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Water moccasin or water snake?

7,967 Views | 50 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by Woods Ag
Badace52
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In reply to Tony Franklins Other Shoe • 12:09p, 2/28/21
AG
A young DBWS looks very different from that snake.

Juvenile DBWS:


Note the "diamond" shapes outlined by black and the lack of straight bars across the back. I find this to be the easiest way to tell these two apart. The young DBWS generally is more of a gray color too like the snake pictured but there is some regional variability in this.
CM
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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CajunAggie
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9:01p, 2/28/21
AG
Round pupil. Water snake.
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raidernarizona
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9:27p, 2/28/21
Round pupil in photo makes it really obvious! Only native venomous snake in Texas without an elliptical pupil is the coral snake.
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rednecked
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In reply to malenurse • 7:44a, 3/1/21
AG
malenurse said:
ttha_aggie_09 said:
SharkinAg said:
Mule_lx said:
I'll go first. Body isn't fat enough to be a cottonmouth.


Today I learned I'm a cottonmouth
this is pretty damn funny!
me too
I think quite a few of us have come to realize this.
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rootube
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8:04a, 3/1/21
AG
You have to love a snake. It's either deadly, or harmless but virtually indistinguishable form the deadly kind. Well played you slithering *******s.
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spicyitalian
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10:18a, 3/1/21
AG
Don't use the pupil shape as a guide. The fact that you could see it's eyes from the top say it's not a Cottonmouth. There's a lot of you that need to spend some time unlearning bad snake ID information before offering advice about snake ID.
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raidernarizona
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In reply to spicyitalian • 3:07p, 3/1/21
spicyitalian said:
Don't use the pupil shape as a guide. The fact that you could see it's eyes from the top say it's not a Cottonmouth. There's a lot of you that need to spend some time unlearning bad snake ID information before offering advice about snake ID.
Maybe I'm not tracking you, but you aren't always standing over the top of the snake you are trying to ID.
Knowing the difference between a round pupil and elliptical is pretty damn easy and handy in Texas. Sticks out alot more than a heat sensing pit, or other characteristics
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Ag83
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In reply to raidernarizona • 3:39p, 3/1/21
AG
raidernarizona said:
spicyitalian said:
Don't use the pupil shape as a guide. The fact that you could see it's eyes from the top say it's not a Cottonmouth. There's a lot of you that need to spend some time unlearning bad snake ID information before offering advice about snake ID.
Maybe I'm not tracking you, but you aren't always standing over the top of the snake you are trying to ID.
Knowing the difference between a round pupil and elliptical is pretty damn easy and handy in Texas. Sticks out alot more than a heat sensing pit, or other characteristics
here's why:

&f=1&nofb=1
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spicyitalian
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In reply to raidernarizona • 5:50p, 3/1/21
AG
raidernarizona said:
spicyitalian said:
Don't use the pupil shape as a guide. The fact that you could see it's eyes from the top say it's not a Cottonmouth. There's a lot of you that need to spend some time unlearning bad snake ID information before offering advice about snake ID.
Maybe I'm not tracking you, but you aren't always standing over the top of the snake you are trying to ID.
Knowing the difference between a round pupil and elliptical is pretty damn easy and handy in Texas. Sticks out alot more than a heat sensing pit, or other characteristics

Because, the scale above the eye is one of several methods of identifying Cottonmouths. The picture in OP was from above, that was what I was refrencing. The round vs. elliptical is not a good method to ID venomous snakes, because there are exceptions, as noted in the copperhead picture. They are kind of like cats eyes, can change depending on the light. The triangle head thing is also a bad way to ID since some snakes flatten their head to appear triangular and coral snakes don't remotely have a triangle head.

The scales over the eyes, 'bandit mask' dark band over the eyes, stocky body with quickly tapering tail, pattern (can be very difficult to see on mature specimins), and the white mouth (if open) are all better identifiers IMHO.

I'm not claiming to be any sort of snake expert, but for the past couple years I've been learning as much as I can about our native snakes and looking at any pictures I can find.

It's been hell trying to advocate for snakes with my wife.
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raidernarizona
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In reply to Ag83 • 6:15p, 3/1/21
I'm no expert either, but the picture you posted is exactly what I'm talking about. That copperhead's pupil is an oval, not a circle.
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ursusguy
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9:03p, 3/1/21
AG
If you are questionable on snake ID, and trying to look at the pupils, you are likely too close.
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Woods Ag
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11:02p, 3/1/21
AG
**** that. Looks like a cottonmouth to me
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coastalaggie
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4:56a, 3/2/21
AG
I think it is this guy...
Fair Winds and Following Seas
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Badace52
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In reply to Woods Ag • 10:30a, 3/2/21
AG
I can assure you it most definitely is not a cottonmouth and doesn't actually look very much like one at all. You should definitely read through a few of the snake threads from past years. It might alleviate some unnecessary anxieties about legless critters.
CM
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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FTA_12
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 9:58p, 3/2/21
AG
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FTA_12
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 10:02p, 3/2/21
AG
ttha_aggie_09 said:
giddings_ag_06 said:
ttha_aggie_09 said:
giddings_ag_06 said:
All I learned is not to trust the OB in life or death.
nah, fam... pretty easy to know that it's non-venomous


When I ask something and I get a 50% "bro, pick it up and make it a pet" and 50% "BUY THERMAL AND SHOOT IT'S NUTS OFF", I'm not trusting my life with y'all. Especially when it's a snake. Just shoot them all. We are all stocked up enough on ammo by now anyways.
if you can afford to shoot snakes indiscriminately, go for it... otherwise, know that the majority of snakes spotted are non-venomous
Spent much time in the Panhandle? Nearly every snake I see is venomous...
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Woods Ag
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In reply to Badace52 • 7:25a, 3/3/21
AG
no anxiety, i just dont **** with any of them.

if they dont scurry off it's kill or avoid depending on where I'm at.
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