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help me identify water snake


Trigger Mike

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there is a water snake in my pond. it is black on top but the belly has multicolors. a orange stripe as well as black stripe and grey. I looked on the web but no pictures i found show the belly. i have not been able to see its head as it is either moving too fast on the water or hiding under a bush on share and can only see part of it.

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Whatever you do... Don't kiss it!!! :blink:

 

http://sassnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=236574&hl=snake

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Kind of sounds like a Western Mud Snake AKA Hoop Snake. The Description I have is as follows.

 

This is a shiny iridescent snake of the southeastern swamps. It is shiney black on top and the belly is red, pink, and orange with some black spots.The tail of most specimens ends in a sharp point, which is harmless. Length ranges from 40 to 54 inches. Mud snakes eat eat salamanders, tadpoles, and fish. Missouri distribution is limited to the Southeastern corner of the state.

 

I'm no snake expert I just have a book on the snakes of Missouri and that is the only one in that book that firs your description. I wouldn't bet on that being correct but it was the nearest match I could find.

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There are no good snakes, except dead snakes.

That's how I feel about spiders. Snakes on the other hand are mostly harmless and tend to leave people alone. Spiders will chase you down in your dreams and crawl over your sleeping body giving nightmares.

 

OK, moccasins are pretty bad snakes, I've had them try to get in the boat while fishing.

 

GS

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Kind of sounds like a Western Mud Snake AKA Hoop Snake. The Description I have is as follows.

 

This is a shiny iridescent snake of the southeastern swamps. It is shiney black on top and the belly is red, pink, and orange with some black spots.The tail of most specimens ends in a sharp point, which is harmless. Length ranges from 40 to 54 inches. Mud snakes eat eat salamanders, tadpoles, and fish. Missouri distribution is limited to the Southeastern corner of the state.

 

I'm no snake expert I just have a book on the snakes of Missouri and that is the only one in that book that firs your description. I wouldn't bet on that being correct but it was the nearest match I could find.

Be careful of them. That spikey tail is dangerous. They'll take the tail in their mouth, forming a hoop, and roll away down the hill. The only way they can stop is to stick the tail in an oak tree which causes the death of the oak tree.

 

 

And DO be careful around the cotton mouth. They is bad snakes!!!!!

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cliff hanger-the top one is too orange on the belly so not likely that one. i wish the others showed the belly. I saw a bigger similar snake last year and its head was large and puffy and it was eating a coral snake so i fired into the pair. This one must be the baby.

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Be careful of them. That spikey tail is dangerous. They'll take the tail in their mouth, forming a hoop, and roll away down the hill. The only way they can stop is to stick the tail in an oak tree which causes the death of the oak tree.

 

 

And DO be careful around the cotton mouth. They is bad snakes!!!!!

 

Thus the common name Hoop Snake

 

The Cottonmouth description is General body color is black with little or no pattern Or dark brown with darker crossbands. The belly is dark brown or black Length averages from 30 to 42 inches Young cottonmouths are generally patterned like the Copperhead and have a yellowish-green tail. That didn't match the description so I didn't mention it.

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When indetifying snakes in and around the water the shape of the head is the most important. If you can easily tell where the head ends and the body begins then it is almost certanly a Cottonmouth and not a harmless water snake.

 

Usually but not always; harmless water snakes when given the oppurtunity will flee while Cottonmouths are agressive and would rather advance.

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Three kinds of snakes: green, black or dead.

Tom, a sergeant I had told me he was afraid of only five (5) kinds of snakes: big ones, small ones, live ones, dead ones, and toy ones. ^_^

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