Agkistrodon piscivorus is found in the southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and east Texas. There are three subspecies: the eastern, Florida, and western cottonmouths. HABITAT: Any wetlands or waterways within their range.
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What kind of water snakes are in Alabama?
The brown water snake is native to the Coastal Plain and some of the Piedmont of the southeastern United States. It can be found as far north as Virginia, south through all of Florida, and west to extreme southeastern Alabama.
Are there water moccasins in Lake Martin Alabama?
Four of these six venomous species commonly occur in the Lake Martin area and around much of the state, including timber rattlesnakes, pigmy rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths.It is important to learn to properly identify them, as these non-venomous snakes are quite beneficial.
Where are water moccasins most common?
They can be found in nearly all freshwater habitats but are most common in cypress swamps, river floodplains, and heavily-vegetated wetlands. Cottonmouths will venture overland and are sometimes found far from permanent water.
How can you tell a water moccasin from a water snake?
THICK, HEAVY BODIES: Venomous Water Moccasins have bodies that are VERY thick and heavy for their length, and short, thick tails. A harmless snake the same length would be much more slender and would have a much longer, thinner tail (see below).
How can you tell the difference between a water snake and a cottonmouth?
Cottonmouths also usually have a neck that is narrower than their heads, while water snakes have necks that are not distinct from their bodies. Head shape can also be a telling clue. While cottonmouths have thick, block-shaped heads, a water snake’s head is flat or slender, the University of Florida reports.
Are water moccasins aggressive?
When threatened, their characteristic defensive behavior is to hold their mouth open, displaying the white lining in hopes that it will scare away potential predators.Despite these examples of relatively benign defensive behaviors, cottonmouths maintain a reputation of being ‘aggressive’ or ‘mean’.
Does Lake Martin have alligators?
Lake Martin is also home to a substantial nesting population of alligators, which can typically be spotted from Rookery Road, which runs right along the edge of the lake.
What kind of snakes live in Alabama?
Brown/Tan
| Brownsnake | Northern Red-bellied Snake | Eastern Garter Snake |
| Rough Earth Snake | Western Smooth Earth Snake | Plain-bellied Water Snake |
| Southern Water Snake | Diamond-backed Water Snake | Brown Water Snake |
| Glossy Crayfish Snake | Copperhead | Timber Rattlesnake |
| Pigmy Rattlesnake | Eastern Coachwhip |
What are snake nests?
Snakes usually place their eggs in nests and these nests can be formed in places where the snake sees as most conducive. It is usually in a grassy area, hidden from predators and humans who might destroy the eggs. The nest must also be warm enough to provide the eggs with ample temperature to enhance their development.
Do water snakes look like Copperheads?
Northern water snakes have a bulb-shaped pattern that widens in the center, whereas the venomous copperhead has an hourglass-like pattern. Michael Salotti says that becoming familiar with the patterns of different species native to a specific area is the most reliable way to identify a snake.
Can water moccasins bite you underwater?
Besides sea-snakes, there are two common snakes that can live in or near water – the cottonmouth (water moccasin) and the water snake. Not only can snakes bite underwater, but water moccasins join a list of more than 20 species of venomous snakes in the United States making them even more of a threat.
What’s the difference between a copperhead and water moccasin?
Copperheads are the smaller of the two snakes species, growing to about 30 inches in length. Females are longer than males.At maturity, water moccasins generally range between 30 and 48 inches long, although individual snakes might grow much larger. Males are longer than females.
Where are water moccasins found?
Cottonmouths are native to the U.S. and range from southeastern Virginia to Florida, west to central Texas and north to southern Illinois and Indiana, according to the IUCN. They primarily live in aquatic and wetland habitats, including swamps, marshes, drainage ditches, ponds, lakes and streams.
How bad is a water moccasin bite?
The cottonmouth has a powerful cytotoxic venom that destroys tissue and is considered more toxic than that of the Copperhead. The bite symptoms commonly include severe pain, swelling, ecchymosis, and even though deaths are rare, the cottonmouth bite could leave scars and on occasion lead to amputation.
What color is a water snake?
Water snake characteristics
The markings and coloration of water snakes vary somewhat from species to species, but for the most part they are brown, gray, olive green or reddish with dark splotches or bands on their backs. Sometimes they look solid brown or black when wet.
Which is worse cottonmouth or copperhead?
The cottonmouth (also known as the water moccasin) bite is much more dangerous and harmful to humans than the bite of the closely related copperhead, but rarely leads to death.In addition to being larger, the cottonmouth has a slightly more powerful venom, but is still rarely lethal to humans.
How do you get rid of water moccasins?
How to Keep Water Moccasins Away
- Mow your lawn.
- Start by lightly sprinkling the snake repellent granules over the surface area of your yard, taking care to avoid garden areas.
- Create a perimeter around your yard by spreading an additional helping of snake repellent around the boundaries of your property.
Do water moccasins stay in one area?
Cottonmouths rarely stray far from water. This is especially true of adults. They’re solitary, but during mating season the males try to establish a hierarchy. They usually hunt at night and can do this effectively because they are pit vipers.
Where do water moccasins go in the winter?
In the north, Water moccasins hibernate during the winter. In the southern parts of their range, hibernation may be short or omitted altogether. For hibernation, these snakes use rocky wooded hillsides, burrows of crayfish, tortoises or other mammals, under rotting stumps or other covers.
What snakes will chase you?
Some species of snakes will actively “chase” human beings, such as the Central American bushmaster (Lachesis muta muta). An enormous and lethally venomous serpent, the bushmaster is well-known for this behavior.
