Water Moccasin

It's the only snake I've ever seen that will come at you. They're bad news.

Ok, See you if can top this snake story.

I accidentally ran over a huge!! black snake. I looked back in my rearview mirror to see what happened to it.
You guessed it--no snake in sight.
I couldn't drive up my driveway fast enough. I was scared to put my feet on the floor board of the car. (yes, I know they are harmless and good for the environment). Don't care, it's a snake.
Jump out of the car and found the snake.
All 6 feet of it were wrapped neatly around the axle of my van.
Had to call for someone to help unroll the snake from my axle while I backed the van up slowly. (Now that's a friend).

Gah. Have you never seen "Lonesome Dove?"

THAT scene in Lonesome Dove of the roiling water moccassin nest swarming
all over that guy in the river is the stuff of nightmares. THAT scene is always what I think of when mocs are brought up

Fiction, my dear.

Was raised in the swamps of Louisiana and used to see the things hanging from the branches of cypress trees while we were out fishing. You learn real fast to look for the mouth and pay attention to the smell. You have to be careful where you park your boat. The things will drop down into the boat with you. Some of these guys are really big!!!

Scare the sheet out of you.

You don't know whether to stay in the boat with the snake or jump into the swamp with the gators!

Being on the bay near Point Washington for most of my life, I can give you several snake stories. In the house, under the car (Fuzz thought I had run over a stick and went to grab it, and it moved :funn, in the boat, take your pick.

I will tell you that shortly before E. Point Washington road was paved, I saw the biggest Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake I have ever seen. I topped the little bridge at McQuage Bayou, and thought a log was in the road. His head was already in the woods on the south side, and his tail wasn't out of the bushes on the north side. Probably had at least twenty rattles, and as big around as my leg. I just sat there in utter awe, wishing I had a camera, and glad that my house wasn't in his path.

i always went by the theory that if it was long and skinny, it was a water snake, and short and fat was a moccasin. but i only seen em looking over my shoulder and on the hightail. it would be my luck to get bit trying to kill one

i always went by the theory that if it was long and skinny, it was a water snake, and short and fat was a moccasin. but i only seen em looking over my shoulder and on the hightail. it would be my luck to get bit trying to kill one

That is not a solid theory. Water Snakes can be short and thick, just like the Cottonmouth.

The world is now absent one beneficial snake. You know they follow food...you have mice in your house?

Being on the bay near Point Washington for most of my life, I can give you several snake stories. In the house, under the car (Fuzz thought I had run over a stick and went to grab it, and it moved :funn, in the boat, take your pick.

I will tell you that shortly before E. Point Washington road was paved, I saw the biggest Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake I have ever seen. I topped the little bridge at McQuage Bayou, and thought a log was in the road. His head was already in the woods on the south side, and his tail wasn't out of the bushes on the north side. Probably had at least twenty rattles, and as big around as my leg. I just sat there in utter awe, wishing I had a camera, and glad that my house wasn't in his path.

Whoa-Chee-Mama
That BEATS the Ever-Livin'-Length out of my meager Daughettes Rattler story from the year 98 was being paved & snakes were homeless & on THE MOVE.

The world is now absent one beneficial snake. You know they follow food...you have mice in your house?

The sad reality is that a beneficial snake is one that is smart enough to avoid humans.

The sad reality is that a beneficial snake is one that is smart enough to avoid humans.

I guess the beneficial human is one who is smart enough to avoid snakes

I guess the beneficial human is one who is smart enough to avoid snakes

Indeed!

Whoa-Chee-Mama
That BEATS the Ever-Livin'-Length out of my meager Daughettes Rattler story from the year 98 was being paved & snakes were homeless & on THE MOVE.

I'm sure yours wasn't small, and I've seen several six-footers in and about the area. But like I said, I had NEVER seen one like that one. I said a little bit worse than Whoa-Chee-Mama!

I did have a black racer crawl over my panty-hose-clad foot in the Pt Washington Cemetery one Easter Sunday morning. I am sure the congregation at Cornerstone thought I had caught the spirit.

I can tell you that E. Point Washington road has more Diamondback rattlesnakes than anywhere around here. This pic is up the road at the big drain. View attachment 6876

I can tell you that E. Point Washington road has more Diamondback rattlesnakes than anywhere around here. This pic is up the road at the big drain. View attachment 6876

I'm calling bulls#!+ on that one! I saw that picture here.

Sorry Florida girl but ill have to agree with SJ on this one im a amature Herpetologist and im about 95% sure it is a banded water snake,but either way im glad your okay but i would suggest next time shoot it with a water gun or hose to get it away from the house. because i personally know a guy who got bit in the face trying to shove a water moccasin away from his golf ball by a water hazard. If anybody wants some good information on florida snakes just go to Gator land !!! Yes University of florida's web site they have an excellent Herpetology program.

I'm calling bulls#!+ on that one! I saw that picture here.

Thank God, those aren't there. Not that I even live there but that's a lot of snakes. Don't want any of us to have to live by them. Ooooh , hope I don't have nightmares.

I'm calling bulls#!+ on that one! I saw that picture here.

im about 95% sure it is a banded water snake,

It could also be a hognose snake, that would account for the short,thick body. But they are very easy to identify by the white belly they show when annoyed or threatened. I cant really tell by the pics if it is stiped/banded, but all the hognose ones I have seen are mainly solid black.

It could also be a hognose snake, that would account for the short,thick body. But they are very easy to identify by the white belly they show when annoyed or threatened. I cant really tell by the pics if it is stiped/banded, but all the hognose ones I have seen are mainly solid black.

A hognose shake will also flare it's skin to create a 'hood'. (think cobra)They will also play possum, rolling over and all. They are funny little critters. The eastern hognose sake has a variety of colors and patterns, some of which resemble that of the copperhead.(and with the flaring of the neck/head could easily be misidentified as one) The range of the eastern and southern hognose overlap in our area.

A hognose shake will also flare it's skin to create a 'hood'. (think cobra)They will also play possum, rolling over and all. They are funny little critters.

Yea I didnt know what to think the first time I encountered one of those!

A hognose shake will also flare it's skin to create a 'hood'. (think cobra)They will also play possum, rolling over and all. They are funny little critters. The eastern hognose sake has a variety of colors and patterns, some of which resemble that of the copperhead.(and with the flaring of the neck/head could easily be misidentified as one) The range of the eastern and southern hognose overlap in our area.

Also known around here as a "spreadin' adder."

Most older folks around here believe they are poisonous (again, think cobra), but they just want to fake you out into leaving them alone. :roll:

The world is now absent one beneficial snake. You know they follow food...you have mice in your house?

We have puppies!

I can tell you that E. Point Washington road has more Diamondback rattlesnakes than anywhere around here. This pic is up the road at the big drain. View attachment 6876

Yikes!!!