Water snakes

[Herpsrus]

I caught these 2 Northern Water snakes this past summer. Talk about making the heart beat fast. These guys were real, real, mean, but after a photo session, they were let go.

Mike

[Jeff Hathaway]

Nice snakes, but then you can't expect them not to bite if you're handling them like that! You can injure snakes, especially heavy bodied ones, by holding them in this manner. Support the whole body! If you're going to catch a wild animal, expect that it will bite you, and accept it. Obviously, do what you can to avoid it, but not at the risk of injuring the animal. If it's not worth getting bitten, than the reason for catching it is not worth stressing the animal.

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

[Vanan]

Sometimes handling them better will result in a snake not biting you. Try it. :)

[Herpsrus]

Thanks for the kind words guys.........................think

[BoaBoi]

Are they mildly venomous? If not why even bother holding their heads, when I field herp with non-vens and they bite it doesn't really hurt if I even feel it at all.

James~

[snakehunter]

Well Northerns do have a nasty attitude and bite to back it up. this being said, tailing is easier and less dangerous to the snake, but should still be handled in a manner to support the body, especial Northerns, once they hit four feet they seem to grow sideways instead of length. great snake though, i think i might keep the next juvi i find this year

[Vanan]

It's funny cos all I've read about N. sipedon, mention them being tame. Maybe it's relative to the diamondbacks. :D

[snakehunter]

weird, the northerns in Va are vicious

[snakehunter]

well seem to be atleast

[shaggybill]

Northerns ARE mean. I've never caught one that wasnt. After a while, they sort of stop freakin out, but when ya catch 'em for the first time, they are meaner than the devil.

Nice snakes, BTW. Makes me anxious for summer to hurry up and get here. I mean, besides the fact that I freeze my butt off everytime I go outside.

...cant wait to move to Florida...

[Vanan]

Guess maybe it's that they tame down faster then. Not that they're docile by nature by the sounds of it.

[Jeff Hathaway]

I think a lot depends on how you catch them. I've caught some that bit me 7 or 8 times, and others that never bit at all. I find most to be reasonably calm for a wild animal that a large predator is restraining and picking up. There's no reason to 'tail' them- support the body as much as is possible.

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!