 Hi, my name is Wesley Anderson, wildlife specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Alabama is home to over 40 species of snakes. Whether you like them or not, snakes are an important part of our environment. One of the most common questions is whether a snake is venomous. Instead of just relying on the eyes or the head shape, always use multiple characteristics. All snakes have distinctive patterns and colors, so the combination of those colors, along with the body shape, along with the head shape, that determines which species it is, and therefore whether it's venomous or not. Even though Alabama has dozens of species, it's really only the six venomous that everyone should be able to identify. Venomous species include copperheads, cotton mouths, and the eastern coral snake, along with three kinds of rattlesnakes, which are the pygmy, timber, and eastern diamondback. Snakes fill important roles in the environment. For example, rat snakes are aptly named because they eat rodents, like mice and rats, and offer free pest control. Many snakes, including our vipers, will be more active during daytime, spring and fall, but most active at night during the hot summer months. Backyard habitat management is the best way to reduce snake encounters near the home. The tidier yard is kept, like keeping the grass short, trimming back shrubs, and moving objects off the ground, the less appealing it is for a snake. Also be sure to keep the area under the bird feeder's tidy and pet food secured to reduce attracting rodents, which in turn may attract snakes. There are no at-home remedies for snake bite that actually work. The most important thing to do is get to the hospital. There's no proven product on the market that effectively deters snakes. Instead of wasting your time with snake propellant, tidy up the yard and crack open a field guide about Alabama snakes.