I managed to get a snap of Bob while he was lounging out in the pond
this morning. The snake is about 4 1/2 ft long. He just sits there,
motionless, until something comes within reach.
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x...ekhuis/Bob.jpg
Discerning observers will notice that this is not a southern black
snake. As a matter of fact, it looks very much like a cottonmouth. So
here's what happened. I was sitting out by the pond when I noticed
this (rather elegant) long, thin, black snake. Over the next few days
we named it, and I became rather attached to it. Then I didn't see it
for a few days. Then I thought I saw it, but it seemed different
somehow. The very next day I got a better look, and the snake had
definitely put on weight, so much, in fact, that it didn't even look
like the same snake. It wasn't. I have no idea what happened to the
southern black racer, honest (the big snake probably ate it, snakes do
that). The big snake even has that angular head shape so common to
venomous snakes. But it isn't a cottonmouth (water moccasin). It is
a Florida water snake, non-venomous (I won't say "harmless 'cause they
bite -- hard) and almost identical to the venomous cottonmouth. One
can tell the difference by the round eye pupils (cottonmouths have
vertical elliptical pupils) and the lack of the heat sensitive "pit"
between the eye and the nostril. Anyway, it seemed easier to just
name the new snake "Bob" rather than go through all of this, at least
that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
--
Galen Hekhuis
I may have mispoken

Galen Hekhuis wrote:

I have no idea what happened to the
southern black racer, honest (the big snake probably ate it, snakes do
that). The big snake even has that angular head shape so common to
venomous snakes. But it isn't a cottonmouth (water moccasin). It is
a Florida water snake, non-venomous (I won't say "harmless 'cause they
bite -- hard) and almost identical to the venomous cottonmouth. One
can tell the difference by the round eye pupils

Do people (one might even suggest "nuts") intentionally get close enough to
Cottonmouths to note the shape of their pupils?
--
derek
- Unless otherwise noted, I speak for myself, not rec.ponds.moderated
moderators.

On Tue, 22 May 2007 13:12:08 CST, Derek Broughton
wrote:

Do people (one might even suggest "nuts") intentionally get close enough to
Cottonmouths to note the shape of their pupils?

It really isn't difficult to see the shape of the pupils from a good
distance away, but I doubt I'd treat it any differently even if it was
a cottonmouth. I give it a wide berth, but I'm aware that it's
around. Living out here in the boonies, there are always a bunch of
critters around. I have a black widow spider living under the same
fake rock that the pump for my aerator lives under. Whenever I lift
the rock to fuss with the pump I expect to find some upset venomous
snake there. I was almost relieved to find the spider. There is
stuff that becomes habit here. You don't look under boards or rocks
or things outside except very carefully expecting something to spring
out at you. You don't poke your hands into things. You just have to
be a little aware whenever you go outside. I've got these 17 in
"snake proof" boots that I wear when I go "walking" in the weeds, but
that is mainly because I can't walk very well, and running is out of
the question. But I have not yet seen the snake that can't be
avoided. Most of them will flee if given the chance. If you can't
watch where you are going, well, maybe you deserve it. Anyway, the
shape of the pupils is more distinctive than might be thought, snakes
have no eyelids, their eyes are always wide open.
--
Galen Hekhuis
I may have mispoken

Galen,

Great update! Bob 2 is definitely not a racer! Do I see pattern on
him?

Jim

Galen Hekhuis wrote:
I managed to get a snap of Bob while he was lounging out in the pond
this morning. The snake is about 4 1/2 ft long. He just sits there,
motionless, until something comes within reach.
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x...ekhuis/Bob.jpg [ . . . ]

And a fine looking specimen he is. In Thailand, Cobras are the most often
seen, although I never saw one. More dangerous were the much smaller
Mambas, whose venom was more deadly, acted faster, and IIRC, for which
there is no anti-venom. We killed three of them on Golf Courses. Never saw
them around ponds. A true snake in the grass!

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

On Tue, 22 May 2007 16:17:20 CST, Phyllis and Jim
wrote:

Galen,

Great update! Bob 2 is definitely not a racer! Do I see pattern on
him?

Jim

I think I see a sort of cross-banding on the sides, however I don't
intend to get close enough to find out for sure. I'm 99.9999999% sure
of my identification, but even I can make a mistake...
--
Galen Hekhuis
I have no idea what happened, but I assure you it was all proper.

Galen, thanks for the pic and story, totally enjoyed it.... but I'm so glad
I don't have too many snakes making their way to my door steps. Though
snakes (of the garden variety) don't bother me in the least, something
eating my fish, that I couldn't do anything about without ruining the look
of the ponds, would be very distressing. ~ jan

------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Occasional rattlesnake sightings around here,
gartersnakes and bullsnakes. Never did
find out what slithered into my family room
and never seen again so I guess it's still
down there...

k :-)

"Derek Broughton" wrote in message
...
Galen Hekhuis wrote:

I have no idea what happened to the
southern black racer, honest (the big snake probably ate it, snakes do
that). The big snake even has that angular head shape so common to
venomous snakes. But it isn't a cottonmouth (water moccasin). It is
a Florida water snake, non-venomous (I won't say "harmless 'cause they
bite -- hard) and almost identical to the venomous cottonmouth. One
can tell the difference by the round eye pupils

Do people (one might even suggest "nuts") intentionally get close enough
to
Cottonmouths to note the shape of their pupils?
--
derek
- Unless otherwise noted, I speak for myself, not rec.ponds.moderated
moderators.


Snakes are cool.

Living in the UK we don't have much to choose from ... the venomous Adder
which you don't see much of and the non-venomous Grass Snake ... and that's
about it ... apart from a few escaped pets, I'm sure.

It looks a lot like the Northern Water Snake I had. I'm in
Massachusetts.
http://www.2greys.com:8080/album/pon.../DSC00089.html
They eat fish and frogs.
http://www.2greys.com:8080/album/pon.../DSC00094.html

Kris

That second picture made my toes curl!!

But I do have a vivid memory, as a little person
exploring around the water at my grandparents
seeing the same thing.

k :-)

Around this time, I noticed lots of ragged tails on my fish. I got on-
line and
decided it was fin rot. I started treating the pond with PP. Then I
caught the
snake hunting the fish and catching a 7" fish by the tail. The snake
was only 2'.
It was one of those "doh!" moments. It never occurred to me a snake
was biting
their tails off.

Kris

On Wed, 30 May 2007 16:47:30 CST, wrote:

It looks a lot like the Northern Water Snake I had. I'm in
Massachusetts.
http://www.2greys.com:8080/album/pon.../DSC00089.html
They eat fish and frogs.
http://www.2greys.com:8080/album/pon.../DSC00094.html

Kris


At least the frog in pic #2 looks pretty dead.
--

r.bc: vixen
Minnow goddess, Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher.
Almost entirely harmless. Really.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

but the PP was a good treatment for damaged tails anyway. Ingrid

On Thu, 31 May 2007 21:13:07 CST, wrote:

Around this time, I noticed lots of ragged tails on my fish. I got on-
line and
decided it was fin rot. I started treating the pond with PP. Then I
caught the
snake hunting the fish and catching a 7" fish by the tail. The snake
was only 2'.
It was one of those "doh!" moments. It never occurred to me a snake
was biting
their tails off.

Kris