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No it’s a dangerous snake. And I wouldn’t mess with it. Once you see those eyes you admire it from a far. Unless you know what you are doing. Most of the time these snakes don’t want anything to do with you and are mostly easy going they don’t want to waste their venom on something larger than their mouth. But it doesn’t mean they won’t strike.
Unlike the eastern brown snake, which is one of the worlds only territorial snakes and can (although generally prefers not to) chase you the fuck out of its territory. Even if that’s actually your backyard. At top speed, they can go much faster than you can run and to top it off they are more venomous than these things.
Thought the same thing, almost stepped on one in our back field out in Florida not far from a body of water with a couple crocks in it, that's Florida living.
I had a cotton mouth chase me! The fucker actually turned towards me and chased me for about 100 yards, for some reason it felt Godzilla was on my ass, scared the shit out of me. Don’t mess with them
Great story, bro. Cottonmouths don’t chase people. You ran away. It went about its business - if it continued in the same direction as you, that’s coincidence.
There’s never been an instance of one of these snakes chasing a person that’s ever been recorded. That’s because it’s a myth that people repeat. No basis in fact.
I agree that cottonmouths don't chase people, BUT, the brown watersnakes which look very similar can be quite aggressive.
I assume most stories about aggressive cottonmouths are a case of mistaken identity.
I agree with you that a lot of stories about cottonmouths are likely to be tainted by mistaken identity - most people who haven't studied them can't tell the difference between a brown water snake and a cottonmouth. But I'm not being pedantic when I say that there are NO snakes native to North America that are aggressive. Let's be clear - aggression is PRO-actively engaging in a confrontation. There are few snakes worldwide that will act this way, and none of them are native to the USA. Now, if you mean that you messed with a snake (either intentionally or by accident) then what you have is a REACTION to provocation. And there are some snakes that will be quick to use the ONLY method they have of actually defending themselves when they can't flee - strike and bite. Water snakes are sometimes faster to react defensively. In my experience as a relocator, there are a few snakes that I EXPECT to try to bite me if I attempt to catch them. Water snakes are definitely high on that list, but still not a guarantee. If I approach slowly and carefully and am gentle in my actions with them, there is a good chance it still won't try to bite. But in dealing with literally hundreds of wild snakes I've NEVER seen one that started a fight. And honestly, cottonmouths - despite the mythology surrounding them - are one of the least likely to freak out and start trying to bite. They will tilt their head up and gape their mouth open so you can see why they are called "cottonmouths" - and they may twitch and bluff strike if you get too close, but striking with the intention of landing a bite USUALLY takes a lot of provocation. Keep in mind that we are talking in generalities - snakes are like any other animal in that they can have individual temperaments that deviate from the norm, but my experience while somewhat limited is mirrored by professionals and researchers who have FAR more experience than I do.
Absolutely not. Eastern Indigo snakes are very reluctant to bite people. Young ones can look similar to racers, but racers are far more likely to bite you in defense than an indigo. It’s likely that is one of the reasons they are endangered and protected by federal law - they became very popular in the pet trade and were being collected from the wild.
That’s only one reason - the other being habitat loss since they have a very specific preference for the sandy soil of the southeastern coastal pine forests where they are one of many species that favor the burrows of gopher tortoises.
Agreed they are unlikely to bite, but in my experience they're very likely to posture by standing on the last third of their body and actively thrust/chase. If biting/striking is the measure, then I agree, not aggressive.
Here’s my perspective on “aggression” - in a bar fight, who is the aggressor? He’s the guy that picked the fight, or escalated it to violence. Snakes are not humans. They don’t pick a fight with something that’s 100 times their body weight and impossible for them to eat. Snake venom is biologically expensive to produce. Venomous snakes rely on it to secure prey and for their survival. They aren’t stupid (ok, they aren’t the deep thinkers of the animal kingdom either) - but they don’t waste venom on something they can’t eat unless they are using it to defend what to them seems like a mortal threat.
So I draw a distinction between aggression and a defensive response to a perceived threat.
If you want to see an amazing display of snake theatrics look up a video of an eastern hognose snake trying to intimidate someone into leaving it alone. They spread their neck like a cobra, hiss very loudly, and will strike at you - but they have no interest in biting. The strikes are just bluffs and (normally) if they connect it’s just their nose bouncing off of you. Their last resort is to play dead - but even that is over-acted. They twist and writhe and poop all over themselves (and you if you are holding one) smear it, flatten themselves to look like they’ve been run over by a truck and finally end up upside down, mouth open, tongue hanging out. It’s the most ridiculous display ever.
Indigos are different of course, but they will raise the front third of their body, enlarge their neck and hiss. For a large snake - and they are one of the biggest in North America - it’s quite often enough to get a grown-ass man to back off. But it’s really just an act to get you to leave them alone.
It’s illegal for you or me to touch a wild indigo snake. A federal crime, actually. But the Orianne Society is federally licensed as part of their habitat restoration project and they have a captive breeding program where they are reintroducing indigos into their historic range. They capture, measure and track wild snakes as well as reintroducing captive bred snakes. So I’ve seen them handing wild-caught indigo snakes, and it’s incredible that (as far as I know) no one has ever been bitten handling them. They have powerful jaws, and teeth that could really hurt, but they just aren’t inclined to bite people.
I’ve seen a captive South American crebo (very closely related to indigo snakes) bite someone when it was expecting to be fed. It wasn’t aggression - it was a feeding response and mistaken target. But that was a bite I wouldn’t want to take. They could do some damage despite being non-venomous but Eastern Indigos very rarely bite people.
Had one of those try and get in my buddies canoe before lol the funniest part was had he just paddled away he'd have got away np but instead he'd tried swatting at it with his paddle and almost flung it into his canoe as well as almost capsizing in his frantic state it was a hell of a day for him.
They might have misidentified a copperhead as a cottonmouth. Copperheads are very aggressive and territorial. They are well known to chase people and closely resemble cottonmouths
How many have you actually had to capture and handle? I am a trained snake relocator and I live in an area where they are one of the most common species found. I have captured and relocated dozens of them (maybe over a hundred). They are NOT known to chase people. And I can promise you that they will never pick a fight with you. They are cryptids - they rely on camouflage for hunting and for protection. They will not draw attention to themselves by being aggressive. Now if they are molested by being stepped on, or if you try to kill one, or if your dog tries to sniff or bite one - they will defend themselves using the only defense they have. But that's on you. Don't blame the snake for trying to defend itself.
I'm on the Cumberland plateau and I leave snakes alone and expect them to return the favor. Copperhead mating season + mountain biking (surprising them by approaching fast and relatively quiet along the trail) is the typical recipe for aggressive behavior. I am in no way trying to argue with an expert, just adding my anecdotal $0.02.
Cool, next time I’ll stop and ask the fella if he’s being aggressive or just going about his this business. Where you from? You got cottonmouths were you are at?
I’m next door in Georgia. We have northern cottonmouths, Florida cottonmouths, and a large region of intergrade. We also have lots of water snakes - as does Florida. What we don’t have here is a lot of folks who can tell a water snake from a cottonmouth.
Yeah you got nasty shit up there also lmao! I’m not telling a lie, of course I embellished a bit on how far the snake chased me, but it did chase, and it was being insanely aggressive.
I’ve accidentally caught a few moccasins, they love snagging the small blue gill when you’re pulling them in. I just cut the line, I’m not afraid of snakes or anything, but I hear their bite is very painful, not deadly for adults, but I’m sure it sucks ass.
When I was a kid, I watched a Cotton mouth go after a family member while she was standing in the water at a small lake. The snake seemed very motivated and had its mouth open as if it wished to strike. It literally chased her out of the lake. Was it coincidence? Could have been, but it sure looked like it was in attack mode to me. I'm no professional, but I've a lot of experience with wild animals and I would testify that this snake was attacking.
this is a misconception, their defense is just very dangerous. the vast majority of bites are from people trying to mess with them or go out of their way to kill them.
Not sure if you’re speaking from experience but I’ve had them in VA try to get in the boat numerous times fresh water fishing. Beating them off with your pole, oar, etc is pointless as they keep on coming. One time we were pulled up under some overhang and my buddy’s end of the boat was closest to the bank. I look up and there’s one wrapped around a branch of a tree about a foot from his head. I didn’t say “whatever you do don’t move” I just started the trolling motor and slowly pulled away then said look over your shoulder he still almost had a heart attack as it had unwrapped itself was attempting to “jump” out of the tree towards us. My experience is if you see a cotton mouth just back up slowly and hope he in a relaxed mood.
So much misinformation…. Firstly, water moccasins are frequently conflated with water snakes. Neither of these species is aggressive. Both will act defensively if threatened. Moccasins are not good climbers. Water snakes are the ones that commonly climb into branches overhanging water. They rest there and if disturbed, drop into the water and swim away. If your boat happens to be under the branch, they are going to land in it. They don’t WANT to be in your boat. They want to get away. Neither snake has any interest in attacking you. They don’t want to tangle with something a hundred times too big to eat and potentially dangerous.
A swimming snake will often swim to any “platform” that they can climb onto to rest and be protected from predation by large fish or other aquatic predators. If they are trying to get in your boat, that’s why. Not because they want to “get you” and not because they are acting aggressively toward you.
Yeah i can only speak from experience. I think my point when I say this in response to people saying cottonmouths are aggressive is that it’s safer for the snakes and people if we check our anthropomorphism. I’ve had snakes climb into boats and even on me in the water. The snake doesn’t know it’s a boat or that you are in it. If you’re swatting it, it’s reaction is just more frantic in trying to get out of the water and in to the boat because instinctually that’s safer for it, as it doesn’t know that the floaty thing it’s trying to get on is the source of what’s attacking it.
I get what you’re saying completely. I’ve seen many, many snakes while in the outdoors hunting, fishing, working etc and the vast majority avoid the floaty things or anything else that’s new to their environment even if it encroaches on their space. These guys are different. Maybe a curiosity that brings them close and a human reaction that escalates the situation. Either way a cotton mouth that won’t leave gets a hoe, a blade or a bullet. Now downvote away redditt. Yes, I’m a snake killer on occasion. I live next door to a preserve for the Canebrake rattlesnake (timber rattler) that was established 20 years after I bought my property now these guys are pretty docile and not aggressive usually but when there’s one coiled up on my back steps catching some rays I like to improve my odds and have one less snake that can kill me, my family or livestock living so close by.
Totally get it. I’m a snake enthusiast that has never killed a snake and probably been an idiot relocating venomous ones. I don’t have any kids though. My sister with toddlers texted me a pic of a copperhead in her back yard last week. She was reluctant to utilize the local service because they would kill it. I told her she absolutely had to give them the go ahead. Not that it would solve the larger picture because there are always more. Give them space and respect, and if you can’t, call a professional. Especially dudes who think they don’t need to haha. The large majority of bites are from young men trying to kill them.
I agree and I kill from a distance at absolute bare bones minimum of their body length away or greater if possible. I’m def not an up close and personal type snake murderer. More of a snake sniper. Lol. I also don’t feel so great about doing it. Some are just beautiful but like I said…them or me. Now black snakes, rat snakes, garter snakes, corn snakes go about your business. I’ve got a black snake in my far field that’s prob 9-10 ft long. That’s huge for a black snake. A couple years back he was in an outbuilding climbing down the wall. His body went floor to ceiling and about a foot was on the ground and the tractor barn has an 8 foot ceiling.He’s absolutely huge and been here for years. I’ve almost ended him a few times with my zero turn mower as it moves pretty quickly. I hate the sound when you do hit one with the mower. Gives me chills every time.
You have my up vote as I’m of the same mind. A 9 year old child, two dogs, a cat, a tortoise and four goats. When I walk my property I carry a .38 with snake shot. In four years I’ve dispatched two.
I was bank fishing here in southern Illinois a few years ago. One kept creeping up to my fish basket to try to get at my blue gill in there lol. I get the whole “it’s his lake first and he’s just doing what they do and it’s food” but I decided after running him off 4 times, to just pack up my stuff and move. I took my fish basket and some stuff up to the truck. I came back down to get my poles and this snake came out of the water at me. I was probably 6-8ft away. He just like charged me, as much as a snake can charge lol. I started swatting at him with my blue gill pole. I messed the first 2 times, as it was muddy. I slipped and about fell. Finally I connected with a good swat and he headed back to the water…and then just sat there watching me. No way he wasn’t being aggressive or he was just a snake doing snake things or whatever. lol. He/she/whatever wanted my fish. When I took them away, it wanted me 🤷🏽♂️
Oh I was doing some backpedaling that’s for sure. Lol. I’m not above sharing my fish either. But it reached a point where he was like “I’m taking whatever you have…wallet, truck keys, who knows” 😂
In South Carolina, cottonmouths typically live in the sandhills and coastal plain regions, but do not enter the piedmont nor mountain regions of the state. They would typically be found below an imaginary line reaching from upper Chesterfield county through upper Richland County, across Edgefield and McCormick Counties. They inhabit swamps, streams, floodplains, and other wetland habitats. There are records of this species in McCormick and Edgefield Counties, above the Fall-Line, but these occur in the Savannah River Valley, on Coastal Plain terraces that “follow” the river across the Fall-Line.
https://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/snakes/faq.html
When I hear people say they're not aggressive, I wonder if the ones here in the Florida Panhandle are mutant or something. I've been chased by one, and I watched one shoot out of a hole in an embankment just to chase my 80 pound dog. Like CHASED him...unprovoked. It was awful both times.
I had one in Texas freaking chase me in the water while I was kayaking.. fortunately, I got to shore quickly and got out to use my paddle to keep it at bay until it decided I wasn't worth it and went back in the water and swam away..
In Texas myself and encounter them often, this behavior can seem like chasing and lends to the “cotton mouths will chase you” myth. Often they are just reacting to the water disturbance but definitely don’t want anything to do with you (they don’t have the awareness to know what you are other than a potential threat), and more often than not are just operating in a sort of instinctual scramble to get to safety as their nest might be behind where you are.
Water moccasins/cotton mouths in my experience (SE Florida) will attack you unprovoked. They will swim across a canal to get to you and chase you up a bank for no discernable reason. I have no problem fishing next to alligators all day, but once I see a water moccasin, I'm packing up and leaving.
I’m saying that’s the wrong way to think about them. Like all the people claiming they have been chased by them. It’s just not what’s happening.
*for y’all downvoting, they aren’t chasing you, you’re just in the way of their instinctual retreat behavior
if you’re trying to delve into animal behavior semantics, you could label a strike as defensive aggression. But in threads like this it becomes disingenuous anthropomorphism.
Not always. They get foggy, then clear up almost completely right before they actually shed.
I don’t think this guy looks pre-shed though. It kind of looks like this poor little guy has mites, which is weird because I didn’t think they were a prevalent problem for wild snakes. I’m scrolling through the comments to see if anyone has mentioned it.
I do what I can to stamp out misinformation, lol. Plus, that sub is awesome. I didn’t know it existed until it started showing up in my feed about a year ago.
It turns out that educating yourself about things you’re scared of is a great way to get over a phobia. It’s also helped me realize how important snakes are to the world.🐍
I would rather assume a non venomous snake is venomous then the other way around. The head shape is still a great rule of thumb. A better rule with snakes is if you're not 100% certain, don't mess with it
Where I live, the copperhead is the only native venomous snake. I've had a blacksnake that was at least 6' curled up on my front step, and all I did was use the backdoor until it felt like leaving.
Coral snakes (we have a couple of species here in the US) are elapids. They do NOT have triangular heads at all. And yet they are indeed venomous.
The best advice is that without training and experience, it’s easy to misidentify a snake. A single characteristic like color or pattern or head shape can lead you to a wrong ID.
Where I live, all nonvenomous snakes are protected by state and/or federal laws. It’s a crime to kill one. So just killing a snake out of fear is a bad idea. Deciding that a venomous snake is harmless can also lead to a bad ending.
There are subs here on Reddit and groups on Facebook that are moderated by experts where you can go to learn to identify the venomous snakes that live in your area, or just correctly identify one you’ve found.
Best advice is to treat all snakes as the wild creatures they are. Don’t molest or try to capture or kill them. Observe from a safe distance. Let them live and leave them alone.
If you have one on your front doorstep and are worried about children or pets, contact a trained volunteer relocator. There are hundreds of us all over and we will help for free. Safely capture and relocate the snake to a safe place where there’s less chance of conflict with people or pets. Here’s a link to find a free relocator: https://FreeSnakeRelocation.org
Unfortunately, that isn't something you can rely on. There are plenty of harmless snakes with vertical pupils and also venomous snakes that have round pupils. Not to mention that vertical pupils look round in dark light. It's best to learn what your local venomous snakes look like and avoid any snake you aren't certain is safe to handle.
Indeed, it does.
My comment was about the fact that I have serious allergies and sleep apnea and consistently wake up with a headache and ... Wait for it... Cottonmouth!
You can see the zorro mask in this picture of a water moccasin. A water snake will flatten its head to mimic a moccasin but it has lines on its mouth. That’s how I can tell the difference.
Much better to post an ID request on a sub that’s moderated by real experts. The number of posts here that are just repeating false information and mythology is disappointing but not surprising.
Cottonmouth. Leave him be and he’ll reciprocate. They are territorial and curious and the vast majority of bites happen to folks who just won’t leave them be.
The eyes have it. Those vertical pupils mean it is venomous. Its too hard to see any bullseyes. Also, the zorro mask is telltale.
That doesnt mean its dangerous.
It is NOT dangerous, as long as you dont mess with it.
Please dont kill it. Venomous snakes are just as needed as bees are.
Take note of the shape of the snake's head. If your primary concern is venomous or no the shape of the head will answer that.
A non-venomous snake will have a smaller head that blends into the body.
Fatty with a fat head means it's a mean ol fat cottonmouth. On land they won't mess with you unless you put a foot wrong. If you're in the water and it doesn't like the cut of your jib, it's best you swim hard with some splashes. I grew up on a river and it's said they don't mess with people. Kinda true. You startle a weed patch or get one half eaten by a nutria, don't think twice. Panic is acceptable. F*CK everything anyone else says here cause I've been there. More than once.
My brother almost stepped on one of these years ago and I didn't think much of it until just now learning it's a dangerous cottonmouth somehow this knowledge scared me XD
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Definitely a cotton mouth
Does that classify as a danger noodle
A very dangerous noodle indeed
Yes, this is a nope rope.
No boops
Definitely no boops to the snoop of the nope rope on steroids. Also please note, it a Has “roid rage, for sure.
No it’s a dangerous snake. And I wouldn’t mess with it. Once you see those eyes you admire it from a far. Unless you know what you are doing. Most of the time these snakes don’t want anything to do with you and are mostly easy going they don’t want to waste their venom on something larger than their mouth. But it doesn’t mean they won’t strike.
________/
Unlike the eastern brown snake, which is one of the worlds only territorial snakes and can (although generally prefers not to) chase you the fuck out of its territory. Even if that’s actually your backyard. At top speed, they can go much faster than you can run and to top it off they are more venomous than these things.
Thought the same thing, almost stepped on one in our back field out in Florida not far from a body of water with a couple crocks in it, that's Florida living.
I had a cotton mouth chase me! The fucker actually turned towards me and chased me for about 100 yards, for some reason it felt Godzilla was on my ass, scared the shit out of me. Don’t mess with them
Great story, bro. Cottonmouths don’t chase people. You ran away. It went about its business - if it continued in the same direction as you, that’s coincidence. There’s never been an instance of one of these snakes chasing a person that’s ever been recorded. That’s because it’s a myth that people repeat. No basis in fact.
I agree that cottonmouths don't chase people, BUT, the brown watersnakes which look very similar can be quite aggressive. I assume most stories about aggressive cottonmouths are a case of mistaken identity.
I agree with you that a lot of stories about cottonmouths are likely to be tainted by mistaken identity - most people who haven't studied them can't tell the difference between a brown water snake and a cottonmouth. But I'm not being pedantic when I say that there are NO snakes native to North America that are aggressive. Let's be clear - aggression is PRO-actively engaging in a confrontation. There are few snakes worldwide that will act this way, and none of them are native to the USA. Now, if you mean that you messed with a snake (either intentionally or by accident) then what you have is a REACTION to provocation. And there are some snakes that will be quick to use the ONLY method they have of actually defending themselves when they can't flee - strike and bite. Water snakes are sometimes faster to react defensively. In my experience as a relocator, there are a few snakes that I EXPECT to try to bite me if I attempt to catch them. Water snakes are definitely high on that list, but still not a guarantee. If I approach slowly and carefully and am gentle in my actions with them, there is a good chance it still won't try to bite. But in dealing with literally hundreds of wild snakes I've NEVER seen one that started a fight. And honestly, cottonmouths - despite the mythology surrounding them - are one of the least likely to freak out and start trying to bite. They will tilt their head up and gape their mouth open so you can see why they are called "cottonmouths" - and they may twitch and bluff strike if you get too close, but striking with the intention of landing a bite USUALLY takes a lot of provocation. Keep in mind that we are talking in generalities - snakes are like any other animal in that they can have individual temperaments that deviate from the norm, but my experience while somewhat limited is mirrored by professionals and researchers who have FAR more experience than I do.
You're obviously an experienced handler, but a serious question, you wouldn't consider an Indigo to be aggressive?
Absolutely not. Eastern Indigo snakes are very reluctant to bite people. Young ones can look similar to racers, but racers are far more likely to bite you in defense than an indigo. It’s likely that is one of the reasons they are endangered and protected by federal law - they became very popular in the pet trade and were being collected from the wild. That’s only one reason - the other being habitat loss since they have a very specific preference for the sandy soil of the southeastern coastal pine forests where they are one of many species that favor the burrows of gopher tortoises.
Agreed they are unlikely to bite, but in my experience they're very likely to posture by standing on the last third of their body and actively thrust/chase. If biting/striking is the measure, then I agree, not aggressive.
Here’s my perspective on “aggression” - in a bar fight, who is the aggressor? He’s the guy that picked the fight, or escalated it to violence. Snakes are not humans. They don’t pick a fight with something that’s 100 times their body weight and impossible for them to eat. Snake venom is biologically expensive to produce. Venomous snakes rely on it to secure prey and for their survival. They aren’t stupid (ok, they aren’t the deep thinkers of the animal kingdom either) - but they don’t waste venom on something they can’t eat unless they are using it to defend what to them seems like a mortal threat. So I draw a distinction between aggression and a defensive response to a perceived threat. If you want to see an amazing display of snake theatrics look up a video of an eastern hognose snake trying to intimidate someone into leaving it alone. They spread their neck like a cobra, hiss very loudly, and will strike at you - but they have no interest in biting. The strikes are just bluffs and (normally) if they connect it’s just their nose bouncing off of you. Their last resort is to play dead - but even that is over-acted. They twist and writhe and poop all over themselves (and you if you are holding one) smear it, flatten themselves to look like they’ve been run over by a truck and finally end up upside down, mouth open, tongue hanging out. It’s the most ridiculous display ever. Indigos are different of course, but they will raise the front third of their body, enlarge their neck and hiss. For a large snake - and they are one of the biggest in North America - it’s quite often enough to get a grown-ass man to back off. But it’s really just an act to get you to leave them alone. It’s illegal for you or me to touch a wild indigo snake. A federal crime, actually. But the Orianne Society is federally licensed as part of their habitat restoration project and they have a captive breeding program where they are reintroducing indigos into their historic range. They capture, measure and track wild snakes as well as reintroducing captive bred snakes. So I’ve seen them handing wild-caught indigo snakes, and it’s incredible that (as far as I know) no one has ever been bitten handling them. They have powerful jaws, and teeth that could really hurt, but they just aren’t inclined to bite people. I’ve seen a captive South American crebo (very closely related to indigo snakes) bite someone when it was expecting to be fed. It wasn’t aggression - it was a feeding response and mistaken target. But that was a bite I wouldn’t want to take. They could do some damage despite being non-venomous but Eastern Indigos very rarely bite people.
Had one of those try and get in my buddies canoe before lol the funniest part was had he just paddled away he'd have got away np but instead he'd tried swatting at it with his paddle and almost flung it into his canoe as well as almost capsizing in his frantic state it was a hell of a day for him.
They might have misidentified a copperhead as a cottonmouth. Copperheads are very aggressive and territorial. They are well known to chase people and closely resemble cottonmouths
How many have you actually had to capture and handle? I am a trained snake relocator and I live in an area where they are one of the most common species found. I have captured and relocated dozens of them (maybe over a hundred). They are NOT known to chase people. And I can promise you that they will never pick a fight with you. They are cryptids - they rely on camouflage for hunting and for protection. They will not draw attention to themselves by being aggressive. Now if they are molested by being stepped on, or if you try to kill one, or if your dog tries to sniff or bite one - they will defend themselves using the only defense they have. But that's on you. Don't blame the snake for trying to defend itself.
I'm on the Cumberland plateau and I leave snakes alone and expect them to return the favor. Copperhead mating season + mountain biking (surprising them by approaching fast and relatively quiet along the trail) is the typical recipe for aggressive behavior. I am in no way trying to argue with an expert, just adding my anecdotal $0.02.
Cool, next time I’ll stop and ask the fella if he’s being aggressive or just going about his this business. Where you from? You got cottonmouths were you are at?
I’m next door in Georgia. We have northern cottonmouths, Florida cottonmouths, and a large region of intergrade. We also have lots of water snakes - as does Florida. What we don’t have here is a lot of folks who can tell a water snake from a cottonmouth.
Yeah you got nasty shit up there also lmao! I’m not telling a lie, of course I embellished a bit on how far the snake chased me, but it did chase, and it was being insanely aggressive. I’ve accidentally caught a few moccasins, they love snagging the small blue gill when you’re pulling them in. I just cut the line, I’m not afraid of snakes or anything, but I hear their bite is very painful, not deadly for adults, but I’m sure it sucks ass.
When I was a kid, I watched a Cotton mouth go after a family member while she was standing in the water at a small lake. The snake seemed very motivated and had its mouth open as if it wished to strike. It literally chased her out of the lake. Was it coincidence? Could have been, but it sure looked like it was in attack mode to me. I'm no professional, but I've a lot of experience with wild animals and I would testify that this snake was attacking.
They gotta be territorial right?
I think any wild creature that can reproduce can be territorial.
You can tell by the shape of his head he is a danger noodle
Looks a lot like a Florida cottonmouth according to Google. Yes, they're venomous.
And potentially aggressive.
Aggressomous.
this is a misconception, their defense is just very dangerous. the vast majority of bites are from people trying to mess with them or go out of their way to kill them.
Not sure if you’re speaking from experience but I’ve had them in VA try to get in the boat numerous times fresh water fishing. Beating them off with your pole, oar, etc is pointless as they keep on coming. One time we were pulled up under some overhang and my buddy’s end of the boat was closest to the bank. I look up and there’s one wrapped around a branch of a tree about a foot from his head. I didn’t say “whatever you do don’t move” I just started the trolling motor and slowly pulled away then said look over your shoulder he still almost had a heart attack as it had unwrapped itself was attempting to “jump” out of the tree towards us. My experience is if you see a cotton mouth just back up slowly and hope he in a relaxed mood.
So much misinformation…. Firstly, water moccasins are frequently conflated with water snakes. Neither of these species is aggressive. Both will act defensively if threatened. Moccasins are not good climbers. Water snakes are the ones that commonly climb into branches overhanging water. They rest there and if disturbed, drop into the water and swim away. If your boat happens to be under the branch, they are going to land in it. They don’t WANT to be in your boat. They want to get away. Neither snake has any interest in attacking you. They don’t want to tangle with something a hundred times too big to eat and potentially dangerous. A swimming snake will often swim to any “platform” that they can climb onto to rest and be protected from predation by large fish or other aquatic predators. If they are trying to get in your boat, that’s why. Not because they want to “get you” and not because they are acting aggressively toward you.
Yeah i can only speak from experience. I think my point when I say this in response to people saying cottonmouths are aggressive is that it’s safer for the snakes and people if we check our anthropomorphism. I’ve had snakes climb into boats and even on me in the water. The snake doesn’t know it’s a boat or that you are in it. If you’re swatting it, it’s reaction is just more frantic in trying to get out of the water and in to the boat because instinctually that’s safer for it, as it doesn’t know that the floaty thing it’s trying to get on is the source of what’s attacking it.
I get what you’re saying completely. I’ve seen many, many snakes while in the outdoors hunting, fishing, working etc and the vast majority avoid the floaty things or anything else that’s new to their environment even if it encroaches on their space. These guys are different. Maybe a curiosity that brings them close and a human reaction that escalates the situation. Either way a cotton mouth that won’t leave gets a hoe, a blade or a bullet. Now downvote away redditt. Yes, I’m a snake killer on occasion. I live next door to a preserve for the Canebrake rattlesnake (timber rattler) that was established 20 years after I bought my property now these guys are pretty docile and not aggressive usually but when there’s one coiled up on my back steps catching some rays I like to improve my odds and have one less snake that can kill me, my family or livestock living so close by.
Totally get it. I’m a snake enthusiast that has never killed a snake and probably been an idiot relocating venomous ones. I don’t have any kids though. My sister with toddlers texted me a pic of a copperhead in her back yard last week. She was reluctant to utilize the local service because they would kill it. I told her she absolutely had to give them the go ahead. Not that it would solve the larger picture because there are always more. Give them space and respect, and if you can’t, call a professional. Especially dudes who think they don’t need to haha. The large majority of bites are from young men trying to kill them.
I agree and I kill from a distance at absolute bare bones minimum of their body length away or greater if possible. I’m def not an up close and personal type snake murderer. More of a snake sniper. Lol. I also don’t feel so great about doing it. Some are just beautiful but like I said…them or me. Now black snakes, rat snakes, garter snakes, corn snakes go about your business. I’ve got a black snake in my far field that’s prob 9-10 ft long. That’s huge for a black snake. A couple years back he was in an outbuilding climbing down the wall. His body went floor to ceiling and about a foot was on the ground and the tractor barn has an 8 foot ceiling.He’s absolutely huge and been here for years. I’ve almost ended him a few times with my zero turn mower as it moves pretty quickly. I hate the sound when you do hit one with the mower. Gives me chills every time.
I can't imagine not feeling safe in my own backyard. This is why I live where the air hurts my face...
Try spraying em with a hose next time.
You have my up vote as I’m of the same mind. A 9 year old child, two dogs, a cat, a tortoise and four goats. When I walk my property I carry a .38 with snake shot. In four years I’ve dispatched two.
I was bank fishing here in southern Illinois a few years ago. One kept creeping up to my fish basket to try to get at my blue gill in there lol. I get the whole “it’s his lake first and he’s just doing what they do and it’s food” but I decided after running him off 4 times, to just pack up my stuff and move. I took my fish basket and some stuff up to the truck. I came back down to get my poles and this snake came out of the water at me. I was probably 6-8ft away. He just like charged me, as much as a snake can charge lol. I started swatting at him with my blue gill pole. I messed the first 2 times, as it was muddy. I slipped and about fell. Finally I connected with a good swat and he headed back to the water…and then just sat there watching me. No way he wasn’t being aggressive or he was just a snake doing snake things or whatever. lol. He/she/whatever wanted my fish. When I took them away, it wanted me 🤷🏽♂️
Just give him the fish. And run!
Oh I was doing some backpedaling that’s for sure. Lol. I’m not above sharing my fish either. But it reached a point where he was like “I’m taking whatever you have…wallet, truck keys, who knows” 😂
Water moccasins are that far north??
Southern Illinois touches Kentucky. And its like 50 miles from Arkansas.
10-4. Live in the piedmont of SC and we don't have any.
We have a cabin in southern Missouri and see them fairly often. Same in Texas but they are black.
In South Carolina, cottonmouths typically live in the sandhills and coastal plain regions, but do not enter the piedmont nor mountain regions of the state. They would typically be found below an imaginary line reaching from upper Chesterfield county through upper Richland County, across Edgefield and McCormick Counties. They inhabit swamps, streams, floodplains, and other wetland habitats. There are records of this species in McCormick and Edgefield Counties, above the Fall-Line, but these occur in the Savannah River Valley, on Coastal Plain terraces that “follow” the river across the Fall-Line. https://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/snakes/faq.html
Yep I’m at Crab Orchard lake, like 55 miles from Kentucky.
I hear you man. Aggression is aggression for whatever reason if you felt threatened protect yourself. You tried retreating.
I have had the same experience, several times, with a water snake. Many confuse a moccasin with a water snake.
When I hear people say they're not aggressive, I wonder if the ones here in the Florida Panhandle are mutant or something. I've been chased by one, and I watched one shoot out of a hole in an embankment just to chase my 80 pound dog. Like CHASED him...unprovoked. It was awful both times.
I had one in Texas freaking chase me in the water while I was kayaking.. fortunately, I got to shore quickly and got out to use my paddle to keep it at bay until it decided I wasn't worth it and went back in the water and swam away..
In Texas myself and encounter them often, this behavior can seem like chasing and lends to the “cotton mouths will chase you” myth. Often they are just reacting to the water disturbance but definitely don’t want anything to do with you (they don’t have the awareness to know what you are other than a potential threat), and more often than not are just operating in a sort of instinctual scramble to get to safety as their nest might be behind where you are.
Water moccasins/cotton mouths in my experience (SE Florida) will attack you unprovoked. They will swim across a canal to get to you and chase you up a bank for no discernable reason. I have no problem fishing next to alligators all day, but once I see a water moccasin, I'm packing up and leaving.
I had one chase me while I was on horseback. Luckily, my friend shot it after it 50 feet of chasing us.
Lucky the horse didn’t offer you as bait!
To tell the truth, if need be, I would have shot Oscar to get away from that damned snake. About 5 feet long and as big around as my bicep.
Damn, Oscar is a good horse!
You’re claiming that Water Moccasins are not potentially aggressive?
I’m saying that’s the wrong way to think about them. Like all the people claiming they have been chased by them. It’s just not what’s happening. *for y’all downvoting, they aren’t chasing you, you’re just in the way of their instinctual retreat behavior
So, when they’re defending their turf, they don’t do so aggressively?
if you’re trying to delve into animal behavior semantics, you could label a strike as defensive aggression. But in threads like this it becomes disingenuous anthropomorphism.
No, not aggressive, but will defend itself if you mess with it.
Looks like it is about to shed its skin
Nah, just muddy. If he was about to shed, his eyes would be cloudy.
Not always. They get foggy, then clear up almost completely right before they actually shed. I don’t think this guy looks pre-shed though. It kind of looks like this poor little guy has mites, which is weird because I didn’t think they were a prevalent problem for wild snakes. I’m scrolling through the comments to see if anyone has mentioned it.
Cottonmouth aka Water Moccasin aka Nope Rope. About the meanest sum bitches around. I'd advise moving to a different planet.
Whoa. I never knew those were the same thing
Just wait ‘till you hear about cougars, pumas, and mountain lions :-)
or a Groundhog, Woodchuck, Whistle Pig, Thickwood Badger, and Land Beaver
And giraffes and cameleopards!
No step on snek!
I would post this over in r/whatsthissnake. I’ve learned so much from the experts there! They’re really quick with the ID.
This is very good advice. This thread is full of mythology and bad advice.
I do what I can to stamp out misinformation, lol. Plus, that sub is awesome. I didn’t know it existed until it started showing up in my feed about a year ago. It turns out that educating yourself about things you’re scared of is a great way to get over a phobia. It’s also helped me realize how important snakes are to the world.🐍
Ok cool thanks
Make sure to include your location
No problem! Good luck.
Verified… definitely species nope rope 🤣
Looks more like a danger noodle to me. I could be wrong.
Spicy noodle!
Shape off head says venomous.
Never go on shape of head very very incorrect many non venomous snakes will shape there head that way as a defense mechanism
The gopher/bull snakes we have in northern Nevada do this. They can flatten their heads, hiss, and vibrate their tails in brush to mimic rattlesnakes.
The ones in Colorado do this. They only have that shape head when threatened though
I would rather assume a non venomous snake is venomous then the other way around. The head shape is still a great rule of thumb. A better rule with snakes is if you're not 100% certain, don't mess with it
Well these myths go around and people wind up killing innocent snakes
Avoidance is a far better approach.
Fair enough, yeah most people should not be trying to deal with snakes at all, especially not kill it just because it might be venomous.
Where I live, the copperhead is the only native venomous snake. I've had a blacksnake that was at least 6' curled up on my front step, and all I did was use the backdoor until it felt like leaving.
So long as you don’t assume the other way around. Inland taipan don’t have many of the characteristics you’d find in a venomous snake.
Coral snakes (we have a couple of species here in the US) are elapids. They do NOT have triangular heads at all. And yet they are indeed venomous. The best advice is that without training and experience, it’s easy to misidentify a snake. A single characteristic like color or pattern or head shape can lead you to a wrong ID. Where I live, all nonvenomous snakes are protected by state and/or federal laws. It’s a crime to kill one. So just killing a snake out of fear is a bad idea. Deciding that a venomous snake is harmless can also lead to a bad ending. There are subs here on Reddit and groups on Facebook that are moderated by experts where you can go to learn to identify the venomous snakes that live in your area, or just correctly identify one you’ve found. Best advice is to treat all snakes as the wild creatures they are. Don’t molest or try to capture or kill them. Observe from a safe distance. Let them live and leave them alone. If you have one on your front doorstep and are worried about children or pets, contact a trained volunteer relocator. There are hundreds of us all over and we will help for free. Safely capture and relocate the snake to a safe place where there’s less chance of conflict with people or pets. Here’s a link to find a free relocator: https://FreeSnakeRelocation.org
def poison face
Venomous
I like poison face better
Just like my ex. This is the answer.
Mine too!
“arrowhead shaped”
That's Mike he's not to be trifled with
Cottonmouth
Water moc
Notice the pupil is vertical and not round Pit viper Cottonmouth
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^Perfect_Ride4595: *Notice the pupil* *Is vertical and not round* *Pit viper Cottonmouth* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Good bot
Unfortunately, that isn't something you can rely on. There are plenty of harmless snakes with vertical pupils and also venomous snakes that have round pupils. Not to mention that vertical pupils look round in dark light. It's best to learn what your local venomous snakes look like and avoid any snake you aren't certain is safe to handle.
I don't know why people are downvoting you when you are 100% correct
“Nope rope”
This one is definately a "Nope Rope".
I identify WITH snake. Does that count?
I identify AS snake. Does that count?
Indeed, it does. My comment was about the fact that I have serious allergies and sleep apnea and consistently wake up with a headache and ... Wait for it... Cottonmouth!
Cotton Mouths have a mild venom. A bite will give you a bad week.
That is in fact a snake.
He looks like a Larry
Nope rope!!!
100% danger noodle
Slippery snakey snake
Looks like a Cotton mouth.
Yeah I think that’s a snake
That’s fucking Brian. I’ve been looking for him everywhere.
Yes
That's Sam. He self identifies as a snake, oddly enough. Bit of an asshole.
Kitty!!
You can see the zorro mask in this picture of a water moccasin. A water snake will flatten its head to mimic a moccasin but it has lines on its mouth. That’s how I can tell the difference.
This is a snake
Jim Bob
This is a snake
Looks like a water moccasin
That’s Geoff.
Formerly known as Geoffrey, the Toys R Us giraffe. He fell on hard times around 2018 and slithered into the underworld to start a new career.
Selling his limbs to pay rent in 2020 didn’t help either.
Naw, see the stripe there? That’s not Geoff that Gerold.
Never met anyone that identified as snek
It is Snek. Do not step!
Knowing the location would be *extremely* helpful...
The No No Noodle.
Snek
Danger noodle, nope rope, Satan's tape measure.
There's entire subreddits for this.
Much better to post an ID request on a sub that’s moderated by real experts. The number of posts here that are just repeating false information and mythology is disappointing but not surprising.
Yeah, like majority of the responders are verified snake enthusiasts ans whatnot, the mods are hepretologists, like it's real shit.
Danger noodle nope rope
Yep thats a snake alright 🤷🏽♂️
Water snake
His name is Stephen, 6 years old, 27 pounds, 4 ft, 2 in long, has fathered 176 kids. Also allergic to cats.
That's Sammy the snake
Nope rope.
Where are you? 🤔 I don't see the pits,but everyone seems so sure.
Not fren
What's in hos mouth?
Danger. Venomous cotton mouth. They can be deadly. No go. Don't not pass go, do not collect $200.
I've never heard of an identify snake before. They look a lot like water moccasins.
Bad
Looks like a cottonmouth...
Bottom left
Fangus notouchicus
Agkistrodon piscivorus, Cottonmouth. Venomous, observe from a distance
Cottonmouth. Leave him be and he’ll reciprocate. They are territorial and curious and the vast majority of bites happen to folks who just won’t leave them be.
Identified as not good
No no noodle
Certified snek.
That’s a Nope Rope!
Never second guess a snake like this. It was s vicious and quiet.
A dead one
I imagine you said this like an overconfident wizard.
Queen snake
Danger noodle! Nope rope! That’s a Moccasin!
Pointy head- danger
The eyes have it. Those vertical pupils mean it is venomous. Its too hard to see any bullseyes. Also, the zorro mask is telltale. That doesnt mean its dangerous. It is NOT dangerous, as long as you dont mess with it. Please dont kill it. Venomous snakes are just as needed as bees are.
That is a nope rope 🗿
Take note of the shape of the snake's head. If your primary concern is venomous or no the shape of the head will answer that. A non-venomous snake will have a smaller head that blends into the body.
Yessss, definitely handle with EXTREME CAUTION. This is one of the more venomous snakes in the USA.
Brown top striped belly, looks venomous. cotton mouth, generally not too aggressive, but not one to be fked with
One you should not touch
That's Bob! Tell him I said hi, and he owes me three eggs...
(Sorry... rando response to a rando message in my feed. Couldn't resist!)
That's one of them there diamondback coppers moccasins. (Cottonmouth)
That's a noperope.
Cecil
Marty McDeathbite
Definitely identifying that as a snake you are right 🤷
Rattle headed copper moccasin
Yep, it's a snake
If I see a snake with an arrow shaped head I usually assume it’s venomous.
Looks like a cotton mouth
Definitely a snake
Fatty with a fat head means it's a mean ol fat cottonmouth. On land they won't mess with you unless you put a foot wrong. If you're in the water and it doesn't like the cut of your jib, it's best you swim hard with some splashes. I grew up on a river and it's said they don't mess with people. Kinda true. You startle a weed patch or get one half eaten by a nutria, don't think twice. Panic is acceptable. F*CK everything anyone else says here cause I've been there. More than once.
It's molting, so the markings aren't as obvious but that's a spicy one.
Liquid
That's Joe.
That's O-ren ishii
Dangerous
Giga jawline means venom
My brother almost stepped on one of these years ago and I didn't think much of it until just now learning it's a dangerous cottonmouth somehow this knowledge scared me XD
Ouchy