can you identify this snake?

[tcutting]

ahh simple thought, if the head isnt mangled what about looking for pits?
Cottonmouths aka Water moccasins, are a type of pitviper. kinda easy way to figure that out.

[mackynz]

Nobody said they are out to get you.

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Then I see no reason to run away from them or kill them, let them be and they will let you be. I wasn't meaning to direct this at you or anything.

[DooLittle]

Then I see no reason to run away from them.

I also don't think everyone is running away from them either. Rather leaving them be.

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[mackynz]

alls i know, is where i'm from, when you see a head like that you kill it or run.

Things like that, or killing it if it was near kids. Since the snake won't go after people I would just not let the kids play near the snake rather than killing it.

I just can't see a situation where the snake would be between you and a child and you would have to swoop in and kill the snake when you could much more safely remove the child than try to kill the snake risking both you and the child.

The exception being the person who lives by the lake, because that is a permanent problem.

[reptileexperts]

That is a Nerodia, one of the Brown Watersnakes as mentioned. The head is mucho circular, and lacks any gray super-cilia. The pattern is also alternating squares. A greatly patterned Cottonmouth with have more of a banded pattern in uniform. Harmless snake 100%. Sorry it took so long.


Juvenile Eastern Cottonmouth (Captive Born), note the lack of the gray, but very contrasting head still, and very well marked. This is a two month old that I used for classes from Glades Herp down in Florida


Adult western cottonmouth (wild) with remarkable pattern. This was one of the many that I relocated during a program to save Cottonmouths from human destruction in a hurricane area that was frequented by the elder. Note the visible graying, and contrast to the eye :-)

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The exception being the person who lives by the lake, because that is a permanent problem.

Most Cottonmouths live in forested areas, with some living in marshes and swamps, most are within reason from a permanent source of water, but in my years experience with Nerodia and cottonmouths, the majority of water type snakes found near lakes are generally going to be Nerodia, harmless water snakes. If you live on the edge of a forest near a lake that has a rich forest floor, you will have a better chance of running into a Cottonmouth, but not always the case. . .