There are also a LOT of non-poisonous snakes in Florida, and the poisonous ones? Mainly want to be left alone. Don't pester them, put your hand in their faces, threaten them etc. and you can just watch the wildlife.
I've nearly stepped on a cottonmouth before - when a large predator approaches, they just go perfectly still and hope you mistake them for a fallen branch. But for that tatic, instead of slithering away, they're called aggressive by some people. In reality, it means you have to watch, because if you step on one, of course they're going to react. Still, it also means you can get right up on one and check it out with no fear.
Water moccasins, generally are also pretty shy. I've had some big old 6 footers who were like "yeah, what you gonna do about it?" when I crossed paths with them, unlike the little ones who are more "AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! HUMAN!" but we just eyeballed each other and went on our ways. (I can't count the moccasins I've run across in my lifetime. My family has that rarest of rare things in SW Louisiana - a crystal clear, spring fed pond. No one ever goes back there, so it is FULL of moccasins. Before they clear cut the land around it, it was also huckleberry central. Huckleberries are worth eyeballing a few moccasins. . .)
Rattlers will defend themselves much more readily if they feel threatened, but even then, if you aren't trying to walk on them, or shoot them, or run them down with a hoe or something, they recognize you are the bigger predator and that they, in this instance, would be prey, so if you don't act crazy, they're just like "oh, thanks for not killing me" and they slither on their way. Corals can be a little cranky (I think it's their size - they are itsy little snakes!) but unless you stick your hand in a load of pine straw or something similar, you can't miss them. And remember "red against yellow can kill a fellow, red against black is a friend of jack." The red against black snakes are rather docile little non-poisonous snakes. The red against yellow are coral. Give them a little room and they'll be glad to leave you alone!
In addition, a lot of the snakes you see are non-poisonous. King snakes and corn snakes, for example, are all so docile in the presence of humans that you can scoop one up from the outdoors and set it up in a terrarium! (Not that I would, personally.) Others, not so much - they may not be poisonous, but they have a little self-respect. Racers, coachwhips, rat snakes and hog nosed come to mind. Still, if you are extremely careful (they will run if spooked unless cornered so that they can't, then they will get all panicked and bite - so don't corner one or get all up in its grill - just give it room to slither off in a terrified manner if it spots you and starts getting worried about what you're cooking for supper and you're fine), you can observe these snakes as well.
All native snakes, whether non-poisonous or poisonous, are important to the ecosystem of Florida and serve an important function. They are not looking for humans, they do not want to bother us. Leave them alone, they'll leave you alone!
Oh, and the kicker? I used to have a phobia of snakes. The older I get and the more I learn about the conservation of land, the more I appreciate all wildlife, including snakes.
sticks finger in ears and sticks tongue out I can't hear you!!!!
