Welcome to batonrougesnakes.com! I am David, a snake enthusiast living in Baton Rouge, LA. Many people don't know that Baton Rouge is in fact full of snakes! You just need to know where to find them - they can often be shy and elusive. Some Louisiana snake species are more common outside of the city limits, in different parts of East Baton Rouge County LA, but many types of snakes are indeed common in the more urban parts of Baton Rouge. This guide is meant to help educate you about the beautiful snakes of Baton Rouge, and to help you identify the most common snakes of Baton Rouge, as well as the venomous snakes of Baton Rouge that you should learn to recognize and avoid. If you want more detail, click here for my complete list of ALL snake species in Baton Rouge. Remember the following:
- Most snakes of Baton Rouge are harmless and don't want to encounter you
- Venomous snakes exist but are uncommon in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Snakes eat rats and mice and are a valuable part of the Louisiana ecosystem
- Never kill a snake - if you leave a snake alone, it will leave you alone.
Common Snake Species in Baton Rouge
![Baton Rouge snake](speckledkingsnake.jpg)
Speckled kingsnakes mostly live in areas where there is water such as swamps, rivers, and ponds but they can also survive in forests and grasslands. It feeds mainly on rodents, lizards, birds, and other small mammals, killing them by constriction. The speckled kingsnake is non-venomous but it may bite when threatened. It also shakes its tails which may sound like a rattle and expel feces or musk from its body when threatened. The speckled kingsnake does well in captivity and is often kept as a pet.
![Baton Rouge snake](pinewoodsnake.jpg)
Pinewood snakes live around woodlands and forests but they can also survive in wet areas. They can live under logs, small holes inside the soil, and tree barks. Their diet consists mainly of small lizards and frogs, salamanders, etc. Although not venomous and completely not toxic to humans, the pine snake has poisonous saliva which it uses to immobilize smaller prey before feeding on them.
Venomous Snake Species in Baton Rouge
![Baton Rouge snake](canebrakerattlesnake.jpg)
Canebrakes are docile animals that may remain in a spot for several days. They are ambush predators, lying in wait for their prey for a long time before striking to kill them. Canebrakes are venomous and a bite can lead to death if not attended to on time.
![Baton Rouge snake](copperhead.jpg)
Copperheads live on hillsides, abandoned woodpiles, and many terrestrial or aquatic places they can find. They feed mostly on rodents and frogs. Camouflage is a weapon they use to blend in with their environment when waiting for prey. They may strike if attacked or accidentally stepped on. Copperheads are venomous, although their bites rarely lead to death as their venom is not the most potent.
![Baton Rouge snake](cottonmouth.jpg)
Cottonmouths feed mainly on aquatic animals such as fish, frogs, and other water snakes. Like other pit vipers, cottonmouths are venomous and a bite from them can kill their prey.
If you're unsure, you can email me a photo of the snake at info@batonrougesnakes.com and I will email you back with the snake's species. If you found a snake skin, read my Found a Skin? page, and you can email me a photo of the skin, and I'll identify the snake for you. If you need professional Baton Rouge snake removal help, click my Get Help page, or see the below website sponsor I found, who provides that service.
Remember, the term is not poisonous snakes of Baton Rouge, it's venomous snakes of Baton Rouge. Poison is generally something you eat, and venom is injected into you. That said, dangerous snakes are very rare in Baton Rouge. The few venomous snakes of East Baton Rouge County are rarely seen. But they are commonly misidentified, so learn about all the snake species of Baton Rouge in order to correctly identify them. These snakes are usually also found in the surrounding towns of Baton Rouge, Zachary, Central, Baker, Merrydale, Brownfields ,Shenandoah, Inniswold, Westminster, Old Jefferson, Monticello, and the surrounding areas.
Read our article about:
What can I do to get a snake out of my attic?
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