Identifying a Black Snake

By

LJF

A couple things about "your" black snake, one, was it slender, and did it have a long, slender tail to the tip? Two, could you tell if it had any sign of an underlying pattern, no matter how faint? The cottonmouth, or water moccasin, is rather thick bodied for it's length, has a thick tail that ends kind of abruptly. They are often slightly splotchy in color, not always black, sometimes dull brownish-black, and they have a back that could almost be described as having a ridge. One last thing, a slit eye (up and down slit) is an indication of poisonous snake in the US, and a round eye indicates something like a pine snake, black racer, etc. Hope that helps.

By

WildIrish

I can't find a way to edit my post, so I'll post some additional info.

OK. I got conflicting info from different websites about this snake. One site said that the snake will flee rather than attack, but others say that this snake is aggressive, and will attack.

Here's the site, with pictures, which might help you identify the snake:
http://www.wf.net/~snake/moccasin.htm

It says that rare cottonmouths have been reported as being up to 6 feet long, so your friend might be dealing with a granddaddy of this species.

All the more reason to get in touch with animal control immediately. Good luck!

By

WildIrish

I'm not 100% certain, but because it has a white mouth, it sounds like a cottonmouth snake - it's named "cottonmouth" because of the white mouth/throat. If so, it is VERY venomous! Cottonmouth (a/k/a "water moccasin") snakes are usually smaller than that, but it's possible you could have estimated its size incorrectly. It's hard to tell a snake's actual size, due to its coiling/slithering.

In any case, call your local wild animal control center, or the humane society about this. You don't want to be messing with this snake if it is, indeed, a cottonmouth. Even if it isn't that species, it's better to have an expert determine what it is.

Because, if it is a cottonmouth, you seriously do not want to be bitten by it. They'll usually try to escape rather than attack you (unless it's cornered, or if you step on it by accident). Talk to some knowledgeable people in your area, and find out what the snake is, and whether it can be relocated safely.

I love snakes, but I have a very healthy respect for them. Be careful. :-)

Can someone help me identify a snake? ... I was out on my front porch at night, and saw this thick, black snake at least 3 feet long. It turned its head and I saw it open its mouth and it was white.