I was coming back from a small hiking trip with a friend, and on the way back we have to cross a water fall to get back. Theres a whole carved into the side of the waterfall where we have seen cottonmouths, and other snakes. But lately, there haven't been any. I almost didn't check, but I thought I would check this one time. I went and looked, and I could see keeled scales and chainlink fence paterns. I said to my friend "DUDE!! He's in there!!" He had this little tiny fishing rod we had been using, it was super small, and super skinny. Perfect for reaching into this hole.

I didn't know for sure wether the snake was venomous or not, but I was pretty sure it wasn't. So after a while of poking gently at the snake, he poked his head out, then I knew for sure it wasn't venomous, so I knew I could handle it. It shot out of the hole, and I garbbed it. It started wiggling every where and musking al of me. My friend got a stick and pinned its head down, buit JUST as I was about to grab it, it sliped and and nailed me on the thumb. Still got the marks on my thumb to prove it. It didn't hurt, but it was a pretty big snake.

We pinned it down again, and this time I got it. It wrapped around my arm, and I said to my friend "lets go". So we went to my friends and family who were over by the park and showed them. My thumb was still bleeding, and a lady said "Oh my god you're bleeding, are you ok?" Then my mother said "Its not venomous, right?! I'm not going to have to take you to the hospital, right?! I said no and that it was a complteltey harmless snake.

After that we went back where we found it and let it go. Great experience. I knew it was a type of water snake but I did't know what kind it was. So I went ad looked at my "Texas snake guide". It was a Diamondback Watersnake.

AWESOME experience, and really fun. I'm 14, and after today, I know for SURE I want to work with reptiles for a living. Don't worry, I'm very familiar with the snakes in this state and know venomous from non venomous, and I've owned snakes for years and know how to handle captive and wild ones.

Thanks!