NORTHERN WATER SNAKE - LITTLE PEPPERS FIELD GUIDE TO WISCONSIN REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
Though it is more prone to bite than some other snakes we snow, the Northern Water Snake is another favorite of the @papa-pepper tribe.
This is another snake that we met back in Wisconsin and are blessed to still be able to find down here in Arkansas. Thankfully, there are a few easy ways to distinguish it from the venomous Water Moccasin, AKA Cottonmouth, so that helps. Basically, Cottonmouths have heat vents, elongated pupils (cat-like eyes), single belly scales after the vent, and most notably, the Northern Water Snake commonly dives under the water whereas the Water Moccasin will swim on the surface.
The Northern Water Snake has a much closer lookalike here in Arkansas, the Plain Bellied Water Snake. I think that the two are pretty much identical, except for one interesting feature. The Northern Water Snake does not have a plain belly. All along the bottom of the Northern Water Snake is little half-circles or "moon-shaped" sections that are often reddish in color. The Plain Bellied Water Snake a very plain, tan colored belly.
Unlike some other species of snakes, the Northern Water Snakes give live birth. The ones above came from a large female that a friend caught, and while she was in captivity, she gave birth. The little ones are pretty cute, as far as baby snakes go.
Adults can grow quite large, at over three feet. On hot summer days, they are difficult to capture, because they take off under the water immediately when they are startled. Periodically, @papa-pepper jumps in after them, with varied results. Another hobby of his is hunting them at night out in the ponds. They will be hiding in the water with only their heads peeking out. This can be a little dangerous because Water Moccasins are more active at night too, and the dark can make identification more difficult... but he's been pretty careful so far.
This is one of our favorite photos of an adult Northern Water Snake. Up close you can really see the detail and design in these amazing creatures. We think that snakes like this can make the lakes and river even more exciting to enjoy, though not everyone at the beach would agree.
We hope you enjoyed the pictures so far, but we have a little more to share!
HERE IS THE PAGE FROM OUR FIELD GUIDE
HERE ARE A FEW SHORT VIDEOS OF THEM THAT WE RECORDED
Baby Northern Water Snake in the Hand
Baby Northern Water Snake up Close
UPVOTE-FOLLOW-RESTEEM
IN CASE YOU MISSED THE PREVIOUS POSTS IN THIS SERIES:
INTRODUCTION
SNAPPING TURTLE
AMERICAN TOAD
GREY TREE FROG
RED-BACKED SALAMADER
GARTER SNAKE
FIVE LINED SKINK
SPINY SOFTSHELL TURTLE
NORTHERN PRAIRIE SKINK
SPRING PEEPER
EASTERN HOGNOSE SNAKE
148 votes but only 6 views including myself?
interesting..............
Bots... people support the work even if they don't have time to check it out?
Anyway, 3 replies from 6 views isn't bad!
very true, your posts should be getting more views imo.
its weird have really been noticing it a lot today.
We wish we got more views too.
These are snakes with attitude, for sure! You little peppers did a great job in handling that big one to keep it calm.
Here is a tip if you are canoeing along one of your Arkansas Rivers. Water snakes like to rest and sun themselves on branches hanging over the water. That way, if something scares them, they can drop into the water and swim away to stay out of trouble. But if you put your canoe right under them, they will drop into your canoe. Be sure you are with people that will not tip over the canoe. When they are in your canoe, it will be exciting.
And, it may sound strange, but when a cottonmouth snake is on the land, it is easy to tell them from a water snake, because they have such a short tail. I know that snakes look like they are all tail, but they are not. The tail starts where the one belly scale turns into two scales underneath. The tail is so tiny on a cottonmouth, it's almost funny.
Good advice about the Cottonmouth, and using a canoe to catch snakes too!
I hope you find some cottonmouths -- but not as a surprise! They are an important part of nature.
Found a few last year, Papa knows a good place to find them.
That's great! You are in such good snake country!
Very good snake country indeed!
nice bilder thanks
This post has been ranked within the top 80 most undervalued posts in the first half of Feb 01. We estimate that this post is undervalued by $4.22 as compared to a scenario in which every voter had an equal say.
See the full rankings and details in The Daily Tribune: Feb 01 - Part I. You can also read about some of our methodology, data analysis and technical details in our initial post.
If you are the author and would prefer not to receive these comments, simply reply "Stop" to this comment.
My brother shot several Northern Water Snakes with a .410 on the family pond, mistaking them for Water Moccasins.
Did he at least eat them?
A few of them. I know it was cruel, but he really believed they were dangerous. They swam out of the pond and chased him on the bank.
Perhaps they were just swimming to shore... perhaps not.