What does a water snake look like in Texas?

What does a water snake look like in Texas?

It often appears as a banded water snake, however adults can be all black. Texas Water Moccasin scales will be rough looking and keeled. Keeled means that instead of smooth scales, there are little ridges that run down the center of each scale. This also means the snake will not be shiny.

What type of water snakes are there in Texas?

The most common water snakes in all of Texas and much of the southeast is the non-venomous Diamond Back Water Snake (Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer) and the venomous Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorous leucostoma).

How do you identify a common water snake?

Northern water snakes are the most likely water snake to be confused with a water moccasin, according to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. Like water moccasins, they are brown, tan or gray. Water moccasins have dark bands, and Northern water snakes have dark blotches that sometimes merge to look like bands.

How can you tell the difference between a water snake and a water moccasin?

Water Snakes, like this Northern Water Snake, have bands that are widest on top, whereas Water Moccasins have bands that are widest on the sides. A Northern Water Snake in a threat posture, with the head flared. A juvenile Water Moccasin swimming. Also illustrated is the typical “hourglass” banding pattern.

Do Texas water snakes bite?

Even though water snakes are nonvenomous, they can still bite and are often killed by humans out of fear that they are cottonmouths.

Are water snakes in Texas poisonous?

Are Water Snakes Poisonous? Here in Texas, we have four venomous snake species: copperheads, coral snakes, cottonmouths and rattlesnakes. Of those species, only one—the cottonmouth—lives in water.

What color is a water moccasin?

The cottonmouth, or water moccasin, is a dark-colored, heavy-bodied snake that can grow to an average of 2-4 feet in length. Juvenile cottonmouths are a brown or tan color with darker, reddish brown crossbands containing many speckles down the back. Juveniles also have bright yellow tail tips.

What color is a water moccasin snake?

They are large – typically 24 – 48 in (61 – 122 cm), occassionally larger, keeled-scaled, heavy-bodied snakes. Their coloration is highly variable: they can be beautifully marked with dark crossbands on a brown and yellow ground color or completely brown or black.

Do water snakes stay close to shore?

They can dive deeper than scuba divers. Most sea snakes, however, prefer to stay in the shallows, relatively close to shore.

What does a poisonous water snake look like?

LARGE, BLOCKY HEADS: Venomous Water Moccasins have large, blocky heads and their necks are distinctly narrower than their heads. This venomous Water Moccasin has an obviously thick, (top to bottom) blocky head.