Fun Florida Crowned Snake Facts For Kids
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The Florida crowned snake is a species of snake not much larger than a worm. It can be differentiated from its counterparts of the same genus, Tantilla coronata (southeastern crowned snake), through its brown body and blackhead.
Also known as the Tantilla relicta, these reptiles can be found channeling through dry sand, debris, or even burrows made by other animals. Their habitat is mainly restricted to the sandhills in extreme southern Georgia and central Florida.
Since they are found in a small range in southern Georgia, they are classified as critically impaired. In contrast, their status in Central and North Florida is unprotected since plenty can be found in that habitat.
They prey on a variety of species of insects, including but not limited to centipedes and spiders. While Florida crowned snakes are not poisonous, they are not exactly friendly either. They have a tendency to be nocturnal and usually stay away from areas inhabited by humans, and their venom is harmless to us but still enough to subdue prey.
In reality, they are quite gentle and rarely bite when held. While these snakes prefer to remain inconspicuous, they are the prey of many species, like lizards, as well as, larger snakes.
If you are fascinated and want to read more about Florida crowned snake poisonous or Florida crowned snake venomous, the crowned snake Florida description, Florida crowned snake adaptations, and more, then continue reading this article.
If you liked what you are reading and want to know more about such interesting animals, then check our articles about the milk snake and kukri snake.
Florida Crowned Snake Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a Florida crowned snake?
The Florida crowned snake (Tantilla relicta) is a snake that belongs to the Colubridae family of snakes, native to its habitat in central Florida.
What class of animal does a Florida crowned snake belong to?
The Florida crowned snake (Tantilla relicta) belongs to the Reptilia class of animals.
How many Florida crowned snakes are there in the world?
These snakes are primarily found in and restricted to Florida and regions of extreme southern Georgia. While they are in abundance in Florida, they are found in Georgia in a small range, therefore, part of a conservation effort.
No specific number is assigned to this species since they are found in abundance in their natural sandy and pine habitat and are under no fear of going Extinct.
Where does a Florida crowned snake live?
A Florida crowned snake (Tantilla relicta) thrives mainly in coastal and terrestrial areas in a fossorial (underground) habitat. These include sandhills and dunes and other types of scrub habitat like pine flatwoods that are popularly found in the northern and central areas of Florida and in extreme southern Georgia.
What is a Florida crowned snake's habitat?
Ideally, a Florida crowned snake (Tantilla relicta) prefers to remain unseen under leaf litter, debris, or sandy soil. This species thrives in pine flatwoods, dunes, and sandhills. They are most well suited to a dry and dark habitat in the coastal region with plenty of insects to feed on.
Who do Florida crowned snakes live with?
These snakes are secretive as well as nocturnal, and therefore, spend most of their time alone. They communicate for reproduction purposes through pheromones.
How long does a Florida crowned snake live?
A Florida crowned snake lives around 17-20 years.
How do they reproduce?
The Florida crowned snake lays elongated eggs through sexual reproduction. This reproduction season goes on from late spring to August. Each clutch contains about one to four eggs.
What is their conservation status?
These snakes are limited to areas of Florida and southern Georgia. It is rare for them to be found above ground, especially in a different habitat, making them an easy species to conserve. Currently, they are considered Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.
Florida Crowned Snake Fun Facts
What do Florida crowned snakes look like?
Florida crowned snakes have small and slender physiques that allow for smooth, agile movements through sandy, underground terrains. They are distinguished from the Tantilla coronata by a thin, light band on their neck.
Their body is usually tan or light brown in color, with a black head, chin, and back of the neck, while the belly can be uniform whitish-yellow or white. Some of the snakes sport a small, light, unbroken band of color on their neck and head, especially if they are found in North-Central Florida.
*Please note the main image and this image are of a Garter Snake that belongs to the same family as the Central Florida crowned snake. If you have an image of a Central Florida crowned snake please let us know at hello@kidadl.com.
How cute are they?
This species is quite pleasant to look at, as far as snakes are concerned, since they have a lithe body and small stature. This species can be distinguished from the southeastern crowned snake (Tantilla relicta) by a light band on their neck and black head.
They are non-venomous to humans and rarely bite when picked up, although they will try to escape as fast as they can.
How do they communicate?
The Central Florida crowned snake usually communicates through collecting, leaving, and analyzing pheromones. They do not have a tendency to communicate using sounds or visuals that are clear to the human eye.
These pheromones provide them with enough information about each other such as age, sex, and mating stage. The way they communicate with each other differentiates from how they communicate with humans since they tend to make use of combat and visual displays like the rattling of one's tail if they feel threatened.
How big is a Florida crowned snake?
The maximum size of a Central Florida crowned snake is 9.5 in (24 cm). However, usually, they remain between 7-9 in (18-23 cm), which is pretty small compared to a coral snake.
How fast can a Florida crowned snake move?
The Florida crowned snake (Tantilla relicta) thrives in dry, underground environments, and therefore, has a slender build and agility. This means that the Florida crowned snake can move quite fast if it chooses to.
How much does a Florida crowned snake weigh?
These snakes are fairly small, so they don't weigh more than 0.1-0.3 oz (4-10 g). It is lighter than a black rat snake.
What are the male and female names of the species?
Florida crowned snakes have not been observed to an extent where different names are given to the male and female. As of today, they both go either by Florida crowned snake or their binomial name, Tantilla relicta.
What would you call a baby Florida crowned snake?
When snakes are old and still sexually immature, they are referred to as a juvenile. Since the Florida crowned snake lays eggs, its offspring are called Florida crowned snake hatchlings.
What do they eat?
Their diet primarily consists of smaller insects, like spiders, beetles, and worms. They also feed on insect larvae.
Are they poisonous?
The Florida crowned snake is non-venomous and harmless for humans, just like a corn snake, but its venom does have enough poison to subdue its prey before eating.
Would they make a good pet?
No, a Florida crowned snake would not make a good pet since they are quite small, crepuscular, and can only be sustained in underground locations with a variety of insects to feast on.
Did you know…
The Florida crowned snake has very large rear teeth that are allegedly used to transfer venom into its prey before eating.
When are they active?
The Florida crowned snake is drawn to warm weather and is mostly active in the summer months.
Why are they called Florida crowned snakes?
These snakes have been named as such since they are primarily found in Florida (with a small range in Georgia) and have a thin, dark unbroken band on their neck, similar to a crown.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other reptiles from our black-necked spitting cobra facts and krait facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable snake coloring pages.
Main image by Glenn Bartolotti
Second image by Alessandro Catenazzi
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