Identification Baby Water Moccasin Florida

This venomous juvenile water moccasin also has a wide blocky head and a very obvious neck that is narrower than the head.

Identification baby water moccasin florida. Cottonmouths also called water moccasins are native to the southeastern united states. A venomous snake the cottonmouth is often confused with non venomous northern water snakes. 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. There are three subspecies within this species.

The water moccasin has a brownish color but this will also go darker as they age more. Thick body is reddish brown to dark gray brown. Sometimes these snakes dwell far from the wetlands. The baby cottonmouth pattern is strong and distinctive with around 10 to 15 reddish brown bands across their back.

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. They are known for their thick bodies and shorter tails compared to the slender water snake. Older individuals may be nearly solid black. This photo was sent to us by an extension client who needlessly killed the snake and asked that we confirm that it was a venomous species.

There is also the western cottonmouth which is found in the states surrounding and. Juveniles may be misidentified as copperheads which are only found in florida in a small area of the panhandle. This snake is mostly observed in florida. Juveniles also have bright yellow tail tips.

The water moccasin or cottonmouth is a venomous pit viper snake species found in southeastern parts of the united states. Agkistrodon piscivorus lacépède 1789 the following will separate the two cottonmouths found in florida if you are unable to distinguish between them based on the characteristics in the key below you probably can do so using the geographic location alone. They can sometimes be seen around a drying pool to catch fish or amphibians. Their territory stretches from texas to the eastern seaboard and from the florida keys to the middle of missouri.

While it is not. Florida snake identification key cottonmouth florida cottonmouth moccasin water moccasin. Juvenile cottonmouths are a brown or tan color with darker reddish brown crossbands containing many speckles down the back. This brighter color is a handy feature used by newborns to attract prey.

The cottonmouth or water moccasin is a dark colored heavy bodied snake that can grow to an average of 2 4 feet in length. Another distinguishing feature of young water moccasins is their bright yellow tail tip. The water moccasin habitats aremostly near the freshwater habitats like rivers wetlands which have heavy vegetation cypress swamps and floodplains.