Baby snakes

[Glockster]

Round head? Venomous snakes have triangular heads. In Texas there are basically four venomous snakes: water moccasins, copper heads, rattlesnakes, and coral snakes. Coral snakes have dangerous venom but have a small bite radius you'd pretty much have to be barefoot to be bitten by one (or put your hand within biting distance). The rest of them are pretty easy to recognize by head shape and eye shape.

Where I live most the of venomous snakes I see are copperheads. However, I've encountered more non-venomous snakes than venomous snakes on the whole. Most of the time even venomous snakes will avoid you though I've heard this may not be so true of water moccasins. I have a coworker whose wife got bitten by a copperhead that was in a bush near a water hose when she reached in to turn on the hose at night. It was not a pleasant experience. I'm careful about reaching into places where I can't see very well and I avoid walking around outside at night barefoot.

I have more than once been chased by water moccasins while on the water at one of the local lakes, and I know a guy who had one not only do that but it also got INTO his kayak, prompting a very quick wet exit.

[tlt]

LOL, Great story, I was wondering if you'd be ransacked before I read the story.

My Pictures

S = warning (not taken in Texas)


Red on Yellow, Kill a fellow, Red on Black, Venom Lack


Harmless, but disconcerting


Diamondback (they come in many variations in color. This one bit the dog.




Another disconcerting harmless snake 3' off the ground in a bush


48 hours post bite;


Bigger versions http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/thumbna ... lbum=21913

[VMI77]

Round head? Venomous snakes have triangular heads. In Texas there are basically four venomous snakes: water moccasins, copper heads, rattlesnakes, and coral snakes. Coral snakes have dangerous venom but have a small bite radius you'd pretty much have to be barefoot to be bitten by one (or put your hand within biting distance). The rest of them are pretty easy to recognize by head shape and eye shape.

Where I live most the of venomous snakes I see are copperheads. However, I've encountered more non-venomous snakes than venomous snakes on the whole. Most of the time even venomous snakes will avoid you though I've heard this may not be so true of water moccasins. I have a coworker whose wife got bitten by a copperhead that was in a bush near a water hose when she reached in to turn on the hose at night. It was not a pleasant experience. I'm careful about reaching into places where I can't see very well and I avoid walking around outside at night barefoot.

I have more than once been chased by water moccasins while on the water at one of the local lakes, and I know a guy who had one not only do that but it also got INTO his kayak, prompting a very quick wet exit.

My boss's father was a rice farmer and my boss used to work in the rice fields when he was in high school. He says he was regularly chased by water moccasins. My neighbor has killed some around his pond but I've never encountered any on my property.

[WTR]

Round head? Venomous snakes have triangular heads.

Not necessarily. A non-venomous bull snake has a triangular shaped head. And they do a pretty good job of imitating a rattle snake. They are rather aggressive, and coil to strike, and will rapidly shake the end of their tail. If that's against leaves or dry grass, it will sound much like a rattle snake rattle.

Have experienced that

Also, rattlers are learning not to to rattle, as it may attract snake loving hogs.

[VMI77]

Round head? Venomous snakes have triangular heads.

Not necessarily. A non-venomous bull snake has a triangular shaped head. And they do a pretty good job of imitating a rattle snake. They are rather aggressive, and coil to strike, and will rapidly shake the end of their tail. If that's against leaves or dry grass, it will sound much like a rattle snake rattle.

Have experienced that

Also, rattlers are learning not to to rattle, as it may attract snake loving hogs.

True, but I'm not aware of any venomous snakes in Texas with round heads. Of course there may still be the issue of what is a round or triangular snake head as without experience it's largely a matter of perception.

[WTR]

Round head? Venomous snakes have triangular heads.

Not necessarily. A non-venomous bull snake has a triangular shaped head. And they do a pretty good job of imitating a rattle snake. They are rather aggressive, and coil to strike, and will rapidly shake the end of their tail. If that's against leaves or dry grass, it will sound much like a rattle snake rattle.

I have experieced the above. Also rattlers are learning not to rattle least they attract snake loving hungry hogs.

[Glockster]

Round head? Venomous snakes have triangular heads. In Texas there are basically four venomous snakes: water moccasins, copper heads, rattlesnakes, and coral snakes. Coral snakes have dangerous venom but have a small bite radius you'd pretty much have to be barefoot to be bitten by one (or put your hand within biting distance). The rest of them are pretty easy to recognize by head shape and eye shape.

Where I live most the of venomous snakes I see are copperheads. However, I've encountered more non-venomous snakes than venomous snakes on the whole. Most of the time even venomous snakes will avoid you though I've heard this may not be so true of water moccasins. I have a coworker whose wife got bitten by a copperhead that was in a bush near a water hose when she reached in to turn on the hose at night. It was not a pleasant experience. I'm careful about reaching into places where I can't see very well and I avoid walking around outside at night barefoot.

I have more than once been chased by water moccasins while on the water at one of the local lakes, and I know a guy who had one not only do that but it also got INTO his kayak, prompting a very quick wet exit.

My boss's father was a rice farmer and my boss used to work in the rice fields when he was in high school. He says he was regularly chased by water moccasins. My neighbor has killed some around his pond but I've never encountered any on my property.

I've only once encountered a rattler, which wanted away from me faster than I was moving away from him. And have encountered many copperheads while hiking in the woods, and they also have always left me alone as long as I let them leave. But water moccasins seem to be extremely aggressive and go out of their way to come at you. Worst one was a nice day on a huge inlet bay and realizing that a really good size stick that was about 5+ foot long was speeding up and coming towards me. I could out paddle it (as I was highly motivated considering that I don't want one in my kayak nor do I want to have to do a wet exit and then wonder where it is), but this one bugger chased me for well over a 1/10th of a mile according to my GPS. Everytime I looked back or turned, there it was still coming. Snakes...why does it have to be snakes?

[talltex]

Growing up in the country on a small ranch, and roaming up and down the rivers and creeks, I've dealt with literally hundreds of rattlers, copperheads and moccasins. VMI77 is correct in that all pit vipers have a triangular flat planed shape to the head. ALMOST all other non venomous snakes have a round curved head. If in doubt, kill it and identify it later. The coral snake is not a pit viper and it doesn't inject it's venom through the fangs...it bites down and chews and the venom is absorbed thru the abrasions. They are so rare that I've never run across one in the wild in central Texas. The pit vipers also have a vertical eye pupil as opposed to the round shape on most snakes. There are a lot of dark brown, gray and black snakes that people mistake for moccasins, but they also have another distinct characteristic that distinguishes them in that their tail ends in a thicker blunt shape than a long thin tapering point common to non venomous ones.

[tlt]

thanks talltex. I suspect not running into various snakes maybe be particular to the area you are in. I've run across 4 poisonous coral snakes in the last couple of years. Smallest about 18" and longest nearly 2-3 ft'. 2 of these were at night. The coral are night hunters, and eat other snakes, so if they're around, you probably have other snakes. My sightings between 9pm and 3am but I have seen them in the daytime. Like the one pictured above that decided to hang out under a swing set for a couple days.

[WTR]

Growing up in the country on a small ranch, and roaming up and down the rivers and creeks, I've dealt with literally hundreds of rattlers, copperheads and moccasins. VMI77 is correct in that all pit vipers have a triangular flat planed shape to the head. ALMOST all other non venomous snakes have a round curved head. If in doubt, kill it and identify it later. The coral snake is not a pit viper and it doesn't inject it's venom through the fangs...it bites down and chews and the venom is absorbed thru the abrasions. They are so rare that I've never ruin across one in the wild in central Texas. The pit vipers also have a vertical eye pupil as opposed to the round shape on most snakes. There are a lot of dark brown, gray and black snakes that people mistake for moccasins, but they also have another distinct characteristic that distinguishes them in that their tail ends in a thicker blunt shape than a long thin tapering point common to non venomous ones.

I explained the above to my wife. My wife told me if I thought she was getting close enough to a snake tp see it's eyes, I was crazy.

[talltex]

Growing up in the country on a small ranch, and roaming up and down the rivers and creeks, I've dealt with literally hundreds of rattlers, copperheads and moccasins. VMI77 is correct in that all pit vipers have a triangular flat planed shape to the head. ALMOST all other non venomous snakes have a round curved head. If in doubt, kill it and identify it later. The coral snake is not a pit viper and it doesn't inject it's venom through the fangs...it bites down and chews and the venom is absorbed thru the abrasions. They are so rare that I've never ruin across one in the wild in central Texas. The pit vipers also have a vertical eye pupil as opposed to the round shape on most snakes. There are a lot of dark brown, gray and black snakes that people mistake for moccasins, but they also have another distinct characteristic that distinguishes them in that their tail ends in a thicker blunt shape than a long thin tapering point common to non venomous ones.

I explained the above to my wife. My wife told me if I thought she was getting close enough to a snake tp see it's eyes, I was crazy.

I agree with your wife... ...refer back to my other advice..."if in doubt, kill it, and identify it later"

[VMI77]

Growing up in the country on a small ranch, and roaming up and down the rivers and creeks, I've dealt with literally hundreds of rattlers, copperheads and moccasins. VMI77 is correct in that all pit vipers have a triangular flat planed shape to the head. ALMOST all other non venomous snakes have a round curved head. If in doubt, kill it and identify it later. The coral snake is not a pit viper and it doesn't inject it's venom through the fangs...it bites down and chews and the venom is absorbed thru the abrasions. They are so rare that I've never ruin across one in the wild in central Texas. The pit vipers also have a vertical eye pupil as opposed to the round shape on most snakes. There are a lot of dark brown, gray and black snakes that people mistake for moccasins, but they also have another distinct characteristic that distinguishes them in that their tail ends in a thicker blunt shape than a long thin tapering point common to non venomous ones.

I explained the above to my wife. My wife told me if I thought she was getting close enough to a snake tp see it's eyes, I was crazy.

That's like my wife. Once we were stomping across the yard to do some shooting and I hear her start yelling snake! snake! I didn't see it at first even though I had almost stepped on it. It was just a grass snake. I told her it was harmless...see the round head and eyes? She said I don't care, I don't like snakes.

Last time we encountered a snake together we were unloading the car and she had gone to unlock the door to the house. I hear her yelling snake! snake! Much to her chagrin my response was to continue unloading the car and casually ask....what kind of snake is it? She was yelling, I don't know, it's a snake! Get over here. She was definitely not happy with my lackadaisical response. It was a copperhead that time. I would have left it alone but I think my wife scared it and it slipped into the carport so I grabbed a O/U 22mag/.410 I had handy and shot it.

[anygunanywhere]

If you are anywhere near water the most common snake in your area is likely the diamond back water snake. They do resemble water moccasins but are harmless.

If there are snakes near your house there is food for the snakes near your house. Get rid of the snake snacks near your house and the snakes will not be there.

[TheDude]

If you are anywhere near water the most common snake in your area is likely the diamond back water snake. They do resemble water moccasins but are harmless.

I grew up in rural Arkansas and in grades 7-12 every summer I worked on a farm that raised bait fish (minnows) to be sold for fishing. Needless to say we spent a lot of time in water. You learn real fast which snakes are moccasins. You also learn that most snakes in water are not moccasins. It drives me nuts that people think every snake in the water is a cotton mouth. Most are diamond back water snakes as anygunanywhere stated.

A sure sign that it is a moccasin is if it's whole body is above the water. A moccasin will look like a log floating on top of the water. Also, moccasins have a much bigger girth for a given length than a water snake. FYI though a water snake will still give a painful bite that feels like someone took a hacksaw blade and raked it across your skin! They have rows of backward facing teeth for holding fish. No reason to panic but it will get your attention when pulling a fish seine and not expecting it!

I only knew one person to get bit by a moccasin in 5 years working on Saul's Minnow Farm and it was laying under an old PVC pipe on the bank. I don't think they spend as much time in the water as most people think.

[bcooper]

I. Hate. Water. Moccasins.

They are mean as the day is long and are aggressive. A lot of good information about posted in this thread! I don't know what it is, but they tend to find me where ever I am and whatever I'm doing. I've killed more than I can count. I took the advise of what TallTex said a long time ago. Kill first, identify later. I've lost hearing from kill them in duck blinds far to many times.

The wife and I found a baby cat off the street last year and this year she killed two moccasins. Needless to say she is my favorite animal in the house and gets plenty of petting time while I'm on the couch. Achilles, my 6 yrs old Lab who I use for duck hunting, isn't to happy about it either. lol

Achilles and I


Our Cat Cleopatra(Cleo for short or Kitty according to my six yr old son)