Snake Identity?

While at the Metro Richmond Zoo, I was on my way to see the Tigers when someone shouted "Look there is a snake on the path." I turn around and sure enough there is a snake laying across the pavement. People start walking towards it and I'm thinking "People you are stupid. What if it is venomous? You are just going to walk up to it?" Well I walked over to see what kind of snake it was, but kept my distance. It slithered away quite quickly at the sight of so many people and headed for the water. It was a great swimmer and swam a good distance to the chimp exhibit.

From what I could guess, it was around 14 inches long. Sleek body. It was mostly a brown color with a blotch pattern. The blotches closer to its spine were reddish. I don't have a picture because I had left my camera at home. Any idea what it could have been?

Best guess a Brown Water Snake??


http://www.herp-pix.org/nerodia/taxispilota2.JPG

http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/snakes_of_virginia.htm


hope that helps :)

Thats pretty much what it looked like. Thanks!

Oh chimps don't like water or snakes, bet they weren't impressed! Maybe he's part of the "keep the chimps in their enclosures" team. :)

The chimp was facing the other way and didn't notice but I bet if he'd seen it, he would have thrown a fit. I thought it was really cool to see the snake swimming along. Very cool. I only wish I had had my camera to take pictures with. Next time I go to the zoo I will take my camera. Hopefully I'll see a snake like that again.