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Home > Snakes > Scarlet Snake

Scarlet Snake

Scarlet snakes are nocturnal and elusive species. Found only in United States, they have a striking resemblance with the venomous coral snake and the scarlet king snake. When the eggs hatch, the babies look very similar to adults.


Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Clade Tetrapodomorpha
Class Reptilia
Order Squamata
Suborder Serpentes
Family Colubridae
Genus Cemophora
Scientific name Cemophora coccinea
Subspecies
  • Cemophora coccinea coccinea or Florida Scarlet Snake
  • Cemophora coccinea copei or Northern Scarlet Snake


Size 14-20 in (36-51 cm), recorded largest snake had 32.5 in (82.8 cm)
Color Dorsal is gray, red patches with a black border, light gray belly
Distribution Illinois, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, southeastern Texas, Maryland, eastern Oklahoma, Virginia, Tennessee, central Missouri, Arkansas and Alabama
Habitat Pine forests, sandhill scrubs, forests with sandy and dry soils (for burrows)
Diet Other snakes, tiny rodents, lizards and eggs
Hibernation period Winter to late spring
Venom fact Non-venomous
Breeding season Spring
Mode of Reproduction Oviparous
Clutch size 3-8 eggs
Incubation period 6-7 weeks
Egg Laying season Summer
Average Lifespan 10-15 years
IUCN Conservation Status Least concern but in Indiana it is considered as an endangered species

Scarlet Snake Pictures Gallery

Published on November 3rd 2018 by under Snakes. Article was last reviewed on 14th June 2019.

One response to “Scarlet Snake”

  1. ira g says:

    I know how long a Scarlet King Snake can get when full grown but how thick will it get when it reaches adult

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