• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Amphibious Snake ID Requested! (1 Viewer)

gthang

gthang

Ford Focus Fanatic: mmmmmm... 3.1415926535.....
I say "amphibious" because I know that some water snakes are deadly, but this one wasn't.

The entire time I saw this snake, he never went on land.

One time, I was in hiding (at the edge of the pond in the shade of trees), kneeling, and I hear a splash. It sounded like it was right next to me! I looked down, and there's this snake! I'm thinking, "Oh, geez, hope he doesn't bite me!". Literally, he was almost touching my shoe! So anyway, he was in the water with his head poking out. He didn't seem to mind me taking pictures of him. No matter how much I moved or how quickly I did so, he just sat there as if he was posing for the camera!

I'm not sure if all of the pictures show the same species, if they are entirely different species, I don't mind an extra ID. If anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it!
 

Attachments

  • Snake ID 1.jpg
    Snake ID 1.jpg
    178.1 KB · Views: 312
  • Snake ID 2.jpg
    Snake ID 2.jpg
    213 KB · Views: 259
  • Snake ID 3.jpg
    Snake ID 3.jpg
    279.8 KB · Views: 326
  • Snake ID 4.jpg
    Snake ID 4.jpg
    256 KB · Views: 251
  • Snake ID 5.jpg
    Snake ID 5.jpg
    266.6 KB · Views: 317
Looks like something from one of the genera of water snakes - probably Nerodia - at a guess it is probably one of the many and varied manifestations of Northern Water Snake Nerodia sipedon.
 
I agree- a member of the genus Nerodia. All non-venomous but will bite if you grab them. Which I painfully learned when I picked one up out of the pool- I was afraid it was dead- but it wasnt :bounce:
 
Definitely a Nerodia. I've been bitten by several, though not every snake I caught. Several times I was only musked as well, which is about as unpleasant as a bite.
 
Never had the pleasure of water snake musk. Ringneck once was enough for me. A word of caution- don't pick up a snake until you are sure of what it is!
 
gthang, i think your snake is the same specie's as Joe A. asked about in a thread in april,
so i will stick my neck out and say, Brown Water Snake, Nerodia taxispilota. Harmless and back-fanged. size 1.5m.habitat swamps - marshes - ponds -streams.

bert.
 
That is Nerodia s. sipedon.

Quite common around your area.

Russ


gthang said:
I say "amphibious" because I know that some water snakes are deadly, but this one wasn't.

The entire time I saw this snake, he never went on land.

One time, I was in hiding (at the edge of the pond in the shade of trees), kneeling, and I hear a splash. It sounded like it was right next to me! I looked down, and there's this snake! I'm thinking, "Oh, geez, hope he doesn't bite me!". Literally, he was almost touching my shoe! So anyway, he was in the water with his head poking out. He didn't seem to mind me taking pictures of him. No matter how much I moved or how quickly I did so, he just sat there as if he was posing for the camera!

I'm not sure if all of the pictures show the same species, if they are entirely different species, I don't mind an extra ID. If anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it!
Click to expand...
 
Head in all pics seems to indicate one of the water snakes, not a pit viper. I don't really know if Water Mocassins live as far north as You do. Copperheads do hunt fish and frogs, but the head is not right for that bad boy. Just be glad You don't have Cottonmouth Moc's in the numbers We do. Nothing they like better than biting photographers. I carry a .22 revolver just for them. A rattlesnake is a pleasant creature beside a Cottonmouth.
 
Actually, yes we do get them, just this week, I stopped by a state park in Hyde Park by the name of Mills Norrie State Park. I had just come out from under the railroad bridge there, and a state park official stopped his car in front of mine. He told me to look out a copperhead. He said that the snake likes to hang out under the bridge, and knowing where I just came from, I thanked the guy for warning me! Whew!
 
I have only seen a couple of Copperheads here, not even supposed to range to these parts, territory begins in the Florida panhandle, but the Cottonmouth is the only venomous snake that ever actually came after Me. Rattlers just want to be left alone. The most aggressive snake around is a Coach Whip, if they were venomous they would be something to fear. Had one get into the Ladies room at the local gator farm, by the time the snake and the 3 Ladies involved finished sorting things out in there, it was not a pretty sight. I captured snakes and sold them to the gator farm before it was regulated, they never would buy a Coach Whip, after that.
 
.22 revolver!!

tsiya said:
Head in all pics seems to indicate one of the water snakes, not a pit viper. I don't really know if Water Mocassins live as far north as You do. Copperheads do hunt fish and frogs, but the head is not right for that bad boy. Just be glad You don't have Cottonmouth Moc's in the numbers We do. Nothing they like better than biting photographers. I carry a .22 revolver just for them. A rattlesnake is a pleasant creature beside a Cottonmouth.
Click to expand...
Photographers that don't watch were they tread! Yes they are 1 of the most bad tempered Dangerously VENOMOUS snake's. And you carry a .22 just for them well well, ermmm are you not on their territory, are they not just defending themselves from some big footed photographers, so live and let live.:storm:

bert.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 20 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

A
Red-eared sliders are opportunistic predatory omnivores rather than herbivores
Replies
8
Views
2K
Avon Avians
A
E
Aquila eagle sp request id Sharm el Sheikh, 15-12-23 new water treatment plant
Replies
2
Views
551
Earnest lad
E
JRP01
How did this started for all of you? (And my little story of how I got into this amazing hobby)
Replies
12
Views
1K
Patudo
P
G
The 'what is in this terribly bad photo?' ID request (England)
Replies
5
Views
804
Rotherbirder
R
Azan Khan
Canvasback (?) from Pakistan.
Replies
6
Views
683
jogresh
jogresh

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top