Snakes of Alabama

Activity Book
Coloring pages, activities, and fun facts about snakes!

Author: Sara Viernum

Editors: George Cline, PhD and Raymond Corey
 Hi! I’m Adam, an Eastern Diamondback
Rattlesnake. I live in Alabama and I’d like you
to meet some of my snake friends that live in
Alabama too. But before we go meet my friends
let me tell you some fun facts about snakes.

Snakes are reptiles like lizards and turtles but they don’t have any legs. They
live all over the world the except in Antarctica and some islands including
Ireland, Iceland, and Greenland. Snakes live in all kinds of habitats from trees
to underground to even oceans. They come in all colors and sizes and some
are so big that they weigh more than you. Some snakes use venom to capture
prey and have rattles on their tails just like me.
Now let’s go meet some of my snake friends that live in Alabama!

Fun fact: All the coloring plates in this book were drawn from real snakes that were observed
in the wild. Please see the last page for all the wonderful contributing photographer credits.
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 Eastern Wormsnake — Nonvenomous
(Carphophis amoenus amoenus)

Northern Brown Snake — Nonvenomous

(Storeria dekayi dekayi)

3
Eastern Coral Snake — Venomous
(Micrurus fulvius)

Scarlet Kingsnake — Nonvenomous

(Lampropeltis elapsoides)

4
 Scarlet Snake — Nonvenomous
(Cemophora coccinea)

Fun fact: Eastern coral snakes are in the same family (Elapidae)
as cobras, mambas, and sea snakes. All snakes in this family are
venomous and have small, fixed fangs. Nonvenomous scarlet
snakes and scarlet kingsnakes look like (also known as mimic)
venomous eastern coral snakes so predators will leave them
alone.
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 Word Search

C Z A Q W S M A R S H E S W

C O T T O N M O U T H D O K

X C P D Q E R F V T O B G I

B N H P U Y M J U O N K I N

L G R E E N O P W I Q A Z G

X M S W E R C W A T E R D S

H I S S N E H R V F R B G N

T M N H Y M J E U K I L O A

D I A M O N D B A C K P Z K

X C S W C D E V F D R B G E

Green Mimic Diamondback

Kingsnake Rainbow Hiss
Marshes Queen Copperhead
Cottonmouth Water Woods

*Answers on page 29

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 Florida Cottonmouth — Venomous
(Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti)

Fun fact: Cottonmouths are named after the bright white color of
the inside of their mouths. When they feel threatened they’ll coil up
their bodies and open their mouths to expose the white coloration
to scare predators.
7
Eastern Copperhead — Venomous
(Agkistrodon contortrix)

Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake — Venomous

(Sistrurus miliarius barbouri)

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 Color By Number

2 2 2 2
2 1 2
2 1 1
2 2
2 1 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 1
2 2
2 2 1
4 2 1 2
2
4
4 1 2
1
2
2 1 5
2 2 1 2
2 1 2
1 2
1 2 3
2
2 2 2 1
2 2 3 2 2
2
2 2 2 1 2
2 2 2
2 2 2
2 2 1
1 2
2 2 1
1
1 2
2 2 2
2
2
2
2 2 1
1

Carolina Pygmy Rattlesnake — Venomous

(Sistrurus miliarius miliarius)
1. Light Brown
2. Dark Brown
3. Cream
4. Tan
5. Dark Orange

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Timber Rattlesnake — Venomous
(Crotalus horridus)

Fun fact: Rattlesnakes are in the same family (Viperidae) as puff

adders, copperheads, cottonmouths, and bushmasters. All snakes
in this family are venomous and have long, hinged fangs for
injecting venom into their prey.
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Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake — Venomous
(Crotalus adamanteus)

Fun fact: Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes are the largest

venomous snake in North America with some growing up to 8 feet
long. Pygmy Rattlesnakes are the smallest rattlesnakes in the
United States with an average length of only 1.5 feet.
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 Northern Redbellied Snake — Nonvenomous
(Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata)

Pine Woods Snake — Venomous

(Rhadinaea flavilata)
12
 Southern Ringneck Snake — Venomous
(Diadophis punctatus punctatus)

Fun fact: All members of the genus Diadophis are small snakes
that have little rear fangs to deliver venom to their prey. Even
though they are venomous, these snakes are not considered
harmful to humans. Pine Woods Snakes are also venomous with
little rear fangs similar to ringneck snakes.
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 Help Adam find his way
home through the maze.

*Answer on page 30

14
 Grey Ratsnake — Nonvenomous
(Pantherophis spiloides)

Corn Snake — Nonvenomous

(Pantherophis guttatus)

15
Northern Pine Snake — Nonvenomous
(Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus)

Black Kingsnake — Nonvenomous

(Lampropeltis nigra)
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Eastern Indigo Snake — Nonvenomous
(Drymarchon couperi)

Fun fact: Eastern Indigo Snakes are the longest native snake in
the United States. The longest recorded was 9.2 feet long but most
average around 5 feet long. They are also diurnal which means
they are active during the day time. Some snakes species are
nocturnal which means they are active during the night time.
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 Word Search

C O A C H W H I P Q A Z W K

N S L S C A L E S X E D C R

O C A N R H F U F O R E S T

C V B A T G O B Y H N U J N

T M A K I M K G L G O P R Q

U Z M E O W S X N E D C I R

R F A N G V T I F O G B V Y

N U E J M I R K O L S P E Q

A V Z A W R E P T I L E R S

L X E D C T F V Y G B U I P

Snake Hognose Ringneck

Venomous River Coachwhip
Reptile Alabama Fang
Forest Scales Nocturnal

*Answers on page 29

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 Southern Black Racer — Nonvenomous
(Coluber constrictor priapus)

Eastern Coachwhip — Nonvenomous

(Coluber flagellum flagellum)
19
 Eastern Hognose Snake — Venomous
(Heterodon platirhinos)

Fun fact: Like Southern Ringneck Snakes and Pine Woods

Snakes, hognose snakes also have little rear fangs to deliver
venom to their prey but are not considered harmful to humans.
Hognose snakes get their name from their upturned nose. They
will try to deter predators by flaring out their necks like a cobra,
hissing, and pretending to strike. If this doesn’t work they will roll
over on their backs, open their mouths, and play dead, which is
called thanatosis.
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 Word Scramble
Unscramble the words, then use the letters in the boxes to form the name of the snake
below. Watch out, the snake’s name is scrambled too!

ENASK

SOVNEMUO

SIHS

GFAN

YMGYP

CERAR

— Nonvenomous (Opheodrys aestivus)

*Answers on page 30

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 Queen Snake — Nonvenomous
(Regina septemvittata)

Fun fact: Queen Snakes are highly aquatic and live in streams,
rivers, and lakes. They prey on crayfish but they wait until a
crayfish has just shed its old exoskeleton (its shell) and its new
exoskeleton is still soft before they eat them.
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 Rainbow Snake — Nonvenomous
(Farancia erytrogramma)

Eastern Garter Snake — Nonvenomous

(Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)

23
 Eastern Mud Snake — Nonvenomous
(Farancia abacura abacura)

Fun fact: Eastern Mud Snakes and Rainbow Snakes are in the
same genus (Farancia). Both species are secretive and live in wet
habitats like swamps and marshes. They also have a spine-like or
horny scale at the tips of their tails they use to manipulate slippery
amphibian prey like sirens and amphiumas.
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 Find the Differences

*Answers on page 31

25
Diamondback Water Snake — Nonvenomous
(Nerodia rhombifer)

Midland Water Snake — Nonvenomous

(Nerodia sipedon pleuralis)

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Gulf Saltmarsh Snake — Nonvenomous
(Nerodia clarkii clarkii)

Fun fact: Gulf Saltmarsh Snakes give birth to live young instead of
laying eggs. Rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, garter
snakes, and other Nerodia species also give live birth to their
young.
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 Crossword
1

3 8

Across Down
1. Rattlesnakes have these type of fangs 1. Snake that plays dead
2. Smallest rattlesnakes in the United States 6. Rainbow Snakes and Mud Snakes live
3. Snakes with rattles on their tails here

4. Coral snakes, rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, 7. Longest native snake in the United States
and copperheads use this to capture prey 8. Kingsnake that mimics coral snakes
5. Snakes that are active during the day 9. Ringneck snakes, Pine Woods Snakes,
and hognose snakes have these types of
fangs
*Answers on page 32

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 Answers
C Z A Q W S M A R S H E S W Green
Kingsnake
C O T T O N M O U T H D O K
Marshes
X C P D Q E R F V T O B G I Cottonmouth
B N H P U Y M J U O N K I N Mimic
Rainbow
L G R E E N O P W I Q A Z G
Queen
X M S W E R C W A T E R D S
Water
H I S S N E H R V F R B G N Diamondback
T M N H Y M J E U K I L O A Hiss

D I A M O N D B A C K P Z K Copperhead
Woods
X C S W C D E V F D R B G E

C O A C H W H I P Q A Z W K Snake
Venomous
N S L S C A L E S X E D C R
Reptile
O C A N R H F U F O R E S T Forest
C V B A T G O B Y H N U J N Hognose
River
T M A K I M K G L G O P R Q
Alabama
U Z M E O W S X N E D C I R Scales
R F A N G V T I F O G B V Y Ringneck

N U E J M I R K O L S P E Q Coachwhip
Fang
A V Z A W R E P T I L E R S
Nocturnal
L X E D C T F V Y G B U I P
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 Answers

ENASK S N A K E

SOVNEMU V E N O M O U S

SIHS H I S S

GFAN F A N G

YMGYP P Y G M Y

CERAR R A C E R

R O U G H

G R E E N

S N A K E
30
Find the Differences

31
 Crossword
1
H I N G E D

O
2
P Y G M Y

6
S O
7
W S I
3 8
R A T T L E S N A K E S

M D C

P I A

9
S R G R
4
V E N O M L

A E
5
D I U R N A L T

Across Down
1. Rattlesnakes have these type of fangs 1. Snake that plays dead
2. Smallest rattlesnakes in the United States 6. Rainbow Snakes and Mud Snakes live
3. Snakes with rattles on their tails here

4. Coral snakes, rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, 7. Longest native snake in the United States
and copperheads use this to capture prey 8. Kingsnake that mimics coral snakes
5. Snakes that are active during the day 9. Ringneck snakes, Pine Woods Snakes,
and hognose snakes have these types of
fangs

32
All the coloring plates in this book were drawn from
photographs of real snakes that were observed in the wild
from these amazing contributors:
• Ashley Fendley Bosarge
• Brandon Ballard
• Bronc Rice
• Cheri Sennett Rice
• Derek Hauffe
• Jason Waller
• Lawson Hopper
• Mark Krist
• Sara Viernum

Check out the Alabama Herpetological Society

website to see the photographs used for the coloring
plates and to learn more about snakes and other
reptiles and amphibians that live in Alabama.
alabamaherpsociety.com

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