Snake!

[Wingshooter]

Yes. I'm probably safe in saying all of them can swim. Obviously some snakes are more likely to be found in the water than others, but cottonmouths aren't the only snakes to be found in the water.

That makes me feel better. I keep seeing snakes in the river, but I'm not going close enough to find out what kind they are.

A couple of years ago, the outboard on my duck boat stopped working while I was on my way back to the dock. It was already dark, and I tried for a while to get it running - but no luck. I needed to go upstream, so paddling would have been frustrating at best. I was only in about 3-4 feet of water along the edge and wearing chest waders, so I pushed it back. Although it was December, the only thing I could think of was those crazy snakes! The movie "anaconda" kept popping into my head

Glad to know that not all swimmers around here are moccasins.

[Guest crotalus01]

All snakes can swim. Most likely what you are seeing are common watersnakes.

Water Moccasins have been known to kill but it is exceedingly rare - they do have a very nasty bite that may require hospitalization depending on your reaction to the venom. I have had several moccasins but fortunately never got bitten by any.

Kingsnakes, not ratsnakes, eat other snakes and are particularly fond of rattlers.

[Guest JavaGuy]

'bout 40 years ago, I remember hearing this joke at a Boy Scout function.. It sums up the reactions of some of you to the everyday snakes you encounter.

==

Jim was late coming back from a hike. He'd gotten separated from the rest of the Scouts and the scoutmaster was just about to lead a group back out to look for him.

As the Scouts lined up to get their search instructions, Jim came limping into camp. His clothing was torn, one shoe was missing and he had scratches and bruises all over his body.

"Jim, what happened? Are you all right?", asked the Scoutmaster.

Jim sank to the ground.. "A huge black snake chased me off a 60 foot cliff."

The Scoutmaster gave a nervous chuckle, "Well, Jim, black snakes aren't poisonous."

Jim gave him a sour look.. "Yes, I know. But if he can chase me off a 60 foot cliff, he damned well doesn't need to be."

[Currently]

Since the thread is officially 'jacked ...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A rattlesnake bites Johnny on his John Henry.

“Don’t panic,” says Johnny’s camping pal, “My trusty medical manual’ll tell us what to do.” (The manual prescribes cutting an X on the snake bite, then sucking out the venom.) The befuddled pal keeps re-reading the advice to himself.

“What’s it say?” asks Johnny, panicking.

“Says you’re going to die.”

[Oh Shoot]

I have seen many in northern Middle TN. I grew up aroud Clarksville and we used to kill at least one or two a year around our ponds.

Nah.

Some other snake, not a cottonmouth.

Lots of "water snakes" in TN.

- OS

[Oh Shoot]

I've seen them around Old Hickory Lake. They are here also...

Nah.

Any number of "dark snakes" with "white mouths" in TN.

Most snakes around water WILL swim now and then, too.

- OS

[Kegger]

There are, correct me if I'm wrong, 5 separate species of snakes in this state alone that very closely resemble a copperhead. All of them missing one very important thing. If you see a snake that looks like a copperhead, look for a penny on its head. Small circular area that looks like slightly dull copper, then move away slowly. Advance on it and it will more than likely get very defensive. All the other look a like species will bolt.

Use to swim in creeks and ponds all the time as a child and have only seen one actual copperhead. Scared the bejesus outta me and my brothers.

You'll see cotton mouths more often around here than you will ever see copperheads.

[Guest tnvolfan]

It is a king snake -- the saying goes, "Red on black, you're alright Jack; red on yellow, you're a dead fellow." I would have killed it too, though, just because I hate snakes. I'm amazed you got close enough to get that photo -- it's really a very good one!

[Oh Shoot]

....

You'll see cotton mouths more often around here than you will ever see copperheads.

You guys crack me up.

It's unlikely that anyone on this forum has actually seen a cottonmouth in the wild, even those of you who actually live where you could, and certainly not around Franklin, for example.

- OS

[Guest Rick O'Shay]

You guys crack me up.

It's unlikely that anyone on this forum has actually seen a cottonmouth in the wild, even those of you who actually live where you could, and certainly not around Franklin, for example.

- OS

Can't say that I have, but I have seen my share of Corals and Moccasins though.

[Wingshooter]

I usually don't get close enough to a snake to identify it. "Snake" is all I need. I can pull all sorts of weird and previously unknown muscles trying to get away from one if encountered close up. I am careful about watching my step in the woods, and I will give any snake plenty of room.

If I find one in my house though...

[Kegger]

I live well outside of Franklin city limits. Just have a Franklin address way out here in the sticks.

But I have actually seen a few cottonmouths. And by a few I mean exactly 3, all within the span of 16 years of living here. Very uncommon to see them, but I've seen more of them than copperheads.

[Oh Shoot]

Can't say that I have, but I have seen my share of Corals and Moccasins though.

"moccasins" ARE cottonmouths.

Corals are the rarest of all ... did you match the color to color bands?

- OS

[Oh Shoot]

I live well outside of Franklin city limits. Just have a Franklin address way out here in the sticks.

But I have actually seen a few cottonmouths. And by a few I mean exactly 3, all within the span of 16 years of living here. Very uncommon to see them, but I've seen more of them than copperheads.

Well, your whole area is not considered to be within cottonmouth range.

But if you say so, I guess it's so.

- OS

[Guest looneeetunes]

I would have shot that with every gun I own !

yeah i would have too wouldnt been enough skin left to cover a penny

[Guest RISC777]

:SIGH: Me too, bud.

Not that / those boa(s) !!!

[jgrauman]

i'm going to have some great pics for tomorrow! my fiance just showed me pics of what looks to be a boa in a tree outside her apartment in Hixson! it was at eye level, looks to be about 6ft long. had to be an escaped pet, i'm going to try and find it tomorrow, but she's going to email me the pics

[Guest RISC777]

If that guy or girl is an emarld shade of green, be aware they are snippy (they'll probably be defensive and strike). A close up or two of the eyes would be good to see.

[Guest m4coyote]

Here is the website of the Tennessee Herpitological Society : SNAKES OF TENNESSEE . They have some pictures of the four venomous species which inhabit Tennessee. According to them, there are 34 species of snakes in this state, and four of those are venomous pit vipers - the Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake, Western Pigmy Rattlesnake, and the Western Cottonmouth. All of them are pit vipers.

EVERY species of pit viper in Tennessee has VERTICLE ELLIPTICAL PUPILS. In Tennessee, not one single species of indigenous non - venomous snake has a vertical elliptical pupil. If you find a non-venomous species here that has an elliptical pupil, then it is probably an escaped or discarded exotic.

Seek Medical Attention for a Copperhead bite! Their venom is hemotoxic, and it attacks veins, arteries, tissues, and can damage the heart & lungs. Their venom also causes necrosis, and can result in amputation of fingers & limbs if medical attention is ignored. Each individual person can be affected differently by snake venom, and some people are more or less harmed by its characteristics.

It is true that the Copperhead is the least toxic of the snake species that live here, but that does not mean that a bite from one should not be taken very seriously.

All pit vipers can inflict a "dry bite", with little or virtually no venom, but the after effects of a full on invenomation from a Copperhead can be very ugly if you do not receive medical attention. In the field, there is really no safe way to tell if the bite you receive is "dry" or a full dose. All rattlesnake bites should be considered life threatening, and it is probably a good idea to regard a bite from a Cottonmouth in the same light.

I have personally seen the after effects of both Copperhead and Timber Rattlesnake bites, and neither are pretty. The first effect is severe pain in the bite area, the next symptom is swelling, and darkening of the tissue. Most of the time, the tissues radiating from the bite area will turn black and swell to the point of almost bursting. The blackness is a result of the destruction of blood & tissues.

I capture and remove Copperheads and Rattlesnakes from residences every year at my job. On each outing, Police and or EMT's are with me, and can transport me to the hospital if a bite occurs.

By the way,Wikipedia, and the biologists at the Tennessee Herpitological Society list the Corn Snake and Red Rat Snake as being the same species.

[Guest db99wj]

Rattlers are really the only ones you really need to be concerned about, they can deliver enough venom to kill, and if bitten its a definite hospital trip and all the associated costs, plus its an extremely painful bite. They can cause perminant loss of the use of a limb, nerve damage, and in really bad cases amputation can be the only option.

Coral snakes can range into eastern TN but they are very rare and they almost never bite.

Copperheads have a very painful bite but are almost never life threatening. Same for moccasins although you have a better chance of needing to see a doctor for a moccasin bite. FWIW moccasins have a very undeserved and exagerrated reputation for being aggressive - they will stand their ground against a person but if you don't mess with them they very rarely will mess with you (notable exception is when you are in the water with them).

Up at my mom's house, Reelfoot Lake, we get a lot of water snakes, lots and lots, I have been swimming and they will come by our beach, all the time.

You guys crack me up.

It's unlikely that anyone on this forum has actually seen a cottonmouth in the wild, even those of you who actually live where you could, and certainly not around Franklin, for example.

- OS

I have at Reelfoot Lake. Water Moccasins are all over the big lake near the islands, and can be found in the Cypress Trees around the waters edge. When they are molting or having baby snakes or whatever they do, they are known to be aggressive and have dropped into boats that are fishing the trees. Even with that, most of the snakes seen are not water moccasins, there are 4 or 5 different types of water snakes up there. Most sitings are just that, water snakes.

There are also rattlesnakes and copperheads, east of the lake along the bluff, I have never seen any.

I don't mind snakes, don't want to play with them much either. I respect them. Spiders must die.

[jgrauman]

What do you guys think? looks like a boa to me. she walked out and it was hanging down face to face with her. think somebody lost a pet... i haven't had a chance to go over there and see if it's still around

[Guest m4coyote]

That looks like a large Grey Rat Snake to me, he is just not the correct coloration & girth for a boa. These guys get pretty large, and are excellent climbers. Check out this link, and see if you think it matches the snake in your pics - TN_ratsnake

I have removed these from home walls, and the home owners are frantic that there is a large snake climbing up the side of their house. These guys are harmless, and eat chipmunks, rats, mice and other quite small animals. There is no way that they could eat a small dog or cat.

[jgrauman]

That looks like a large Grey Rat Snake to me, he is just not the correct coloration & girth for a boa. These guys get pretty large, and are excellent climbers. Check out this link, and see if you think it matches the snake in your pics - TN_ratsnake

I have removed these from home walls, and the home owners are frantic that there is a large snake climbing up the side of their house. These guys are harmless, and eat chipmunks, rats, mice and other quite small animals. There is no way that they could eat a small dog or cat.

that very well could be it! the top right pic in your link looks the most like the pics she sent me. i didn't realize they got that big.

[Guest archerdr1]

Looks like a rat/chicken snake. Growing up in Mississippi, we caught a lot of those. The biggest one was about 7 feet long and probably about 3 inches in diameter when we caught it. We did feed it small rabbits and flying squirrels. I think the most fun one was n injured baby crow. That was cool to watch. They can be pretty moody, so be careful if you see it and try to catch it. oh, and I have seen many cottonmouths. Used to work at summer camp there in Mississippi. Taught archery, horseback riding, canoeing and did some time teaching nature. Kids would freak out when they saw a snake, but over time, I got pretty good at picking out a cottonmouth from a banded water snake. had one swim AT my canoe once...ownry little sucker. Took care of that with the blade of my paddle. I remember once I was hiking in the woods at the camp and had to pee. I was feeling the relief beside a tree and looked over and saw a snake. Never saw one like that before, so I took my steel toed cowboy boot, set it on his head (he struck at it, but couldn't bite through the bottom of my boot), reached down and grabbed it behind the head, and picked it up. As soon as I looked at it's eyes and head, I knew I had screwed up. I took it to our maintainance man and had him fire up the weed eater... bzzzzttt I love catching snakes. Caught a rat snake a few weeks ago in Georgia. I put it in an aquarium and kept it for about a week. It got out and is now somewhere in my basement unless it found a way out. I am not worried about it, If it is inside, hey, no mice, if it is outside, same thing!

[Oh Shoot]

....and I have seen many cottonmouths. Used to work at summer camp there in Mississippi.... ...

Good post...

If you ever see a cottonmouth with his mouth open, you'll never forget that shade of white, hence the name. It's not just "light" or "white", it's so white it's the complete absence of color, I mean dazzling white.

Caught a lot of snakes myself growing up, and kept them.

Had a BIG pine snake for about 2 years, they look sort of like rattlesnakes in pattern, even vibrate their tails, very thick and can get quite long. Quite belligerent, too, hiss and strike readily, even though no fangs, certainly can bite.

Anyway, when we first caught (her, as it turned out), she wouldn't eat anything, even live mice...me and my best bud took a couple or three wieners and basically crammed them down her with a wooden rod...you could just about hold her straight out, stiff as a board, LOL! Anyway, she laid around for a couple of weeks or more digesting those, and afterwards, she would eat!

Anyway, after her "digestion" period, discovered she had laid 5 or 6 eggs. I was coming home from school one afternoon, and as I walked up the drive, heard my mom scream!

Kept her in a "rabbit wire" pen on a shelf above the washer dryer, and sure enough, them babies had hatched and a couple were down in the open washer when mom went to put some clothes in.

So, let her and her younguns all go in the same woods had found her in.

A much wiser pine snake for the experience, I'm sure.

- OS

edit: to be chronologically correct, I let the younguns go but kept mama pine snake for another year and a half or more, then let her go, too. She got to where I could handle her without her hissing and biting me, too.

I'll have to tell about the sleep deprivation study on white mice I did for science fair sometime.

Edited May 16, 2009 by OhShoot