Identify this snake: North Texas

[katanna]

Howdy all,

In the last 24 hours we have gotten about 5 inches of rain up here in North Texas, so on my way to work this afternoon I stopped to take some photos with my iPhone of the low-lying flooding near a bridge.

When I was about to leave I saw this scary looking guy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/th_229.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/229.jpg)
(click all photos for full size)

Even more scary, he was about five feet away, and he had been there for quite some time (he was in several pictures before I even noticed he was there).

So my question is: What is this guy? Was I visited by a harmless rat snake or was it a close call with a more venomous type?

Three more photos:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/th_222.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/222.jpg)
(I took this one several minutes before I noticed he was there!)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/th_228.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/228.jpg)
(This was when I noticed him, or as I call it, the "Oh CRAP what is that?!?" photo.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/th_230.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/230.jpg)

Matthew

[theapexgerman]

kinda look's like a red tail but I'm on my phone cant see it to good but a redtail in Texas tho weird

[infernalis]

Water mocassin.. Venemous.

[theapexgerman]

hmm they get that big

[infernalis]

kinda look's like a red tail but I'm on my phone cant see it to good but a redtail in Texas tho weird

look at the head structure.. that's a water moccasin.

[Gungirl]

Looks like to me it's a non - venomous Broad Banded water snake Broad Banded Water Snake (http://www.texassnakes.net/BroadBanded.htm)

I just googled texas snakes and got the above info..

Any thoughts on this guys?

[theapexgerman]

i got to go to my laptop when i get home my phone suck's when it these kind's of pic's but that's a big looking water moccasin tho

[youngster]

Water mocassin, don't go near it just leave it alone and it won't harm anyone.
Also called a cottonmouth, because when intimidated they will show off their very white mouth.

I'm 99.9999% positive :p

[BarelyBreathing]

Until you can be 100% that it is indeed a non venomous broad banded, don't attempt to handle it.

[theapexgerman]

but i didnt think they was in Texas tho ive seen them when i visted some buddy's down in Kentucky tho but wasnt that big

[MoreliAddict]

looks like a copperhead to me. venomous

http://www.agfc.com/speciesPhotos/reptiles_snakes_copperhead.jpg

[youngster]

I think the size is deceiving. It doesn't look extremely large to me.

Also, they have a pretty wide range.
http://www.venombyte.com/images/venom/snakes/maps/map_western_cottonmouth.jpg

d-d-d-d-disregard ^^^

[theapexgerman]

i forgot bout copperheads now there in Texas
maybe I'm on my phone so but i really didnt think a water moccsain was in texas

[Gungirl]

looks like a copperhead to me. venomous

http://www.agfc.com/speciesPhotos/reptiles_snakes_copperhead.jpg

^ I would agree...


I was wrong... sorry

[youngster]

looks like a copperhead to me.

Now that you say that. I changed my mind. I think I was thinking cottonmouth but picturing copperhead. :tired1_2::wacky:
My brain isn't working today

[BarelyBreathing]

Copperheads are so pretty. One of the first two venomous I keep once hubby gets his out building finished.

[theapexgerman]

i think corals are very pretty i alway's wanted one and i got one years ago =D

[katanna]

Thanks for the info guys! I think that Copperhead has it...

I also agree that it was not as large as the closeup photos make it out to be. Here are a few more pics that I took when I got to the top of the embankment/bridge:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/th_231.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/231.jpg)
(He is kinda hard to see, he is the light brown spot directly in the center of the photo.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/th_233.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/233.jpg)
(A zoomed in shot.)

Another peculiarity: I never once saw it move. In all of my photos it was in the exact same position. After I slowly backed away and took the above photos, I got a bit brave, and I went down about half way (20 feet away from it) and started throwing sticks at it (I am crazy like that). I hit it a few times, but it always remained exactly the way the photos show it. Part of me thinks it was a rubber decoy of some sort, but I think that is just wishful thinking.

This was out in the middle of no where without a house in sight. While talking to someone up here at work they said "Did you call animal control" and honestly it never crossed my mind to call anyone. Should I have called someone about it? The "sighting" was about an hour ago, is it now too late to contact someone about it?

Matthew

[alessia55]

Definitely looks like a copperhead to me. More pics of them to confirm:

The pic the OP posted:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/229.jpg

Other copperheads from google images:

http://www.kingsnake.com/louisiana/pics/copperhead1.jpg

This one looks JUST like the one in the OP's photo:

http://wildlife.blurtit.com/var/question/q/q1/q16/q164/q1647/q1647373_975647_cooperhead.jpg

Yes, they're venomous. Stay away from them!

[Wolfus_305]

wow, he sure is scary looking, I wouldn't go anywhere near him! haha I can't believe you didn't notice him right away, I can't imagine the shock of when you realized he was there

[infernalis]

Viper species all have the same shape of head. That was the dead giveaway.

[KORBIN5895]

Well my personal experience says copperhead. There was no reason to call animal control. Also that is as real as they get. I don't recommend throwing anything at a copperhead as they tend to have a short temper and will come over to say hi.

[Ridge Runner_20]

I would say copperhead as well. Beautiful animal!

RR_20 (Mike)

[kernel]

When I first looked at the pics I knew it was a southern copperhead and when everyone kept saying cottonmouth I was thinking "of all people they should know it's a southern copperhead". But, yea that's definitely a southern copper head, we see several of them a year.

[GarterPython]

I know nothing about venemous snakes but for some reason the second I looked at it I thought copperhead. Then I thought to myself I will look at the other posts and they wil probably prove me weong but I guess not.

[shaunyboy]

Viper species all have the same shape of head. That was the dead giveaway.

as soon as i saw its head shape i knew it was venomous,i did not know which species

but you can't miss those bulging venom glands and pointed face

great pictures mate,thanks for sharing

i'm envious that you can see these beautifull creatures,but i'm not envious of the dangers they posesse

for as crappy a country scotland can be,at least theres no creatures that can be a danger to human life

cheers shaun

[infernalis]

for as crappy a country scotland can be,at least theres no creatures that can be a danger to human life

cheers shaun


sure about that??:p:cool::D

http://www.ssnakess.info/duh/man.jpg

[BarelyBreathing]

OMG, run to the hills!

[SSSSnakes]

Copperhead 100% sure. I keep many copperheads in my collection.

[exwizard]

Water mocassin.. Venemous.

Yeah that was my guess as well.

[exwizard]

Definitely looks like a copperhead to me. More pics of them to confirm:

The pic the OP posted:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/katanna/229.jpg

Other copperheads from google images:

http://www.kingsnake.com/louisiana/pics/copperhead1.jpg

This one looks JUST like the one in the OP's photo:

http://wildlife.blurtit.com/var/question/q/q1/q16/q164/q1647/q1647373_975647_cooperhead.jpg

Yes, they're venomous. Stay away from them!

Ok yeah I see that.

[BarelyBreathing]

JERRY!!! You're EVERYWHERE!!!

I trust Jerry's assessment. He's never led anybody wrong.

[presspirate]

I don't know what it is, but I would have been incredibly excited to see it in person.

[ladyjustice33]

Native Texan here........that is a copperhead!! I catch them all the time and remove them from my yard. Haven't had any in a few years since we removed a big female and all the babies and relocated them. Cottonmouths are much darker and their pattern is different. We have a ton of both snakes down here in SE Texas and if you plan on going out in the woods (or my yard, lol) or fishing, you better be familiar with them. The copperhead has that beautiful color and is just a gorgeous snake in my opinion.

[SSSSnakes]

JERRY!!! You're EVERYWHERE!!!

I trust Jerry's assessment. He's never led anybody wrong.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I would have to say the same for you, when it comes to advice, you give the best.

[BarelyBreathing]

Well thank you. I do try my best. :)

[katanna]

Thanks everyone!

To those that think this is a beautiful animal: I would agree, but I never want to be surprised by one again! Really, after looking up and seeing it only five feet away, in a strike pose, just staring at me... I am surprised that I didn't have to change my underwear!

But really, I do somewhat regret not taking more pictures... I was so startled I just wanted to get out of there.

For those that want to download the photos, I have put all of the photos into a .zip file that you can download here:

http://clients.mediahandyman.com/Personal/Copperhead.zip

Matthew

[youngster]

I tried to download it but it gave me this.
"This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it"

[Shmoges]

Definately venomous from the head structure.

[Kayla90]

looks like a copperhead to me. venomous

http://www.agfc.com/speciesPhotos/reptiles_snakes_copperhead.jpg

My very first thought when I saw the picture was "Venomous" just from the shape of it's head.

This picture is the closest to it (If not it) so far

[swiftskater1]

CopperHead Fosho.

[millertime89]

def a copperhead, awesome snakes, but give them a wide berth. When you don't know what species it is, its always best to just stay away.