody cover

13. Copperhead Also called White Oak or Red Oak Snake Very Aggressive
Feeds on Cicada’s, Caterpillars, frogs, mice, lizards, and birds
Lives in woody areas near rocks, ponds, & streams
Active at night during hot summer
Warm surfaces in cool months
Hourglass shape across back

17. Water Moccassin Also Called Cottonmouth Found on or near water
Feeds at night on fish, amphibians, birds and reptiles
Stripe on side of head
Bite more toxic than Copperhead

20. Coral Snake Spends most of his life under sandy soils
Found in sandhills woods and wiregrass
Feeds on small reptiles and own species
Not Pit Vipers, related to Cobras & Sea Snakes
Not aggressive, must chew to bite
Black Head
Red and yellow kills the fellow

23. Hognose Snake Also called Puff Adder, bluffs with puffed head and neck
Thrashes tail, hisses, and rolls over and plays dead
Feeds on toads, insects, frogs, and mice
Has upturned point on snout
Individuals have varying colors

26. Red Belly Water Snake Color varies from reddish brown to pinkish gray
Prefers wet, but will travel on rainy days
Feeds on frogs, toads, and fish
They will bite and discharge a fowl smelling musk
Their belly is reddish orange

28. Eastern Milk Snake
Feeds on Mice, Snakes, and Lizards

30. Northern Black Racer White patch under skin and throat
Lives in brushy areas and under boards and tin around old buildings
Feed on insects, eggs, mice, frogs, and lizards
Will coil and rattle (bluff) tail when cornered or hurt

32. Corn Snake Black and White Checkered Bellies
Easily kept in captivity, good pets
Feeds small rats, frogs, and lizards
Red, gray, orange or black patches
Generally an orange colored snake

36. Rat Snake Called Chicken Snake
Feeds on rats, mice, birds, reptiles, and chicken eggs
Greenish yellow with four brown or black stripes down its side (black with spotted gray and white belly

38. Juvenile Black Rat

39. Gray Rat

40. Black Rat

41. Coachwhip
When picked up it will bite repeatedly. It will run when it sees people.
Feeds on mice, eggs, birds, snakes, & lizards
Moves quickly on grassy dunes, wiregrass, pine sandhills, and maritime forests

43. Eastern Garter
Variety of colors and patterns (blue, brown, green or red with black or brown spots and/or stripes
They like moist areas
Feeds on frogs, worms, salamanders, small fish and toads
Exacting moisture environmental requirements

45. Stripped Garter

46. Southern Green Snake 14-26 inches long, thin like a pencil
Green in color
Likes grassy areas, trees, and shrubs
Eat insects and spiders

47. Smooth Green Snake

48. Rough Green Snake

49. Scarlet Snake
Red blotches surrounded by black on back (similar to Scarlet King Snake, Corn, and Coral)
Does not have a black head like Coral Snake
Blotches surrounded by belly color
Feeds on insects, lizards, small snakes, reptile eggs, and mice

51. Eastern King Snake Un-aggressive and secretive daytime snake
Found around sawdust plies, old buildings, grass, and under shrubs
Feeds on snakes including copperheads, eggs, mice, and lizards
Venom immunity

53. Ringneck Snake
Black or slate gray snake with ring around neck same color as belly (yellow to orange belly)
Found under flat rocks, logs, or loose bark of dead trees
Feeds on worms, slugs, salamanders, lizards, and newborn snakes.
They coil into a ball