Identification

[deputyb716]

Anyone able to id this snake? I live in central NC and believed it to be a baby copperhead.

[reptiledude987]

Im no expert on them but the head shape dosent look right to me for a copperhead. If im not mistaken copperheads have a more triangular shaped head. Curious to hear from others what it actually is...

[FWK]

Juvie Northern Watersnake, perfectly harmless. Nice find and great picture.

[reptiledude987]

Is there a tool or site that you use to make these id's or do you just have all this knowledge stored in your brain google?

[FWK]

Is there a tool or site that you use to make these id's or do you just have all this knowledge stored in your brain google?

lol brain google I guess you could say. I almost always double check myself though. I've spent better than 20 years studying snakes, with a little repetition small things become very obvious. For instance here, the general shape of the head, neck and body scream Water Snake, as do the location of the eyes and shape of the dorsal scales. The pattern says Northern Water Snake and the location (North Carolina) matches. Double checking the head scales shape and count also match.

[reptiledude987]

I had the part with head and neck shape but the rest evaded me. From the head shape I was almost thinking corn of some type but didnt think that was right.

[FWK]

I can see thinking it looks a bit like a Corn. This animal is very young and snakes bone structure, just like humans, develops as they age. As it matured the skull structure would thicken and be much easier to distinguish from a Corn. I think it may be too late for this one but hopefully the next one will have better luck.

[MDT]

this is not a NC site, but www.oksnakes.org is a resource i recommend to folks. the general idea is the same for venomous snakes...you know, a copperhead still looks like a copperhead pretty much in oklahoma or NC. enjoy :)