Description:
The eastern indigo snake, is a heavy-bodied, docile, non-venomous snake that grows to lengths of 6.2 - 8.7 feet.  Body color is a uniform iridescent blue-black to black color except for a patch of red to reddish-cream around the chin, throat, and cheeks.  Scales are large and smooth, with the central 3 - 5 scale rows keeled in adult males.  There are 17 scale rows measured at mid-body, and the anal plate is undivided.  Juveniles measure 17 - 24 inches at hatching, are typically black, and have narrow whitish to bluish bands along the body.

Habitat:
The indigo snake utilizes a variety of habitat types, showing some preference for open, undeveloped uplands. Typical habitats include pine flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, high pine, dry prairie, tropical hardwood hammocks, marshes, coastal dunes and scrub, and mangrove forests. Along the coast, indigo snakes frequently use sandy ridges and hammock areas.  They can be temperature-restricted to sandhill areas where gopher tortoises burrows are available to shelter in when winter temperatures drop below approximately 50°F.

Similar Species:
Juveniles may be easily confused with southern black racers (Coluber constrictor priapus) due to the pale patches around the chin and cheeks.  Black pine snakes (Pituophis melanoleucas lodingi) are similar in color and size, but lack the iridescent sheen of the indigo snake. They also retain a faint crossbanding pattern on the tail that indigo snakes lack.

Range:
Eastern indigo snakes range throughout Florida and the IRL region.  Their historic range included the coastal plains of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and possibly Southern South Carolina.  Currently indigo snakes primarily range throughout Florida, including the Florida Keys, and into southern Georgia.