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we are back to the Jacksonville Zoo and
this time around we're learning all the
bouts thanks I'm with my friend Cale and
there's been a lot of reports recently
have some big snakes finding their way
into houses and in the suburbs so I want
to learn which are the ones that are
poisonous which are the ones that are
safe just get a whole rundown on all
this so welcome River City live and
where do we start
thank you all right in here we might as
well start with what our largest
venomous snake here in North America is
and actually is relatively common here
in the area so we do have a lot of
beautiful habitat that's around us so
they will kind of make their way in and
in red snake is that so this right
here's the Eastern diamondback
rattlesnake it is the largest venomous
snake in North America and actually the
heaviest Viper in the new world so North
and South America so they are very large
and very impressive snakes they are
known for their size and just simple
fact that they are rattlesnakes so it's
a great opportunity for us to learn and
if we avoid that rattle they're actually
going to avoid us as well so now are
they aggressive typically not a lot of
rattlesnakes are gonna simply sit their
ground and hope that you pass by that we
are very large predators in their world
so they really don't want to interact
with us but if they are pushed and to
the point where they need to fill it
like they need to defend themselves
that's typically when a rattlesnake is
gonna bite so if you do see one let's
just say in your yard when you're doing
yard work just walk away right don't try
to do anything yeah keep your distance
the most the biggest reason that people
do get bitten is because they're trying
to interact with snake move amount
relocate them on their own or
unfortunately trying to end the snakes
life to Phil for protection but
typically if they are given the chance
to move away you're probably not gonna
see him again and what are some unique
characteristics when you look at the
snake to help identify what the eastern
diamondback they do have very large
diamond-shaped pattern down their back
the rattle hopefully that will be there
and then also the striping along their
eye coming down from their eye and also
they have pits and a very large broad
triangle head on them now our next snake
is very common to the area not venomous
but they can bite if provoked absolutely
just like any animal if they feel like
they need to protect themselves they
certainly will there's no reason to hold
back if they feel like that will scare
you away and they're gonna bite you and
trying to scare you off with that very
quickly with these guys being arboreal
and very capable climbers they are very
active in the area so they would be
moving around they might be in your
hedges or in your trees out back and
they're actually gonna be helping with
pest control so they're going to be
consuming a lot of rodents all in the
area and other other food items as well
but that's kind of on their primary
helps and what type of snake is this so
this one right here is a yellow rat
snake or Eastern rat snake so it is one
of the larger rat snakes in the area
that you could possibly see when they
are young though they're commonly
mistaken with a very common venomous
snake that we have here in the state
which is the pygmy rattlesnake so they
are when they're young they have a small
pattern especially black racers have
dark coloration on that pattern so it
kind of mimics and or almost matches the
pattern with pygmy rattlesnakes so
that's why they're really misidentified
but you might not have anything that's
dangerous out there it might just be a
little younger a snake cruising around
and then with this type of snake again
they can bite but they're not venomous
yeah you know they can bite but yeah
nothing nothing to worry about they're
not venomous so just make sure you get
it cleaned up just like anything if you
had an open you know open little cut you
don't to clean up and take care of it
now there's another snake that resembles
this snake that is poisonous found in
this area correct yeah so as like I said
when they're young they have a nice
little pattern on them when they are
small and that's actually gonna be our
pygmy rattlesnake that's right here
behind us and they have that small very
significant diamond patterns with dark
coloration and because the pygmy
rattlesnake has a very small rattle you
probably won't even hear it rattling so
it's very often that people can't hear
that rattle because of the pitch of it
but so that's why you do have to be
careful and just again just like any
snake venomous or not if you just keep
your distance and give them space
they'll probably give you space and kill
if you do get bit by a snake and let's
just say obviously you're in a state of
shock and you don't know what type it
was what should you do luckily here if
you do feel like you're
did get bitten by possibly a venomous
snake you
call nine one you make your way to the
hospital we have very limited options
for what to be concerned about to get
treatment for so if they do see symptoms
of actual venomous bite we can treat
with one of only two two types of snakes
whether the rattlesnakes and Vipers or
the coral snake and the coral snakes
would be very distinct so it will be
pretty easy to identify or see if you
need treatment based on the bite and
then going back to this because I like
this if you do see a snake just walk
away right if you do that the chances
are they're not going to attack you yeah
they're not gonna follow you most the
time they want to back away as well so
that's the best option well thank you so
much for your time and all this
information to learn more about the
Jacksonville Zoo you go to our website
receive live tv.com
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