Florida Native Snake Rehabilitation & Rescue

08/25/2026

This 👇👇👇

Well, folks. It has happened. Due to a viral Facebook post about a snake relocation study that suggested that relocated snakes merely return to where they were found, people are commenting that relocation doesn't work and isn't worth it. Implying we should just kill the snakes. This is incorrect at best, and disinformation at worst.

Recently an AI-bot account posted a summary of a study on rattlesnake relocation done in a highly disturbed area at the very northern part of their range in Canada. Many snakes returned after being relocated. The post presented this as being the way it is, full stop.

The truth is that relocation is complicated, which is why asking for information from professionals is much better than a bot post. We at CCSS have been at the leading edge of research on snake relocation policy and procedure for years. We photograph every snake we relocate to record its unique pattern. If a client ever gets another snake, we can see if it returned. We have relocated >700 rattlesnakes here on the central coast, and only one has ever returned. We utilize short-distance relocation (1/4-1/2 mile away) into good habitat. We call this the "Goldilocks method:" not too far that the snake doesn't fare well, and not too close that it comes right back. We are permitted by the California Dept of Fish and Wildlife to relocate with these procedures and wrote this summary article of studies on relocations in California, showing that short-distance relocations often work very well:https://www.centralcoastsnakeservices.com/uploads/1/2/7/0/127087854/mitigation_translocation_of_snakes_in_california.pdf

As for that bot post, you can read a great response by my colleagues at Rattlesnake Solutions here that explains why relocating is complicated but can be successful when done with care: https://www.facebook.com/snakeremoval/posts/hey-everyone-weve-been-tagged-many-times-in-a-post-from-an-ai-slop-page-called-t/1531534082350987/. This includes great links for those who want to learn more.

I don't know about you all, but I hate misinformation that changes people's sentiments in a negative way about snakes and their management. The truth is that if that bot post got to you, then you've been had. And I hate being had. We are here to answer questions, but are growing tired of people proclaiming that relocation doesn't work based on a bot post. Trust your actual, living snake experts- we are here to help!

Photo by Brittany App

08/15/2026

Reviewing prior cases today and found one we thought we’d share. This large adult male Florida Cottonmouth had a significant wound on his nose. After a few months of antibiotics, skin sheds, and wound cleaning, it finally healed over and he was able to be released back into the wild. As is the case with many of our rehab patients, we have no clue how the injury happened.

Like any other wild animal, our native snakes deserve a second shot at life back in the wild. They too are suffering population declines. Habitat loss, road fatalities, non-native parasites and pathogens, and direct human persecution all contribute to these losses.

08/05/2026

It’s been awhile since we posted about our ambassador Florida Cottonmouth pair, Marge and Old Man. Here we find them cuddled up together, typical behavior for them both as they are a social species. Marge is missing her right eye, Old Man is blind in his left. Between them, they have one good pair of eyes.

Cottonmouth snakes have a fairly large range in North America and are one of the few Semi-aquatic pit vipers in the world. They can be found in low lying swamps and along the banks of other bodies of water. Their typical diet is heavy in fish and frogs, but they are also opportunistic and will eat anything small (other snakes, rodents, etc) that accidentally blunder into their presence. They are also scavengers and eagerly eat roadkill and fish heads/guts from filleting tables. You might also see them congregating at seasonal creek beds to consume trapped fish in evaporating puddles.

Old Man and Marge, being permanent captives, are typically fed frozen thawed commercially available rodents. From time to time they get treats such as salmon or tilapia fillets, which they really enjoy. Bring low metabolism pit vipers, they are typically fed once every three to four weeks.

07/26/2026

It’s feeding day for our ambassador snakes! Let’s check in on Miss Aceso. We caught video of her just finishing a meal; this is a rabbit sausage made by Reptilinks. The long, narrow size of these links perfectly accommodate her special needs. What is her disability? Aceso is unable to open her mouth very wide due to jaw injuries which have since healed. Hopefully, over time, she will improve her eating skills as she is a youngster yet and not finished growing. Either way, we are glad to have successfully found a food she both relishes and can easily consume on her own. 🐍💞

07/26/2026

Release update!🎉
The two female Florida Cottonmouth snakes that were taken in a couple months back for wire/mesh entanglement injuries were finally released! Unfortunately, the video we took of the release did not turn out well, so instead we’ve attached a few photos of these girls taken during their time in rehab.
Cottonmouth snakes are a social species, so although these two came in separately, we housed them together as a pair. Having a friend reduces stress and encourages faster healing. As such, we decided it would also be best to release these two pretty girls together. Teamwork makes the dream work! Congratulations to both of these beautiful native snakes for completing successful rehabilitation and release! 🐍🎉

07/24/2026

Release update, SOUND ON!!🎉
The state protected Florida Pine Snake was released back to her origin in Madison County yesterday! If you remember, she had a necrotic wound on her side that was likely caused by a a prey bite. Dr. Woliver surgically debrided the wound and sutured her back up a couple months ago, and she had been undergoing rehabilitation and suture care at our facility. Last week we took her back to see Dr. Woliver to have her sutures removed and she was declared releasable! Yesterday afternoon we drove her out to Lake City to meet up with this beautiful snake’s original rescuer, Laura Bauer, so she could take her back to her origin for release. We love happy endings for our rehab patients! Many thanks to Laura and her friend Joey for releasing her and capturing such an awesome video for us!! 🎉🐍

07/17/2026

Update on Miss Aceso, the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake! She is settling in here at our facility very well and seems to enjoy exploring the new furniture we have added for her enrichment. Also, she has steadily been gaining weight and length. We have discovered that the long, narrow Reptilink sausages made of whole ground rabbit make eating easier for her and she really seems to relish them. We are so glad to have found a way for her to successfully accommodate her prior jaw injuries. She is a young snake, and still growing. This was definitely a factor contributing to her success in being able to eat again. She is a spicy young lady, and we love seeing her sass! We’ll continue to update you on her continued success as an ambassador snake here at our facility!

*Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes are a vulnerable species that have been in steady decline; It is estimated that they exist in only 3% of their former range. Factors such as habitat loss, road fatalities, and direct persecution all contribute to their decline. Additionally, females of this species do not become sexually mature until they are between 6-7 years old and it is estimated they only give birth to litters in the wild every 3-4 years. For all of the above reasons, Eastern Diamondbacks are currently up for consideration to be added to the Endangered Species Act.

07/14/2026

Checking in on our yearling ambassador Florida Cottonmouth, Junior. He is Marjorie and Old Man’s baby from last year. In the photo, not only is he sound asleep, but you can also see that he is deep within a shed cycle. This process, correctly termed ecdysis, typically lasts 7-14 days. It is the process of replacing old skin with a new one to accommodate growth, repair damaged skin, or to remove parasitic infestations of the skin.
So why are their eyes a bluish-white during this process?
It’s the ecdysial fluid between the old skin and new skin.
This fluid serves several important functions. It separates the skin layers and loosens the attachment between the old epidermis (outer skin) and the new epidermis beneath it. This fluid contains enzymes which help break down the structures that anchor the old skin to the new one, making removal easier. The mix of enzymes and fluid also help lubricate the interface, reducing friction so the old skin can slide off more easily during ecdysis.
The accumulation of this fluid is also what causes the characteristic “blue phase” causing the eyes to become cloudy or blue. This is because the spectacle (eye cap) also separates from the new spectacle underneath.
During this blue phase, the snake is virtually blind, which can make them much more defensive. They will often hide during this period.
A few days later, the fluid between the new and old skin is reabsorbed by the snake. This is why the eyes clear up before the snake actually sheds. The old skin remains separated from the new skin, and the snake typically sheds within 1–4 days after the eyes clear.
Young snakes, like Junior here, shed more frequently than adults to accommodate rapid growth. And Junior is growing fast! He is already almost 15 inches long and has quadrupled his weight since his birth last June!