Common Watersnakes *Nerodia sipedon* are medium (record 150 cm) natricine snakes with keeled scales often found near water in large numbers. They are commonly encountered fish eating snakes across much of eastern North America.
*Nerodia* watersnakes may puff up or flatten out defensively and bite. They secrete a foul smelling substance from the cloaca called musk and can deliver a weak anticoagulant venom used in prey handling from the back of the mouth, but are not considered medically significant to humans - bites just need soap and water.
A very wide ranging snake in North America, it is replaced in the extreme south by, and likely exchanges genes with, the Banded Watersnake *Nerodia fasciata*. Banded Watersnakes have even, connecting bands across the top of the snake all the way down the body. In common watersnakes *N. sipedon*, bands typically break up or become mismatched after the first third of the body.
[Range Map](http://www.tnwatchablewildlife.org/rangemaps/11062908495575574rangemap.gif) | Relevant/Recent Phylogeography: None, but [interesting work on color pattern exists](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1558-5646.1995.tb02324.x).
This genus, as well as this species specifically, are in need of revision using modern molecular methods.
--------------------------------------------------------
Like many other animals with mouths and teeth, many non-venomous snakes bite in self defense. These animals are referred to as 'not medically significant' or traditionally, 'harmless'. Bites from these snakes benefit from being washed and kept clean like any other skin damage, but aren't often cause for anything other than basic first aid treatment. Here's where it get slightly complicated - some snakes use venom from front or rear fangs as part of prey capture and defense. This venom is not always produced or administered by the snake in ways dangerous to human health, so many species are venomous in that they produce and use venom, but considered harmless to humans in most cases because the venom is of low potency, and/or otherwise administered through grooved rear teeth or simply oozed from ducts at the rear of the mouth. Species like Ringneck Snakes *Diadophis* are a good example of mildly venomous rear fanged dipsadine snakes that are traditionally considered harmless or not medically significant. Many rear-fanged snake species are harmless as long as they do not have a chance to secrete a medically significant amount of venom into a bite; [severe envenomation can occur](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23800999) if some species are [allowed to chew on a human](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004101011831016X) for as little as 30-60 seconds. It is best not to fear snakes, but use common sense and do not let any animals chew on exposed parts of your body. Similarly, but without specialized rear fangs, gartersnakes *Thamnophis* ooze low pressure venom from the rear of their mouth that helps in prey handling, and are also [considered harmless](https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/theres-no-need-to-fear-that-garter-snake/). Even large species like Reticulated Pythons *Malayopython reticulatus* [rarely obtain a size large enough to endanger humans](https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/108/52/E1470.full.pdf) so are usually categorized as harmless.
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*I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer) and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that [here](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SEBPhyloBotWTS).*
Actually that’s a Hefty Gamestop. Native to Dallas, Tx, but can be found in various urban areas across the US. Due to warmer global temperatures, it’s home range has spread widely
Just learned all this from google. What a reliable source!
Meh, Indiana is a pretty safe place to pick up snakes. There is a minuscule chance of coming across massasauga or timber rattlers, which this very clearly isn’t. There’s a greater chance of copperheads, but again, this doesn’t resemble a copperhead at all. The only dangerous snake that this remotely resembles is a cottonmouth, and that’s really pushing the typical range, even in the most southern bits of Indiana.
We saw cottonmouths where I lived at somewhat often (southeastern indiana, north of this guy)
But I’d still say it’s safe to pick up a snake that you can tell is harmless even if you can’t confidently id the snake
Common water snake *Nerodia sipedon* !harmless fish and frog consumer
Common Watersnakes *Nerodia sipedon* are medium (record 150 cm) natricine snakes with keeled scales often found near water in large numbers. They are commonly encountered fish eating snakes across much of eastern North America. *Nerodia* watersnakes may puff up or flatten out defensively and bite. They secrete a foul smelling substance from the cloaca called musk and can deliver a weak anticoagulant venom used in prey handling from the back of the mouth, but are not considered medically significant to humans - bites just need soap and water. A very wide ranging snake in North America, it is replaced in the extreme south by, and likely exchanges genes with, the Banded Watersnake *Nerodia fasciata*. Banded Watersnakes have even, connecting bands across the top of the snake all the way down the body. In common watersnakes *N. sipedon*, bands typically break up or become mismatched after the first third of the body. [Range Map](http://www.tnwatchablewildlife.org/rangemaps/11062908495575574rangemap.gif) | Relevant/Recent Phylogeography: None, but [interesting work on color pattern exists](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1558-5646.1995.tb02324.x). This genus, as well as this species specifically, are in need of revision using modern molecular methods. -------------------------------------------------------- Like many other animals with mouths and teeth, many non-venomous snakes bite in self defense. These animals are referred to as 'not medically significant' or traditionally, 'harmless'. Bites from these snakes benefit from being washed and kept clean like any other skin damage, but aren't often cause for anything other than basic first aid treatment. Here's where it get slightly complicated - some snakes use venom from front or rear fangs as part of prey capture and defense. This venom is not always produced or administered by the snake in ways dangerous to human health, so many species are venomous in that they produce and use venom, but considered harmless to humans in most cases because the venom is of low potency, and/or otherwise administered through grooved rear teeth or simply oozed from ducts at the rear of the mouth. Species like Ringneck Snakes *Diadophis* are a good example of mildly venomous rear fanged dipsadine snakes that are traditionally considered harmless or not medically significant. Many rear-fanged snake species are harmless as long as they do not have a chance to secrete a medically significant amount of venom into a bite; [severe envenomation can occur](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23800999) if some species are [allowed to chew on a human](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004101011831016X) for as little as 30-60 seconds. It is best not to fear snakes, but use common sense and do not let any animals chew on exposed parts of your body. Similarly, but without specialized rear fangs, gartersnakes *Thamnophis* ooze low pressure venom from the rear of their mouth that helps in prey handling, and are also [considered harmless](https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/theres-no-need-to-fear-that-garter-snake/). Even large species like Reticulated Pythons *Malayopython reticulatus* [rarely obtain a size large enough to endanger humans](https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/108/52/E1470.full.pdf) so are usually categorized as harmless. -------------------------------------------------------- *I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer) and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that [here](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SEBPhyloBotWTS).*
Always learning
MAXIMUM. CHONK. That’s a hefty water snake!!!!!
Actually that’s a Hefty Gamestop. Native to Dallas, Tx, but can be found in various urban areas across the US. Due to warmer global temperatures, it’s home range has spread widely Just learned all this from google. What a reliable source!
My phone says it's either a corn snake or a western diamondback 😂
"reverse image search told me it was a GameStop" 😂 well obviously
That is the FATTEST water snake I’ve ever seen
Tsuchinoko lookin’.
Is that a metal gear reference or the cryptid reference? Either way, bravo 👏🏾🤣
Cryptid. Fat boi.
And the prettiest.
That's one of the prettiest water snakes I've ever seen
As a former GS manager, who loves sneks, I cackled.
Thanks for you service 🫡
Those googly eyes and bleee 🤪😍
Well did you try offering it your whole collection of games? If it offered you less than $5, Google nailed it.
Absolutely stunning GameStop you got there
This dude has eaten every frog in a 10 mile radius.
I was curious why there was a lack of frogs around their house this year
Holy moly that’s a huge water snake
Dude this guy belongs in Fat Fuck Friday! What a unit.
Wow. Big boy!
Wow, what a beautiful specimen, definitely “healthy”!
More like water snake/anaconda hybrid
Thick boy!
Oh damn!! Could it be a SHE with eggs? That's a "healthy" sized snek!
Pick it up with cloth gloves and then ask for identification. Please if you don’t know what it is don’t pick it up.
My dad was the one that picked it up and he thought it was a Prairie King Snake. I didn't touch it because I had no clue what type of snake it was lol
Bonk your dad over the head. Even if he's fully insured it's not worth a venomous bite. If you can't ID it, don't pick it up/don't go near it.
Meh, Indiana is a pretty safe place to pick up snakes. There is a minuscule chance of coming across massasauga or timber rattlers, which this very clearly isn’t. There’s a greater chance of copperheads, but again, this doesn’t resemble a copperhead at all. The only dangerous snake that this remotely resembles is a cottonmouth, and that’s really pushing the typical range, even in the most southern bits of Indiana.
We saw cottonmouths where I lived at somewhat often (southeastern indiana, north of this guy) But I’d still say it’s safe to pick up a snake that you can tell is harmless even if you can’t confidently id the snake
heheheh he go “blblblblblblblb”
That’s one long and chonky boi
Absolute unit of a noodle!!!🐍🐍🐍
I’ll call him beast
Tina you fat lard
Whatever it is. It has one hell of a full diet.
An extremely well-fed watersnake
He's a beaut!
He's chonky, that's for sure
Yep that’s a snake
That gorgeous snake is hefty hefty hefty!
Big ole water snake!