That's..a pretty big bucket to be putting over a fully grown, 4-5 foot cotton mouth (ones that are pretty aggressive too). Don't know about where you live, but the ones here are pretty hefty in body girth. A 5 gallon bucket wouldn't be big enough, even if it was curled up. Either way, not everyone is fortunate enough to live near animal control or have someone who knows how to handle hots safely.