Florida Water Moccasin Vs Water Snake

Cottonmouths agkistrodon piscivorus sadly harmless snakes are often killed out of fear for the safety of family and pets.
Florida water moccasin vs water snake. In this article we ll take a look at water moccasins vs cottonmouths and discern the difference if any. Juveniles also have bright yellow tail tips. Juvenile cottonmouths are a brown or tan color with darker reddish brown crossbands containing many speckles down the back. There are three subspecies within this species.
The cottonmouth or water moccasin is a dark colored heavy bodied snake that can grow to an average of 2 4 feet in length. One of the snakes which is easy to confuse with a water moccasin agkistrodon piscivorus is the water snake g enus nerodia. The snakes are thick and dark colored with a heavy body with the neck smaller than the body and with the tail tip long and thin. Although water moccasins are the same however there are more than one type.
Florida s snakes cottonmouth or water moccasin agkistrodon piscivorus venomous. The best way to tell these two snake species apart is by observing their heads and looking for the water moccasin s distinct dark band. Facts and information on how to distinguish the venomous cottonmouth from non venomous water snakes. There is also the western cottonmouth which is found in the states surrounding and.
The cottonmouth is also called the water moccasin. Their are numerous different types of water snakes spread all through the united states. However knowing how to respond correctly to venomous snakebites is also important. The venomous cottonmouth snake is one of the most feared animals in the eastern us and often misidentified and confused with harmless water snakes.
The water moccasin or cottonmouth is a venomous pit viper snake species found in southeastern parts of the united states. Harmless watersnake or venomous water moccasin. Some are easy to tell from a water moccasin others almost look identical. Water moccasins have very thick bodies while southern water snakes have more slender bodies.
The florida water moccasin the western water moccasin and the eastern water moccasin grow to an adult size from 8 to 48 inches long with a record length of 74 1 2 inches long. Another way to distinguish the two snakes is by their bodies. They re the same snake. Venomous snakebites are rare and can usually be avoided.