{"id":11755,"date":"2022-08-08T11:03:55","date_gmt":"2022-08-08T16:03:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=11755"},"modified":"2022-08-14T03:16:47","modified_gmt":"2022-08-14T08:16:47","slug":"cottonmouth-vs-water-snake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/cottonmouth-vs-water-snake\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Tell A Cottonmouth From A Water Snake?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You may have heard that any snake swimming in the water is dangerous and should be avoided at all cost. While this isn\u2019t entirely correct, it is true that cottonmouth snakes<\/a>, which spend much of their time in the water, are highly venomous. That said, most water snakes are completely harmless; so, how can you know which type of snake you\u2019re dealing with? Keep reading! In this article, we\u2019ll talk about how to tell a cottonmouth from a water snake.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Cottonmouth?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"What
Cottonmouth<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cottonmouth snakes, also known as water moccasins<\/a>, can be found throughout the southeastern United States. They are found primarily in wetland regions such as ponds, lakes, streams, and swamps, though they sometimes venture into drier habitats as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cottonmouths are mostly dark, though as juveniles they are a lighter brown in color with speckled reddish crossbands along their body and bright yellow tail tips. As they mature their entire body darkens to dark brown, dark gray, or even black, the yellow tail tip disappears, and very little of the body pattern remains.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cottonmouths are medium to large snakes, averaging 2 to 4 feet in length with thick, heavy bodies. They are excellent swimmers that spend nearly as much time in the water as they do on land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cottonmouths are a species of pit viper; as such, they have a distinctive pit on each side of the face between the eye and nostril. This pit allows them to sense the body heat of potential prey<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like all pit vipers, cottonmouths are venomous. Their venom destroys bodily tissues, killing their prey and causing serious injuries in any human they bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Water Snake?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"What
Water Snake<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201cwater snake<\/a>\u201d <\/em>applies to a variety of non-venomous snake species and subspecies. These water-loving reptiles can be found throughout North America, though they are most populous in southern and eastern parts of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because there are different species of water snakes, they don\u2019t all look the same. Some are brown or gray, while others are reddish, olive green, or tan in color.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most water snakes have visible markings and patterns on their bodies, though not all. The red-bellied water snake, for example, is a solid dark gray except for the red scales along its belly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cottonmouths come in different sizes depending on their species; some only grow a foot or two long, while others can grow up to 5 feet long. They are generally long, slender snakes with a ridge along their back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water snakes tend to stay close to the water; sometimes they will climb into trees and rest on branches, quickly dropping down into the water below if they are disturbed. They do most of their hunting in the water.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, water snakes are non-venomous, and their bite poses little or no threat to humans. That said, the saliva of some species does contain enzymes that can have venom-like effects on their prey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cottonmouth Vs. Water Snake: How to Tell the Difference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cottonmouths and water snakes are often confused since they both swim and sometimes have similar coloring. But cottonmouths are venomous and water snakes are not; therefore, it\u2019s important that you learn to tell the difference between them\u2013especially if you have both kinds of snakes living in your area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s talk about some of the best ways to tell cottonmouths apart from water snakes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n