Florida crowned snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Florida crowned snake |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Tantilla |
| Species: |
T. relicta
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| Binomial name | |
| Tantilla relicta Telford, 1966
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| Florida crowned snake range | |
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The Florida crowned snake (Tantilla relicta) is a small, shy snake. You can find it in Florida and Georgia. It's a type of colubrid snake, which means it is not venomous and is harmless to people. These snakes are rarely seen because they are small and like to hide. They usually live in sandy areas.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Florida crowned snake is a small, thin snake. It is usually about 7 to 9 inches (17 to 22 cm) long. Some have been recorded up to 9.5 inches (24 cm). Their bodies can be tan, light brown, or reddish-brown.
Their head, chin, and parts of their neck are dark, often brown-black. Some snakes have a light band on their head. This band might not be there on snakes from north-central Florida. They can also have a dark band on their neck. Their belly can be white, pink, or yellowish-white. Snakes living along the Atlantic Coast might have a cream-tan nose.
Where Does It Live?
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The Florida crowned snake is often found in north and central Florida. It also lives in sandy areas along the Gulf coast. You might see them rarely in the very southern part of Georgia.
These snakes love sandy places. This includes areas like Florida sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, and pine hammocks.
Daily Life and What It Eats
These snakes are most active when the weather is warm. During winter, they spend most of their time underground. They burrow into loose, sandy soil. They might use tunnels made by other animals, like pocket gophers or gopher tortoises. They also hide under rocks or piles of leaves. You will rarely see them out in the open.
The Florida crowned snake eats small creatures. Their diet includes worms, snails, spiders, and insects. They also eat insect larvae, like beetle larvae. Snakes found mostly in Florida have large back teeth. These teeth might help them put venom into their prey. But remember, these snakes are completely harmless to humans.
Life Cycle
Scientists do not know much about how Florida crowned snakes reproduce. They lay long, oval-shaped eggs. It is thought that their reproduction is similar to other snakes in the Tantilla group. It is believed they lay their eggs from late spring to August.
Who Are Its Enemies?
Many different animals hunt the Florida crowned snake. These predators can find and catch the snakes even when they are underground. If a human picks up a Florida crowned snake, it will not bite.
This snake is a main food source for the rare short-tailed snake (Lampropeltis extenuata).
Protecting the Florida Crowned Snake
The Florida crowned snake is not considered to be at risk in Florida. However, some groups of these snakes are in danger when their homes are damaged or destroyed. In Georgia, it is listed as critically in danger. This is because it lives in only a small area of the state. The Florida crowned snake is a protected species in Georgia.
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