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Snake Thread 2017

778,952 Views | 3233 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by Sean98
ttha_aggie_09
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oneeyedag said:

Eastern Hognose.

My house here in Virginia.


Really cool! In case the NOPE crowd wanted to see why they're called a hognose, your first picture is an outstanding resource.
12f Mane
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oneeyedag said:

Get a load of this beauty.










Yessir!
OnlyForNow
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I clicked on the picture, opened it in Imgur, and zoomed in. Round pupil and that's all she wrote.
cledus6150
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We ended up killing 4 copper heads today I. The backyard during the BBQ.
TresPuertas
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Ok. So I've got. Question. I'm pretty adept at identifying 3 of the 4 if the venomous snakes in Texas, but the moccasins always are tough for me.

Today while at the boat dock I saw a snake probably 2 feet long swimming and I got close enough to see that it had a pretty distinct pattern on him. Diamond shapes kind of close to a western diamondback. Swimming with his head up and couldn't see the eyes to identify. I've seen juvenile cottonmouths have pretty distinct patterns but is there any other way to identify these things?
Badace52
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Head shape is a good way that is frequently mentioned. Cottonmouths have a tendency to swim with their entire body out of the water while water snakes frequently swim with only their head exposed. Cottonmouths have thicker and shorter bodies in general than water snakes. Water snakes eyes are positioned closer together on their head. Very young cottonmouths have a yellow tip to their tail as do very young copperheads (non-venomous snakes never have this in Texas).

The snake you are describing sounds like a diamondback watersnake:



Here's a head comparison:



Very young cottonmouth:


Juvenile cottonmouth:

Adult cottonmouth:

Old cottonmouth:
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OnlyForNow
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Badace52 said:



Here's a head comparison:




Here is what I say to myself. Which of these snakes looks really angry?! That's the dangerous one.


(I'm kidding)
Your Friend
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The easiest method is simple: if it has dark vertical bars along the mouth, it is non venomous.
Badace52
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That is a very good way to tell, but not all water snake species have vertical bars that are easily seen.

Mississippi Green Water snake:


Lake Eerie Water Snake subspecies of Northern Water Snake:



Concho/Brazos Water snake:


Mangrove Salt Marsh Snake:
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Your Friend
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DaveHimself
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Need help with ID. This guy "attacked" my friends mom (her words). Whether he really lunged at her or not, she fell and fractured her arm which sucks. Located in Louisiana
Your Friend
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pic isn't coming through
DaveHimself
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Well crap, I'll have to mess with it later. I usually use Tinypic which keeps crashing this morning so I tried Imgur which I'm not familiar with.
$3 Sack of Groceries
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Here ya go...

Don't know what it is but it's non venemous.
Badace52
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Gota De Limon said:

Here ya go...

Don't know what it is but it's non venemous.
Definitely a water snake and I'm pretty sure it is a plain bellied water snake (subspecies of N. erythrogaster which also includes blotched and yellow bellied water snakes as other subspecies), but not 100%.
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Your Friend
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I agree on PBWS. And the snake in the pic is definitely non-venomous
ccard257
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Saw this elsewhere, not my video

12f Mane
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Looks like a coachwhip regurgitating a coachwhip
Kool
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12fmane and/or others - one question which may seem stupid and has probably been answered elsewhere here, but....
I had always heard that, of the venomous snakes, Corals are usually fairly docile, copperheads less so but still fairly docile and evasive towards humans, rattlesnakes more aggressive and willing to stand their ground versus flee, and cottonmouths are typically the worst-tempered by a good bit. Is that an over-generalized way of looking at these snakes? I know, there are no stupid questions, only stupid people, but....
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
ttha_aggie_09
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Kool said:

12fmane and/or others - one question which may seem stupid and has probably been answered elsewhere here, but....
I had always heard that, of the venomous snakes, Corals are usually fairly docile, copperheads less so but still fairly docile and evasive towards humans, rattlesnakes more aggressive and willing to stand their ground versus flee, and cottonmouths are typically the worst-tempered by a good bit. Is that an over-generalized way of looking at these snakes? I know, there are no stupid questions, only stupid people, but....


Pretty good assumptions based on my experience.

Coral = timid (note the dude who handled one for 5 minutes and then finally got bit)

Copperheads = fairly timid... tend to just creep along or rely on their camo to just hide. They can be a little aggressive once they know camo has been compromised.

Rattlesnakes = mixed bag... I've run across ones that just hide and never make a peep. Even when encouraging them to move along, they have remained silent and "calm". Others, will flee just like any other snake and occasionally you get the mean old rattler that just says "bring it". Usually it's the former examples provided.

Water Moccasin = in my experience, they can be the meanest SOBs out there. Most of the times I run into one, they just hold their ground and refuse to move. It varies, if they have an easy getaway, like water nearby, sometimes they'll back off. But now that I think about it most of the ones that stay put don't really strike unless provoked. It's just a little unnerving how they can stay put regardless of how close you get and how intimidating you may appear.

The meanest snakes out there tend to be non-venomous, particularly water snakes. They try like hell to get away at first but once cornered, they will strike like crazy. Lots of battles with Broad band, diamond backs, and yellow bellies that didn't go my way as a kid.

Just my $.02 -- 12fmane will probably have a lot more comprehensive response.
12f Mane
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ttha_aggie_09 said:

Kool said:

12fmane and/or others - one question which may seem stupid and has probably been answered elsewhere here, but....
I had always heard that, of the venomous snakes, Corals are usually fairly docile, copperheads less so but still fairly docile and evasive towards humans, rattlesnakes more aggressive and willing to stand their ground versus flee, and cottonmouths are typically the worst-tempered by a good bit. Is that an over-generalized way of looking at these snakes? I know, there are no stupid questions, only stupid people, but....


Pretty good assumptions based on my experience.

Coral = timid (note the dude who handled one for 5 minutes and then finally got bit)

Copperheads = fairly timid... tend to just creep along or rely on their camo to just hide. They can be a little aggressive once they know camo has been compromised.

Rattlesnakes = mixed bag... I've run across ones that just hide and never make a peep. Even when encouraging them to move along, they have remained silent and "calm". Others, will flee just like any other snake and occasionally you get the mean old rattler that just says "bring it". Usually it's the former examples provided.

Water Moccasin = in my experience, they can be the meanest SOBs out there. Most of the times I run into one, they just hold their ground and refuse to move. It varies, if they have an easy getaway, like water nearby, sometimes they'll back off. But now that I think about it most of the ones that stay put don't really strike unless provoked. It's just a little unnerving how they can stay put regardless of how close you get and how intimidating you may appear.

The meanest snakes out there tend to be non-venomous, particularly water snakes. They try like hell to get away at first but once cornered, they will strike like crazy. Lots of battles with Broad band, diamond backs, and yellow bellies that didn't go my way as a kid.

Just my $.02 -- 12fmane will probably have a lot more comprehensive response.
Not too much to add to this. Very few snakes are defensive without being previously bothered. Cottonmouths and some rattlesnakes will give you warnings without being touched but I wouldn't call it the norm from my experience. I have had rattlesnakes buzz me after walking up on them or flipping a board over, but they typically just stay put until they know you are an aggressor. All vipers in Texas are well camouflaged animals and use it to their advantage. I will say that coral snakes are bizarre and don't act like any other local snake. They are finicky, jittery, unpredictable, etc, but not aggressive.

I did find two prairie rattlesnakes in Montana because they buzzed me from 20+ feet. I probably wouldn't have seen them otherwise.
4stringAg
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No professional experience here but I've found timber rattlers to generally be more docile than other rattlers. But that may be because my experience with timber rattlers has been predominantly in Pennsylvania in the mountains where the cooler weather may have played a bigger role in that.

I've had a mixed bag with cottonmouths. Most of the ones I've encountered were content to flee or move on. A few have held their ground and still fewer have threatened (open mouth or striking). I've never had one "come at me" with some ill intent like you hear so many people claim. Only reactions have been defensive in nature.
Kool
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Do you smell like a frog or a rabbit, or do you just go walking around everywhere flipping over logs and poking into bushes and asking for trouble?
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Stive
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So the Facebook outrage is saying cottonmouth. I'm not too good at this, but I'm going to say diamondback water snake.

How'd I do?
BuddysBud
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Kool said:

Do you smell like a frog or a rabbit, or do you just go walking around everywhere flipping over logs and poking into bushes and asking for trouble?
12f Mane would be the one flipping over logs, poking into bushes, and asking for trouble. I would not be surprised if he also wears a frog based cologne to attract more snakes.
12f Mane
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Kool said:

Do you smell like a frog or a rabbit, or do you just go walking around everywhere flipping over logs and poking into bushes and asking for trouble?
Definitely the latter, but I probably do smell like a frog at times.
12f Mane
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Stive said:



So the Facebook outrage is saying cottonmouth. I'm not too good at this, but I'm going to say diamondback water snake.

How'd I do?
I'd call that a cottonmouth but the pattern is funky.
ttha_aggie_09
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Looks like you made the right call!
Stive
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The pattern was what threw me off too.
ttha_aggie_09
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His pattern to me screams diamondback but his coloration is really dark. Head looks Moccasin like but there isn't enough remaining to tell, IMO.

I yield to you.

*fat fingers + cell phone
BuddysBud
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It would be easier if you could see the eye better, but I am leaning toward the FB outrage cottonmouth. It seems too fat for a water snake and the pattern seems more of a cottonmouth rather than a diamondback water snake.
(You guys are quick!)
ttha_aggie_09
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Also worth noting, this snake had an apparent tail injury and it appears to be shortened/severed making the snake appear fuller.
Stive
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So minus the tail, what about the pattern seems like a CM to you? He's darker in color but the pattern down the back reminded me is some of the diamond back WS's posted here earlier.
12f Mane
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Stive said:

So minus the tail, what about the pattern seems like a CM to you? He's darker in color but the pattern down the back reminded me is some of the diamond back WS's posted here earlier.
Looks to me to have the banding of a CM but on the anterior of the snake they aren't aligned. I think they are towards the tail. Head sure looks like the shape of a CM, even in its current state.

Edit to add its a tough one for sure and a better picture could change my mind.
ttha_aggie_09
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Quote:


Edit to add its a tough one for sure and a better picture could change my mind.


Absolutely agree... tough call.
 
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