{"id":1247,"date":"2026-05-23T23:36:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T23:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=1247"},"modified":"2026-05-23T23:36:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T23:36:02","slug":"more-central-nc-snakes-wandering-for-water-amid-drought-repticon-in-raleigh-offers-safe-snake-viewing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=1247","title":{"rendered":"More central NC snakes wandering for water amid drought; Repticon in Raleigh offers safe snake viewing"},"content":{"rendered":"
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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) \u2014 If you\u2019ve been \u201chiss-terically\u201d startled by central North Carolina snakes slithering across sidewalks, curling up near creeks, or making surprise appearances in backyards this week, experts say you\u2019re not imagining things.<\/p>

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Thanks to our months-long drought, snakes are becoming a lot more \u201cviper-active\u201d across the Triangle \u2014 outdoors as well as indoors this weekend at the Repticon expo in Raleigh.<\/p>\n

Cold-blooded creatures were caught on camera up close and personal as people took pictures of the stars of the show at Repticon.<\/p>\n

And for some people and the snakes themselves, it was a little too close for comfort.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re either going to fight or flight,\u201d snake lover Emily Pantoja said. \u201cSo, if you\u2019re too close and they feel threatened, they could strike or they\u2019ll rattle their tail to warn you. But most of the time, snakes are going to give you so many warnings before they strike you.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Large snake removed from Greensboro car (Hannah Sprague\/WGHP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rattlers and boas and ball pythons \u2014 oh my!<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are a huge benefit to us,\u201d reptile expert and Repticon vendor Kyle Smith said. \u201cThey kill rodents, which takes down the pest population, the flea and tick population.\u201d<\/p>\n

And while snakes at the expo are safely confined, experts say many people across central North Carolina are seeing more of the slitherers out in the wild and in neighborhoods \u2014 not looking for trouble, but simply trying to survive during the ongoing drought.<\/p>\n

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A snake that emerged from under the hood of a moving car in North Carolina in 2021.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSnakes are like you and I, they want a good water source, they kind of migrate out to try to find better water,\u201d said CBS 17 Meteorologist Matthew Huddleston. \u201cAlso, their natural prey is attracted to water sources. So, they\u2019re trying to find them, too. So, as things have stayed dry over the past month plus, they have slowly, surely migrated out. But as things get wetter once again, they\u2019ll likely start going back to creeks, rivers, and things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wildlife officials say copperheads, rat snakes, king snakes, and water snakes are among the species most commonly spotted in the Triangle this time of year.<\/p>\n

\"snake
A snake was seen hugging the stonework of the exterior of the McDonald\u2019s in the Heritage area of Wake Forest on a Saturday night in 2016\n\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe provide captive-bred quality reptiles,\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Smith said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, during Repticon at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Memorial Day Weekend, the massive, family-friendly traveling expo brings together show animals, including lizards, amphibians, and just about every reptile imaginable from around the world.<\/p>\n

Repticon breeders, educators, and enthusiasts participate in expert seminars and host live encounters with the creatures for visitors to safely interact with them and perhaps even purchase one or more of the exotic pets.<\/p>

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\u00a0\u201cWe do New Caledonian geckos, Australian species of geckos and skinks, ball pythons and hard-nosed snakes,\u201d Smith added.<\/p>\n

The event organizers hope Repticon helps people separate snake facts from snake fiction.<\/p>\n

Experts say most snakes in North Carolina are nonvenomous and avoid humans whenever possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, if you see a snake outside most of the time, just leave it alone. It\u2019s going to go and do its own thing. It doesn\u2019t want to interact with you. It doesn\u2019t want to hurt you. It\u2019s not going to chase you. It\u2019s not going to bite you,\u201d Smith explained. \u201cThey want to do their own thing and go the opposite direction of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, wildlife officers recommend you watch your step, avoiding tall grass, and never attempting to handle unfamiliar snakes.<\/p>\n

Because one wrong move could leave you in very serious condition.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsually that\u2019s what happens with copperheads, which is why so many copperhead bites happen,\u201d Pantoja pointed out.<\/p>\n

In North Carolina, it\u2019s illegal to kill, harm, or harass certain snake species that are listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Doing so can result in a class 2 misdemeanor, fines, and jail time.<\/p>\n

Repticon continues on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.<\/p>\n

Protected Snakes in NC<\/strong><\/p>

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The following snakes are fully protected under state law and cannot be harmed or relocated without an endangered species permit:\u00a0<\/p>\n