Snake in Water

A water moccasin we found in the water on a tour of a cave in Arkansas.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• snaker
• water
• moccasin
• arkansas
• tour
• cave

[clee0510]

WOW~ GREAT SHOT!

[raincloud91]

Haha thanks!

[racedrum11]

holy shit, thats is a freaking copperhead...DUH!..look at the patterens!

[Delticola]

@AtarahDerek Another interesting thing that lots of these videos on You Tube seems to be that cottonmouths like to swim with their head elevated out of the water. Lots of non-cotton mouth water snakes head isn't usually so elevated. But back to your comment about swimming on the top of the water. I would say this video does show it swimming at the top of the water. Anyway, copperheads have the same patter, different pigment and color, they're in the same Genus, Akisterdon.

[Delticola]

@AtarahDerek All snakes can swim at the top of the water or below the water, just depends on the volume of air they have. Well, also depends on the shape of their body. Cottonmouths swim well under water, their home is a nice swamp, creek, or river. All you have to do is look for the vertical pupil, the chocolate stripe on the chin and then know the pattern. Sometimes they are more dark or black. If you look at some other video's of "water moccasin" "Cotton Mouth" You will see the pattern.

[doyle178]

@SCONIERS2007 Look up photos of juvenile cottonmouths. Also, this is a western cottonmouth, not a Florida cottonmouth. Western cottonmouths adults are more olive to dark brown with light pattern still showing through. I've only seen a few adult Florida cottons and you are right, they do appear black with very little pattern showing. Young western specimens, however, look exactly like this one in this video.

[doyle178]

@AtarahDerek Texas it is!! Southeast Texas to be exact. Never seen anything like it. Yes, it would be great to do a weather swap with Iowa, lol!!!

[AtarahDerek]

@doyle178 Let me guess, Texas? I'd be willing to bet snake removal teams in Iowa are having the same problems, but for the exact opposite reason. Here's hoping Iowa dries out a bit and sends all that moisture your way.

I'm already not looking forward to being delayed and rerouted going up I-29 next spring. :/

[doyle178]

@AtarahDerek Sorry, that was a bit of a jerk comment I made. I got nothing against you, I just get concerned when I see someone consistently misidentify snakes and give the appearance that they are speaking from solid facts and experience. I'm not a herpetologist, but I have spent years working with them and guiding researchers through prime nerodia (our 5 water snakes) and cottonmouth locations. I do snake removals and am currently relocating several species due to this blasted drought.

[AtarahDerek]

@doyle178 Hey, give me a break. I only have a shaky video to work from. But its swimming habits don't match those of a cottonmouth, so that's why I didn't think it was.

[AtarahDerek]

@Delticola Don't cottonmouths swim on top of the water? This snake's body is submerged.

[doyle178]

@AtarahDerek Man... You cant get it right from either side of the aisle, lol!! Stick to other stuff in the outdoors you may know, cause it sure is not snake identification!!