# Need Snake ID:  2-fer



## No-Limit (May 6, 2013)

The first one was about 4ft long and thick!  First impression was watersnake but the way he was holding his head up and then showed me his teef im thinking moccasin.  Appeared to be white inside his mouth although I was on the side/backside so I didnt have a direct view. 

Second one was smaller...maybe 2.5ft and not nearly as big around.  Appeared to have a very triangular shaped head.  Didnt want to get close enough to look at pupils or anything. 

Opinions?  Thanks.


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## MIG (May 6, 2013)

Cottonmouth - the dark "eye stripe" is a give away.


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## PopPop (May 6, 2013)

Cotton Mouth and Timber Rattler, without the rattles?


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## GACarpMAN (May 6, 2013)

Cottonmouths!!


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## donald-f (May 7, 2013)

PopPop said:


> Cotton Mouth and Timber Rattler, without the rattles?



I agree, the head is much darker than body. and they do loose their rattles on rare occasions. This one may have never had rattles from being an albino.


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## Whiteeagle (May 7, 2013)

TWO Cottonmouths, different colorations and size. Possibly Male & Female of the species. Note that the heads are the same shape from side views, unlike a Rattlesnakes head.


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## huntfish (May 7, 2013)

Whiteeagle said:


> TWO Cottonmouths, different colorations and size. Possibly Male & Female of the species. Note that the heads are the same shape from side views, unlike a Rattlesnakes head.



Both cottonmouths....


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## watermedic (May 7, 2013)

Both are definitely cottonmouths


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## thc_clubPres (May 7, 2013)

dead, and dead


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## ttwodog (May 7, 2013)

Both Cottonmouths the lighter color phase may be from the snake shedding.


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## NCHillbilly (May 7, 2013)

Yep, two cottonmouths. The last one is lighter-colored than usual, but it's still 100% cottonmouth. I'd love to have the hide off that sucker to put on a bow.


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## Trey Miller (May 7, 2013)

Type of snakes? They are most definitely called dead snakes in both of them pictures LOL!!!


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## oops1 (May 7, 2013)

Had no idea a cottonmouth could have the colors of the snake in the last pic.. Good to know. Also agree with the death threats!


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## southernboy2147 (May 7, 2013)

like others have said... in front of me there dead snakes... i know the 1st is a cotton mouth... im think the 2nd might be some kind of hybrid maybe idk if thats possible... its weird


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## Gadestroyer74 (May 7, 2013)

Yep a couple dead snakes .. Hillbilly u can have all them hides you want !


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## Philbow (May 7, 2013)

Both cotton mouths. Copperheads and cotton mouths are closely related species (_Agkistrodon_ genus) with cotton mouths frequently showing rough hour-glass marking similar to copperhead marking. The markings usually become indistinct in older cotton mouths.

The smaller one is beautiful and I agree with NCHillbilly about backing a bow.


A bunch of _Agkistrodon_ photos: http://www.superstock.com/search/Agkistrodon


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## dawg2 (May 7, 2013)

Both are cottonmouths.  These snakes have highly variable coloring.  They can be black, brown, lightly patterned and like the 2nd one above, have very good looking patterns.  That 2nd one would make a nice tanned skin.


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## Ridge Walker (May 7, 2013)

Both Cottonmouths. The smaller juveniles are generally more colorful and boldly patterned. As they age the coloration becomes much more drab, and the pattern fades. Cool snakes,  if you just took photos and let them go on their way.

RW


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## Wild Turkey (May 7, 2013)

Only true test is throw them in a pond if they float. Water Mocassin aka walks on water, cottonmouth. One of the only snakes that can bite you in the water without drowning.


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## Whiteeagle (May 7, 2013)

Wild Turkey said:


> Only true test is throw them in a pond if they float. Water Mocassin aka walks on water, cottonmouth. One of the only snakes that can bite you in the water without drowning.



ALL can bite under water w/o drowning! Lots of land dwelling snakes feed on small fish and animals in water! Got bit by a banded watersnake when I was 14 years old while standing waist deep fishing. Stepped on snake and it bit my foot! Neither of us "drowned" and I caught the snake!!!


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## Bucky T (May 7, 2013)

That light colored Water Moccasin is awesome!!!!!

Never seen a pic or one of those in person that lightly colored!!!


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## scott44 (May 7, 2013)

Rattleheadedcoppermoccasin...all are the same only they look different


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## The mtn man (May 8, 2013)

We don't have cotton mouth snakes here, someone mentioned the colorful one was a timber rattler with no rattles, we do have those, and that is not a rattler. 1st looks like every cotton mouth I'v seen on a picture.Colorful one is neat looking snake.head with the stripe behind it's eye looks the same as the darker one.


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## No-Limit (May 8, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies.  Sounds like the verdict is in...couple water moccasins.  Glad I didnt get any closer than I did!


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## cmfireman (May 15, 2013)

Awesome pictures. I'm trying to get better with my snake identification.

We don't have cottonmouths here, but it's good to see the bottom one for reference because I too thought it was a timer rattler at first.


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## dixiecutter (May 16, 2013)

most of the time on cottonmouth u can see the pattern, just looks like a coat of dark spray paint over it, but the pattern is still under there. they are both moccasins and the bright one is neat looking!


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## AbnormalEKG (May 16, 2013)

Both are cottonmouths without a doubt. The coloration on the second one lets you know that this snake is a juvenile. When cottonmouths are born, they actually come in a very wide variety of colors and patterns, and usually have a different colored tail than the rest of their body. Very beautiful snake.


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## Blue Petes (May 17, 2013)

The first one looks like a banded water snake. Only reason i say is because of the difference of the two snakes tail structure you can see in the first and third pic. The second snake looks def like a cottonmouth but with the coloring on him is something ive never seen before so i cant say for sure.


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## Ihunt (May 17, 2013)

CopperheadedTimberMocassin


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## bullsprig1100 (May 20, 2013)

Blue Petes, the tail structure you reference is related to the sex of the snake, and not the species in this case.......Both are cottonmouths.


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## hunter rich (May 20, 2013)

The head posturing on both snakes indicate cotton mouth as does the mouth gaping.


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## sniper13 (Jun 21, 2013)

Copper mouth water rattlers


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## Ronnie T (Jun 21, 2013)

They're mean and they will bite.  Matter of fact, they enjoy biting.
Best to stay clear of a cottonmouth.
Sometimes they can be very aggressive.


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## hunterofopportunity (Jun 23, 2013)

definite cotton mouth on first,2nd looked like timber rattler,I once saw  a rattle snake swimming on water then go under and swim past the boat and come up again ,only time I ever saw this.


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## little rascal (Jul 7, 2013)

*First*

one is a non-poisonous Water snake. Mouth open means nothing, can't see fangs, head is too rounded.
  Second one is a venomous pit viper of some kind. Looked like a timber rattler at first glance. But the head shape and stripe on head says Cottonmouth. Young Cottonmouth's tend to nbe brightly colored, that one sure is white looking. May be some kind of piebald, hybrid, recessive gene thingy or something?? Best bet, catch them and photo the pupil and the open mouth if possible. Everybody on here is a serpentologist!


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## deerhunter79 (Aug 3, 2013)

cotton mouth, i tanned ones hide. he was 4 foot


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## harryrichdawg (Aug 3, 2013)

I love this site.  I'm getting pretty good at my snake identification.  I agree with everyone who said 2 cottonmouths.


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## carver (Aug 3, 2013)

PopPop said:


> Cotton Mouth and Timber Rattler, without the rattles?



^^^^^
This


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## chehawknapper (Aug 4, 2013)

Both cottonmouths, Agkistrodon piscivorus. Based on the tails, the first one is male and the second one is female. Color can vary greatly. Florida subspecies is usually the most colorful but Easterns can be as well. Western cottonmouth quite often lose most sign of their body markings by the time they reach about 3 feet even making it hard to recognize the dark bar through the eye that all cottonmouths have.  All snakes are their most colorful and clearly marked immediately after shedding their skin and conversely, their most dull with almost all lost of markings right before shedding. Both cottonmouths.


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## bfriendly (Aug 13, 2013)

southernboy2147 said:


> like others have said... in front of me there dead snakes... i know the 1st is a cotton mouth... im think the 2nd might be some kind of hybrid maybe idk if thats possible... its weird



I agree......Cm then, not quite sure. Heads looks like CM, but the tail is kinda long and slender rather than short and fat. 

Dont think they'd be dead snakes if'n I saw them though...................lessen I was hungry


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## bfriendly (Aug 13, 2013)

I think the second one is getting ready to shed.................


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## strutlife (Aug 14, 2013)

Both are cottonmouths and very dangerous! They would be headless pics had I ran across them...


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