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Three weeks ago I caught a magnificent colored Northern Water Snake, at Coon Tree in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina. I found this one in a patch of grass by the river’s edge. There were people yelling that it was a copperhead and not to catch it, but I caught it and it was just a Northern Water Snake. There were 2 other Northern Water Snakes: one blind and the other too fast. I think it was a male because it had bright red on the underside, where it is usually plain white, but I am still not sure. The snake was about 2 feet long, with dark brown cross bands (bands on the side of the snake) and dorsal blotches (blotches on its back). It had a reddish under belly with black specks.
FACTS: Northern Water Snakes are nonvenomous, but they all have very sharp teeth and the teeth may break off in your skin. They are very heavy bodied and the biggest one I’ve caught was around 30 inches, but they can grow to be 51 inches.
FACTS: Northern Water Snakes are nonvenomous, but they all have very sharp teeth and the teeth may break off in your skin. They are very heavy bodied and the biggest one I’ve caught was around 30 inches, but they can grow to be 51 inches.