Snake Identification Help

Reptile Novice · 08-17-14, 06:14 PM

Hello I live in Northeast Pennsylvania. Today my dad and I were out fishing when we came across a snake. We decided to pick it up. We then saw it was a copperhead. We then took several pics and videos. When we got home we looked at the pics again and after a second look it appears to be a northern banded water snake. We not sure what the snake is and it would be a great if you could look at the pics and offer your opinion and help us figure what this snake is.

Thank You Zach.

Jim Smith · 08-17-14, 07:34 PM

It is definitely not a copperhead. I think you're correct in your identification of it being a Northern Banded Water snake. Completely harmless, but certainly willing to give you a good bite if you pick it up.

FWK · 08-17-14, 09:47 PM

Yep looks like a Water Snake.

SSSSnakes · 08-18-14, 07:22 AM

Definitely a water snake. As Jim said, they will bite and are normally very aggressive. They have an anti coagulate in their saliva which will cause you to bleed more and make the bite look worst than it is.

infernalis · 08-21-14, 12:36 PM

non venomous water snake.

wrecker45 · 08-21-14, 07:14 PM

Do not pick up snakes if you do not know what kind they are.

franks · 08-21-14, 08:26 PM

I catch these in PA and NJ all the time. I take the hooks off of a weedless frog and just cast it out. They hammer them and if you wiggle it around and make it "struggle" you can reel the snake to shore.