Local snake information

Snake control in Louisiana

Learn what to look for around your property, explore your city, and ask about an inspection or a quote.

Snakes in Louisiana: what to know

Around Louisiana

Conditions vary across the state. Choose your city below, then describe what’s happening around your home or business.

What to note

Where you see snakes, how long it has been going on, and anything you’ve already tried are the most useful details to mention.

A useful next step

Ask about an inspection, what treatment would involve, and whether follow-up visits are included. You don’t need to identify the problem yourself before getting in touch.

Local research

Snakes in Louisiana: what the public record shows

Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which snakes actually live in Louisiana, when they are busiest, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.

LDWF's field guide lists six venomous snakes in Louisiana: eastern copperhead, harlequin coralsnake, eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake, northern cottonmouth, pygmy rattlesnake and timber rattlesnake.

Venomous species

Only the copperhead and cottonmouth are widespread and common.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Found throughout Louisiana, frequenting swamplands and pond, lake and stream borders.

Cottonmouth range

LDWF notes cottonmouths are highly defensive and not inclined to move out of the way.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Found throughout wooded and forested areas of Louisiana except permanent swamps and coastal cheniers; populations are considered stable.

Copperhead range

Active at night and very early morning in summer, and hazardous mainly because they lie motionless and camouflaged.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Snake species recorded in Louisiana

Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) — State endangered in Virginia (canebrake population in the southeast); northern Florida only as far south as Gainesville.
Pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius) — Throughout Florida; small but common in suburban yards.

When snakes are busiest in Louisiana

LDWF notes timber rattlesnakes move from hibernation sites to summer foraging grounds in mid-spring and return in late summer and early fall, when they are most often seen.

The harlequin coralsnake and eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake are on LDWF's list but have no recent confirmed Louisiana records, so practical risk statewide comes from copperheads, cottonmouths and the two rattlesnakes.

Rules that apply in Louisiana

Restricted Snake Permit and eastern diamondback protection

For context, nationally

7,000-8,000; about 5 deaths — Venomous snakebites per year in the U.S.. CDC/NIOSH
10-44 percent — Rattlesnake bite victims with lasting injury. CDC/NIOSH

Sources: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; CDC/NIOSH; Nuisance wildlife: Snakes; Recognizing Florida's Venomous Snakes (WEC 202/UW229). Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources

Explore Louisiana cities

Alexandria

Humid Subtropical · suburban setting

Snake control in Louisiana

Snakes in Louisiana: what to know

Around Louisiana

What to note

A useful next step

Snakes in Louisiana: what the public record shows

Snake species recorded in Louisiana

When snakes are busiest in Louisiana

Rules that apply in Louisiana

For context, nationally

Explore Louisiana cities

Alexandria

Baton Rouge

Bossier City

Hammond

Houma

Kenner

Lafayette

Lake Charles

Monroe

New Iberia

New Orleans

Ruston

Shreveport

Slidell

Gretna

Ask about snake control in Louisiana