# Cottonmouth ?



## antharper (May 26, 2019)

Was out in this heat trying to get me some pork and walked up on this dude , stood a couple yards from him for about 10 minutes and watched it eat a fish, pretty sure on cottonmouth but after being on here for a few years question myself that it may of been a fat water snake, I videoed it eating fish but never posted a video , had my snake boots on but caught myself the whole time I stood there looking at my feet , as always let it live and do what snakes do


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## Nicodemus (May 26, 2019)

Yep.


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## Mark K (May 26, 2019)

Looks like a water snake.


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## Wanderlust (May 26, 2019)

The eye looks like it has a round pupil, if it does it's a water snake.


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## Nicodemus (May 26, 2019)

Look at the eyestripe, and the pupil is dilated.


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## antharper (May 26, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> Look at the eyestripe, and the pupil is dilated.





Nicodemus said:


> Look at the eyestripe, and the pupil is dilated.


Nic I was 99% sure it is a cottonmouth but it didn’t chase me down and bite me so I wasn’t sure ?


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## Nicodemus (May 26, 2019)

But, I might be wrong on the ID.  Don`t ever take what I say for granted. I`ve been wrong before, and I`ll be wrong again.


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## ryanh487 (May 26, 2019)

Eye stripe = cottonmouth.  I vote yup.


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## furtaker (May 26, 2019)

The body and color look like a cottonmouth but I can't see the head clearly enough to tell for sure.  Nic is probably correct.


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## Jester896 (May 26, 2019)

eye stripe and round pupil...doesn't a cottonmouth have cat slit eyes?


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## Mark K (May 26, 2019)

I always go by pupils, but if Nic says they can dilate then I’ll go with him. The eyestripe says Cottonmouth, but that pupil confused me. I would have left him alone either way. 
Actually I wouldn’t have, I would have made him show me that mouth for a pic, lol!!


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## antharper (May 26, 2019)

Mark K said:


> I always go by pupils, but if Nic says they can dilate then I’ll go with him. The eyestripe says Cottonmouth, but that pupil confused me. I would have left him alone either way.
> Actually I wouldn’t have, I would have made him show me that mouth for a pic, lol!!


I tried , I even poured a bottle of water on him , he was content on getting his meal down !


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## antharper (May 26, 2019)

Here’s another picture and I got to see his mouth good, I watched him swallow a fish and it did appear to be white


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## elfiii (May 28, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> Look at the eyestripe, and the pupil is dilated.



I concur. The eye stripe is a dead giveaway.


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## bfriendly (Jun 2, 2019)

Not positive but I’m going with water snake......pupil looks too “round” , nose too pointy.... I think his eye is turning white as he is about to shed. Big ole snake and I doubt I’d pick it up?

Either way that’s a cool find......I love seeing snakes!


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## NCHillbilly (Jun 2, 2019)

That eye stripe says cottonmouth to me. I don't know of any water snakes that have it.


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## karen936 (Jun 2, 2019)

cottonmouth agree eye stripe


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Jun 2, 2019)

100% mistaken.





Wanderlust said:


> The eye looks like it has a round pupil, if it does it's a water snake.





Nicodemus said:


> Look at the eyestripe, and the pupil is dilated.


Nic is 100% correct.
Hard to believe it’s even an argument.
Look at it geez it’s a cottonmouth!
With every sign in the book.
And elliptical eyes does mean venomous but they also dialate too. Look at the drab color and markings at the belly.
Not a doubt and taking all bets!
That’s one fat cottonmouth period!


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## bigbonner (Jul 15, 2019)

After looking at some of the snake pictures on here I am glad I don't have to worry about poisonous snakes . No bad snakes just scary snakes . I pick black berry's all the time in tennis shoes . But maybe 15 miles South of me there are some bad snakes.


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## KyDawg (Jul 16, 2019)

bigbonner said:


> After looking at some of the snake pictures on here I am glad I don't have to worry about poisonous snakes . No bad snakes just scary snakes . I pick black berry's all the time in tennis shoes . But maybe 15 miles South of me there are some bad snakes.



Where do you live in Kentucky bb. The reason I ask, is because my situation, in Western Kentucky is the same. You can go 20 miles north or South, and Rattlers are common, but not here. In 38 years of hunting, fishing, gathering morels, and just walking the woods, I have never seen one. I have never talked to anybody who has ever come across one either.


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## bigbonner (Jul 16, 2019)

KyDawg said:


> Where do you live in Kentucky bb. The reason I ask, is because my situation, in Western Kentucky is the same. You can go 20 miles north or South, and Rattlers are common, but not here. In 38 years of hunting, fishing, gathering morels, and just walking the woods, I have never seen one. I have never talked to anybody who has ever come across one either.


Bath County KY zip code is 40360 .
 There may be a few rattlers and copperheads in the southern part of my county but in my 55 years here I have only seen non poisonous snakes anywhere around my part .


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## Piggy06 (Jul 16, 2019)

Plain bellied water snake


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## BuckNasty83 (Jul 18, 2019)

Hard to say from this view. Would be able to tell better by seeing the shape of the head and if it had heat sensors (2 sets of nostrils). I'd say water snake,  even though it had the stripes at the eyes


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Jul 18, 2019)

It really could be either a water snake or cottonmouth. I recant my statement.
Not betting either way. I wouldn’t go near it I know that. Not so good picture= Not so good identification. One minute it has venom the next it doesn’t. I’m no longer sure. Knowing antharpers ability I question the snake to be a water snake. Venomous snakes are usually obvious especially in person.


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Jul 18, 2019)

Post that video...


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## Swamprat (Jul 18, 2019)

Never seen a banded water snake that fat from head to tail.....cottonmouth IMO. Have ran into so many water snakes in the swamps of FL surveying it ain't funny....they swim the same as a moc and are curious due to the ripples you make like a moc thinking it is a struggling fish or frog.


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## antharper (Jul 18, 2019)

Mr Bya Lungshot said:


> Post that video...


Never posted a video but I’ll try , isn’t very good anyway , I was to busy looking at my feet


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## antharper (Jul 18, 2019)

Let’s see if this works , it didn’t it says to large , I cut it down to 52 seconds and it says same thing , try to get my daughter to do it tomorrow


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## Lukikus2 (Jul 18, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> But, I might be wrong on the ID.  Don`t ever take what I say for granted. I`ve been wrong before, and I`ll be wrong again.



You ain't wrong on this one.


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## oops1 (Jul 18, 2019)

Can’t we all just agree that sometimes.. you can’t tell?? If you roll one you later realize is non venomous.. don’t post pics! God Bless


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## KyDawg (Jul 18, 2019)

Blow the picture up and it looks like a snake eating a bird to me. And what is that sticking up in the air back behind his head.


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## antharper (Jul 18, 2019)

KyDawg said:


> Blow the picture up and it looks like a snake eating a bird to me. And what is that sticking up in the air back behind his head.


It was a fish of some kind , and only thing I see sticking up is a li


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## antharper (Jul 18, 2019)

And it is definitely a cottonmouth , I actually caught it with my daughter videoing and got a good look at its mouth and fangs, didn’t want to post a video for some kid to watch and give it a try !


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## bigbonner (Jul 19, 2019)

antharper said:


> Was out in this heat trying to get me some pork and walked up on this dude , stood a couple yards from him for about 10 minutes and watched it eat a fish, pretty sure on cottonmouth but after being on here for a few years question myself that it may of been a fat water snake, I videoed it eating fish but never posted a video , had my snake boots on but caught myself the whole time I stood there looking at my feet , as always let it live and do what snakes doView attachment 970176


Could be a *Diamondback Water Snake *
http://www.animalspot.net/diamondback-water-snake.html


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## Big7 (Jul 19, 2019)

antharper said:


> Nic I was 99% sure it is a cottonmouth but it didn’t chase me down and bite me so I wasn’t sure ?


Yep. I hear you on that one. Most snakes will try to avoid humans. Them dang cotton mouths are "mean as a snake". lol


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## Nicodemus (Jul 19, 2019)

antharper said:


> And it is definitely a cottonmouth , I actually caught it with my daughter videoing and got a good look at its mouth and fangs, didn’t want to post a video for some kid to watch and give it a try !




Yes it is. I can see the pit.


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## BowanaLee (Jul 25, 2019)

They come in a lot of colors but that eye stripe is a dead giveaway.


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## Tom W. (Jul 28, 2019)

And if you can see the tail and it goes from fat to thin quickly rather than a slow taper you can get it's a cottonmouth. Most venomous snakes will have that sudden, rather than gradual taper.


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## Nicodemus (Jul 28, 2019)

Not always.


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## KyDawg (Jul 28, 2019)

Is that a water snake Nic?


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## Nicodemus (Jul 28, 2019)

KyDawg said:


> Is that a water snake Nic?




Yep. Those vertical stripes on its jaws are a dead giveaway.


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## KyDawg (Jul 28, 2019)

Them things got a bad temper too. They have no problem biting you.


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