21 Striking Facts About Cottonmouth Snakes
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- čas přidán 26. 08. 2024
- From fearsome threat displays ... to smooching snakes on the mouth ... Here are 21 fascinating facts about Cottonmouth Snakes
#21 By Any Other Name
How do you tell the difference between a Cottonmouth Snake and a Water Moccasin? The difference is all in their names … because both names apply to the same critter. Their scientific name is “Agkistrodon piscivorus” (ah-KIS-truh-dahn Pih-sih-VORE-us), which translates as ‘hooked-tooth fish-eater’. These reptiles actually go by a number of common names … including gaper, trap jaw, Water Copperhead, Swamp Lion, and River Rattler.
Know any others?
#20 Name of the Game
So why is this beast known as a Cottonmouth? It’s actually a reference to the snake’s threat display …in it’s known to stand its ground, throw back its head, and gape at its aggressor … which exposes its fangs and the cotton-like white lining of its mouth. It’s another reason why they’re called Gapers.
#19 Wet & Dry
In addition to being the only venomous water snake found in North America, these creatures are also the only semi aquatic vipers found in the world As such, they equally at home whether basking in the sunshine or swimming in water … experts say that contrary to popular belief, the snakes can even bite while underwater.
#18 Are They Endangered?
Cottonmouths are actually classified as of Least Concern on the Red List of Endangered Species published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Even though drainage of their wetland habitats have taken their toll on local Cottonmouth populations, the species is commonly found in many locations. But they are listed as an endangered species in one state -- Indiana.
#17 Live by Night
They can be active during the night or day. During the day they’ll bask in the sun as a means to regulate their body temperature. But most of their activities, including hunting, take place at night. While Cottonmouths are known to swim with their heads out as they stay close to the top of the water, they’re still capable of attacking while underwater.
Saying a copperhead has the weakest venom of any pit viper is like saying a .38 is not as powerful as a .44 magnum
I have been bit twice by a copperhead, both times in my living room, never even had to see a doctor, hand swelled up that was all. of course I don't believe the snake gave me a full dose, just pissed off I was cleaning his terrarium
aryanson Probably not a full dose or you are just not as sensitive to the venom. My nephew spent 2 or 3 weeks in the hospital and doctors were not sure he was going to live after being bit by a copperhead. I know of several others who went through excruciating pain and tremendous swelling and also spent a week or so in the hospital here in the foothills of North Carolina.
@@1947DML
Yes it is true, everyone reacts differently, I do consider myself lucky, As they say in the hobby, there are two kinds of people that keep venomous snakes, ones that have been bitten, and ones that will be bitten.
I was bitt when I was 8 years old in the woods playing...my cousin carried me home..most painfull thing I can remember.
How about reconsidering your choice of pets...a parakeet instead?
In my experience here in South Arkansas, the smell of a agitated Cotton Mouth Snake is similar to a musky skunk smell...
A .357 loaded with shot rounds usually gets the job done. I try to leave them alone and won't shoot them unless they're asking for it because these rounds are expensive and not universally available but if they start acting like Godzilla then oh well, good night irene
@@dingusdingus2152 I have no love at all for Cotton Mouth or any other Poisonous Snakes.... I kill all I run across.... Rattlesnake is good eating though......
Being raised in Florida around lakes, ponds, and swamps, I am very familiar with Water Moccasins.
THIS WAS THE MOST INFORMATIVE INFORMATION AND VIDEO I have ever heard or seen. Great job.
Bruce Castor really cuz he had copper heads and normal water snakes and even a friggin corn snake in this video
I'm You're in Florida as well. Couple of weeks ago my son-in-law and I went duck hunting and lochloosa and he stepped on a baby moccasin and barely noticed it in time so that he could blow it away
Well Art, given that he essentially stepped on it without incident, seems like killing it was entirely unnecessary.
@@cloroxbleach5159 oh
I agree 👍
I use to catch and sell them when I lived in South Carolina .I got 50 cents per foot .My best day hunting with a friend was 10 snakes with a total length of 30 feet so a whopping $15 .The guy I sold them to supplied snakes for anti-venom through contacts he had after working at Miami Serpentarium .I also was bitten on my left middle finger while in high school while I was handling one .My Dad drove me to the hospital and I was treated with anti-venom .That was in 1970 and my fingernail is still deformed .Once I was coming out of Hitchcock Woods in Aiken ,SC with some cottonmouths in a bag and was met my a couple of people riding horses .The horse closest to me rared up even though it could not see the snakes and I assume it smelled them .I thought that was very interesting of a horse having a fear of that snake smell which is way worse than any goat I have even been near .
The Cottenmouth snakes in south Mississippi give off a "wet dog" smell when threatened. When you smell that in the woods and there is no dogs around its a pretty good idea to watch your step!
People say I'm crazy when I tell them I can smell a snake. Black snakes put off a musk like that too.
@S D agreed. LoL usually within 20 feet or so
That is called a musk, and that's exactly what it's for!
@@BestoftheBeast33 not crazy at all
Copperheads smell like cucumber
Guess those experts never went fishing out where I lived. I've been chased on a boat by Cottonmouth snakes. They try to get in the boat. I don't like to share...
Oh yeah brother or have one fall in the john boat with you when you are skulling through the swamp in high water looking for bass. Praying when he reappears over the middle seat in the boat that it is a water snake. OOOeee. I have bailed out and treaded water a couple of times waiting for him to decide that it hadn't found a new home.
@@no1treman you know they don’t even climb trees right? That’s water snakes that hang out on branches over the water so they have a quick escape route while basking. And what causes them to fall is the boat startling them so they instinctively head for their escape way (the water) same thing for most Cotton mouth “chasings” but - the trees
@3 percenter they don’t have nests.
Exactly. I get so tired of hearing people say cottonmouths are not aggressive. Everyone I have come across here in Alabama will attack for no reason.
They are territorial.
Around here, they're called "Mutha Fuckas"....
Gomer Pyle LOL
lol.... Bruh you must be from Georgia 😂
He tried to KISS the SNAKE? Something must’ve happened to him before to kill all his brain cells! Sheesh!
He was going for a BJ, but luckily didn't get one.
Like they say "Stupid is,as stupid does".
He's from Florida nuff said
When I was in the 2nd grade I was standing out waiting for the school bus in east Texas. I almost picked up a coral snake. I thought it was one of my great aunts necklace. But it was like an angel came over me and said "that's a snake, don't pick it up. I told my grandad and described it. He said if I had picked it up I probably wouldn't be here today. That was 42 years ago.
Did you get taught the poem? You know, the one that tells you a corral from a king?
@Five hundred 20s red touch black,
Friend of Jack,
Red touch yellow,
Kill a fellow!
I do not know why God made snakes.
Well, the good news is it likely wouldn’t have killed you. Coral snakes chew on their victims to deliver venom rather than injecting like the pit vipers.
There are a lot of myths that go around about coral snakes, like that they have their fangs in the rear of their mouths instead of the front, that they can only open their mouths wide enough to bite the webbing between your fingers or toes, things like that, but they are all myths. They actually have fangs in the fronts of their mouths and can bite basically anywhere, and their venom is very toxic and is made all the more deadly by the fact that coral snake bites are very rare and so hardly any antivenin is ever made or stored for it.
But the bites are rare, because they are VERY reclusive and avoid people every way they can. But rare isn't never.
There was a young boy in Florida several years back, about 8 years old I believe, who came across a coral snake and thought it was a king snake (which are very common and can have a color scheme very similar to a coral snake, which is why we have that famous rhyme), he carried it around for about an hour and it didn't do anything. Finally, while he had it draped over his shoulders, it bit him on the shoulder and from that one quick bite the boy spent some 8 months in the hospital fighting for his life. 10 vials of antivenin had to be flown in from Australia and they used all 10 on him.
I live in the Missouri Ozarks. We certainly have plenty of cottonmouths here! If you irritate them they'll do their best to bit you too!
And it does not take much to irritate one! They are definitely the assholes of the snake world.
I've been chased by their mean a$$
@S D not true. They don't chase people.
They don’t chase people. If one came at you it is because you were in its escape path. Moccasins flee or take a defensive posture. I relocate snakes for the public. I’ve handled hundreds of water moccasins, tapped them with my toe of my boot (I have snake boots and gaiters that are snake proof) and never once had one even attempted a strike.
@@Misfit1026 I'd stay you're a very lucky guy! I have seen cottonmouths go for people myself. Are my eyes lying to me? Any fool knows that any snake, venomous or not, will defend itself if it feels threatened.
Finally, narration that I can stand.
Today was the most scariest day of my life. I was at a falls in Joplin, Missouri right? I was walking on the bank of a little creek. Then, all of a sudden I looked down and there was a black cottonmouth with its mouth OPEN. It was just about to bite me but then I started jumping and screaming. Then when my mom saw it she started screaming as well. Then these people came and asked what’s wrong. We told them every thing and they confirmed it was a cottonmouth. I’m still terrified.
Thank God, it didn´t bite you. I am glad that you are okay :-)
That's if you're lucky, one very big specimen here in Florida had latched onto my pants out of nowhere walking out of the swamp for my job (thankfully no skin contact, on my employer to not tell me it's water mocassin mating season/ somehow they still all seem to think they only strike out of defense, but it's still overall a sweet gig so I'm not complaining).
But I don't hold it against the snake- it's their habitat and they are certainly necessary for ecosystem balance. The video suggested that they should be killed because there venomous and dangerous, but in reality who knows what the River rats and swamp rats might harbor disease-wise if they were not under control, kind of like how when deer overpopulate carry Lyme disease from ticks and can transmit that to humans
I’ve been to those falls! I used to live in SEKansas and spent a lot of time in Joplin. I have several adult nieces and nephews that live there now and take this kids to the falls.
My grandma taught me to smell the musty smell she said that snakes give off a smell and I've learned to use that in the creek
Some people can't smell a cottonmouth just like some people can't smell arsenic. The scent is stronger if they've recently shed.
Can usually smell water snakes, been awhile since I've seen a cottonmouth tho, found a spot that'd get my nose trained to it if I hung around more often
@@curtiscombs9367 I've got a place on Toledo Bend lake in TX in the LA border. Very secluded. Over 8,000 feet through private property to the road, lake in front and national forest on the other two sides.. I haven't lived there in years. With the lake and two ponds it's thick with cottonmouths.
Never been there, checked out Arkansas and verdigris near the grand river, verdigris only place cottonmouth been located that I'm aware of.
How's the weather?
@@jackburnell3209 .
19.1 grains of Longshot, 1 oz of #6 shot, and a 20 gauge shotgun fixes that particular problem.
There's something cool about an Australian narrating a video about a snake from the Southern USA. Also, we called these snakes "water moccasins" when I was growing up in Mississippi. Literally nobody said "cottonmouth". They were the most feared and talked about snake. A classmate of mine was bitten by one.
I was dry bit by rattler when i was a kid riding my honda atc through a brier thicket! Rushed me to the hospital and was told the good news! You are very lucky young man, etc etc etc!
Really liked this. I’m a single momma and take my kids fishing all the time. So it’s good to know some facts to keep my babies safe and teach them what to look for
Every southern boy has learned these by 8years of age bro.
👍
I was raised on the coast of southeast Texas and the musky smell to me was like a bad container of earth worms I had left outside in the sun for a few days after fishing and forgetting that I had set the container down. Whenever I start smelling a strong pungent fowl smell I knew to start looking around me very closely and sure enough I find it sunning itself within ten feet of me along Oyster Creek
If you are talking about the Oyster Creek in Brazoria County, I've been there and my parents met near there. I am sure there are other Oyster Creeks in Texas, so I can't be sure. I am old enough to remember when oysters were so plentiful there were roads paved with oyster shells.
@@Bacopa68 yes that exactly where I’m talking about! I was raised on the prison farm outside of Angleton
@@travisnichols5680 Wow, my dad grew up in Hastings/Alvin and my mom spent her teen years in Alvin. Same creek.
I love snakes, from my experiences cottonmouths are territorial and will stand their ground and attack you if you don't leave. Most snakes are just as scared of you as you are of them except a cottonmouth, I live in the deep south and they're everywhere. We say watch out for those copperheaded rattle moccasins, the three snakes we have to worry about the most, copperheads, cottonmouths, and rattlesnakes.
That’s too funny but trie
But TRUE
Agreed. I get a little peeved when someone says it's a myth that they will attack you. Those people just haven't run up on a mean one yet.
Edit: Although, I should say, most are not like this.
@@MrBendylaw ...Yep cotton mouth snakes will definitely you!
That's chase you.
The pungent smell, if it could be described, imagine someone throwing up in an old shoe. That's the only way I could describe it.
I know the smell. It is quite distinctive, and you never forget it. When walking near a bayou or creek, sometimes you catch a wiff before seeing the snake, and sometimes you don't see the snake. I don't think the snake always has to be pissed to have that smell.
My neighbor has goats. I'm very familiar with this smell.
Musky
Ill never forget that smell.
It smells like a rodent infestation mixed with cat urine and skunk spray. If you've ever been deep in the Carolina/Virginia woods, you've smelled it.
Was out fishing with my dad one day and and there was one sunning on a tree stump. Got the 22 out and took a shot and missed and it slithered into the river. Few minutes later I was rinsing my hands off over the side of the boat and that moccasin showed up at the boat about 6 inches from where I was rinsing my hands. Yea they are very aggressive.
I'd be aggressive too if I was just hanging out on a tree stump and you shot at me for no reason.
There not aggresive, And I agree with @Jason Piker I would be aggresive even more if you shot at me for me doing my own thing.
Why the fuck would you just shoot at a snake that was in its natural habitat?
@@joshuaschmitt6603 mindboggling, isn't it? And I'm not an extreme environmentalist, meaning I don't go to parades and protests about these things. It's just a simple "live and let live" philosophy. We aren't food to snakes. They could care less about us, regardless of what people claim.
They react to motion and vibration and are very curious and sometimes territorial. They only acting like snakes
I caught a 4+ footer on a Mr. Twister, at Great Falls, on the Potomac! Asked my buddy what I should do. Saw him running over a hill about a block away. Only had 1 lure left, so I kept reeling it in. Had it almost to my rod tip,it looked in my eyes and let go. It wasn't hooked, just being stubborn! Scared the heck out of me! We swam in that river all summer. Not any more!
That's a big one. They don't typically get that big in my area anyway. But occasionally they do show up.
That's funny story man, I would have thrown the whole pole in!!
I've seen them over 5 feet in length
Northern watersnakes in the Potomac River not cottonmouths.
#22- In the Southeastern States such as FL, SC, GA, AL the Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin frequently climb up trees, climb out onto branches which extend over rivers and will purposefully "drop" down into passing boats surprising fishermen and folks just out for a little time on the water.
Boats passing under them frighten them. They're trying to get away by dropping into the water. You're in the way.
Probably just watersnakes
Water snakes are excellent climbers and they have been known to drop out of trees
I too would disagree with the experts regarding the "aggressiveness" of the cottonmouth. Do not fool with them! As opposed to other North American vipers they stand their ground longer and more fiercely than most. Copperheads are rather shy. People almost have to land on top of them for them to bite you. Most injuries from copperheads are a result of someone coming across their hiding or nesting places and putting a hand or foot where it didn't belong. You can find copperheads hiding under logs, rocks, or in firewood ricks where they find shelter and protection from their enemies. Rattlesnakes are aggressive but if given the chance would rather flee than fight. Don't kid yourself though, if they feel trapped you are in for a nasty bite or several if you are not cautious. And don't believe the old wive's tale that they always rattle as a warning before striking or that you can suck out the poison from any venomous snake bite. All you are doing is adding your mouth bacteria to the wound and increasing the chance of infection. Get the person IMMEDIATE medical attention.
Stnad their ground yes, chase you no. That's been proven a myth for decades.
I have been bitten by a copperhead once while loading hay bales, and yes it was under the bale. It hurt quite a bit and my hand looked horrible before it was all over for sure. At no time was it a life or death thing. I went to the ER and they gave me some shots, and in a couple of days I was fine. I always wear sturdy leather gloves loading hay now you can bet on it. The snake and I were just in the wrong place at the same time.
@Jim Watson That is correct. Scientific studies have been done on which is the most aggressive snake in the U.S. and the Copperhead wins every time. That is not to say that individual rattlers (esp. the Mojaves and Tiger), cottonmouths etc. can't also be aggressive but for the most part, it is the Copperhead.
Rattlesnake, especially the Timber Rattler is one of the most venomous snakes in the U.S. Their bites are always serious.
Agreed. Copperheads are pretty laid back in my experience, you almost need to step on one to provoke it.
Cottonmouths, we call the mocs, will come after you. They are assholes and very common here in western Kentucky.
I have only encountered one rattlesnake here in my life. I saw him before he rattled. I cautiously approached him. He rattled and I backed off. No problem. A moc would have come after me.
Bunch of snakes on the slides are not cotton mouths
I came to say the same thing
@Brandon Ohara there are also banded water snakes on here
Yeah true put a lot of copper heads on there
I saw a juvenille rat snake and was like 🤦♀️
Pretty sure one was a German Shepard
Out at hunting camp I use my charmer on them. Works great. Boom!!! Good Snake.
I've got an old single shot pistol grip .410 that I use. The ol snake charmer!
@@kevinshoemakermusic3850 😄
🤣🤣🤣
That’s exactly what i use! Very, very effective!!
As a kid my crazy friend would grab them with his hands, close but never got bit..I preferred to charm them with my Remington 870 12ga
rysn whit4
That’s not something to be proud of..
I think I came across one of these when I was younger while walking along a stream near my house. It was casually swimming along and as soon as we both saw each other we both jumped slightly being shocked to see each other. After that day I did not see it since after visiting the stream in weeks later. We both felt the same way towards each other.
Enjoyed the video. We don't have many snakes in the UK, but I do love watching about them, and many other creatures native to other countries. Keep up the good work.
At 4:06 that maybe some kind of king snake or racer I'm not sure which it's not a cottonmouth
@@allanking3462 I had thought Ratsnake or king, but racer is another good choice. I need to screenshot it and send to our Snake ID Group as I am not 100% sure, but location would narrow down the suspects lol
"Florida man" always makes for a good finisher 🤣
Fact #22, they explode when shot with a 12 gauge. #23, they make great hat bands.
Same with the Green Mojave
In my experience of dealing with western cottonmouths while frog-hunting, the smell of their musk more closely resembles that of a skunk that a billy goat. Its not as strong as a skunk, but the same odor.
Ya agree one got ran over buy school bus in a wooded area in Missouri i used to live in and it smelld like a skunk entail it was gone
Yep...cottonmouth smells like a skunk, rattler smells like goat.
no such thing as a western cottonmouth bro.
@Ryan 3 species of akistrodon piscivorus the Eastern ,Western and Florida cottonmouth.
Please do a 21 striking facts about copperheads
Cottonmouth swimming: *sht sht sht I need to find some cover*
Human in slow moving floating vessel: *OmG He’S CHaSiNg Us*
^^^THIS!
Standing on a river bank in Missouri, saw a large Cottonmouth on a rock across the river. Looked away for a few seconds. When I looked back, it was swimming down stream at me, head 6 inches above water, coming at about 10 MPH. I was in water to my knees. At two feet distance, I had time to do two things...fire 2, 9mm shots at it , and demonstrate that man is capable of running on water.
.
Some great info here but I do have to criticize a couple specific points:
Number 7: All snakes are capable of swimming and diving and cottonmouths don't always float on top of the water, it would be dangerous to rely on that to distinguish venomous from nonvenomous.
Number 5: Pit vipers do have slit-shaped pupils but they dilate in low light conditions and can appear round. Some nonvenomous snakes have slit-shaped pupils AND some venomous snakes have round pupils -- such as the coral snake, which shares a lot of its range with the cottonmouth so this kind of misinformation could get someone in trouble! Same with head shape -- all snakes are capable of stretching out their head to some degree as a threat display and a lot of the harmless watersnakes that share their habitat with the cottonmouth are really good at it so this isn't a useful tool for ID either.
However, it IS helpful to teach people to look for vertical stripes (labial bars) on the snake's lower jaw. If you see labial bars, the snake is HARMLESS. If you DON'T see labial bars, it could be venomous or it could be harmless. This rule is only guaranteed for wild snakes found in the USA and as always people should remember not to touch any snake that they can't reliably identify.
Well said on all points - and you saved me a lot of typing! Thanks!
Great information that needs to be included in this video.
I've seen huge rattlers swim in California rivers, but it isn't common.
8:22: Speaking of copperheads, there are two unrelated venomous snakes with that name. One is a viper found in the southern U.S., and the other is an Australian snake related to cobras and mambas.
They are not related. They are elapidae. Which refers to the type of fangs they have. Also see coral. I think
Copperheads in North Carolina are pitvipers they have retractable front fangs they belong to the Viperidae family of snakes . Copperheads in Australia have front fixed fangs they belong to the Elapid family of snakes.
Looks like good targets to practice with to me.
I know right? Lol. I do the same with raccoon,opossum and other critters.
@@larrysledgejr1423 fuck that.. leave all mammals alone.. fuck snakes though..
.45 snake shot should do it. Or .410g if you're on a budget
Bullfrog hunted most of my adult life. This is one Bad Ass snake.
During their mating season (in Georgia where I grew up it was usually August) they can be damned aggressive. A lot of people get bitten when their boat goes under overhanging branches. The water moccasin, attempting to escape, drops in for a visit.
They don’t go up in trees unless it’s a fallen branch literally half in the water, that’s water snakes that do that and people assume the worst
I once saw one climb about 15 feet vertical straight up the side of a large hackberry tree and disappear into the branches. This was in the middle of a hay meadow. Maybe they catch birds
I hate those things. I had a creek that ran between my house and my next door neighbor in Marietta GA. It was loaded with Cotton Mouths. They were barely afraid of my lawn mower. Now I live in South Florida. When I bought a house the owner "forgot" to tell me about the the water moccasin that lived in Key Lime bush in the backyard. I had a 3 year old at the time. The old lady next door who was an original owner since the late 70s said that it was there for years. I had a party and I was looking at the back slider and saw it. Luckily nobody was out there at the time because it was to hot. I was going to grab a dirt rack and kill it. My sister from NJ ( a liberal) started arguing with me and said it is not a water moccasin and it is not poisonous. It is a nice snake. She has always live in cities and absolutely know idea what she was talking about. A PhD in psychology and just didn't want to upset anybody. Rather lie and possible get her nephew bitten in the future. The following Monday a landscaping crew pulls up to clean up the jungle that the previous owner had in the backyard. They trimmed and pruned that Key Lime bush off the ground and all the rest of shit. No more snake.
@@KevXRDuke it’s very possible she was right about the snake... cottonmouths don’t usually hang out In bushes, racers and water snakes do. You should stop being a ignorant bitch and learn that just because you don’t like something doesn’t make it okay to kill it or ruin it’s life. Needlessly killing an animal is not okay no matter the species.
I had cotton mouth in my creek in Marietta Ga. I have seen planty of them. I have seen plenty of Black Racers. They are smaller thin and shiny. I am 100% positive it was a Cotton Mouth. It was way bigger, thick scaly and it had a triangular head. We had a canal behind the houses across the street. Probably 50 yards away. The snake hung out there because rats and other things came to eat the Key Limes. It was easy for the snake to catch them. Don't be stupid. I didn't want my 3 year old to get bit by a poisonous snake. She was wrong, you are wrong and I am 100% correct. The snake was never killed. He left and I never saw him again. I have seen plenty of Black Racers in my backyard especially when I was mowing my yard or working around the house.
My shovel has 'taken a toll" on some of these
It is foolish to tell us to let venomous snakes live. Some other species will take over rodent eating.
@@tm13tubeno lmao then there wouldn't be enough to feed the king snakes
I have encountered copperheads, rattlesnakes and cottonmouths. By far the cottonmouths are the most aggressive. This is a very accurate video. Be ware. This boy will not back down.
Many snakes pictured with out context or explanation(portrayed as cottonmouths) are not cottonmouths. The snakes are capable of remaining motionless in the water without floating, and the non-venomous snakes can do so while floating. It is not a way to tell what snake you are looking at. Copperheads are less venomous than other snakes we have in the United States, but are definitely deadly and often cause amputation. Just some of the incorrect statements and info on the video.
Tell that to a guy who was bitten by a copperhead. He had to learn how to walk again, didn't at all know his wife and at times that copperhead bite at times haunts him as he STILL has after effects of it even years after he was bitten. I hate all snakes, have no use for any of them.
Right! And I am not sure but I believe the antivenom can be quite expensive . Several thousand bucks. I do remember reading that a woman hear in East Texas bill from the hospital was something like 60,000 dollars. Don't know the ins and outs of it but that was the bill. I remember because I have had 3 close calls on my place. I would much rather have rattlesnakes. Nine times out of ten they will rattle and you just simply "exit, stage left!" I picked up a pallet one time flat wise instead of flipping it on it's edge. I picked it up high and was bent over it. As I started to walk br copperhead came onto the top side of the pallet and stared me in the eyes (close enough for my vision to be blurred). Brrr!! Too close for me. I bet that would swell your eyes closed. And give you some whopper black eyes too.
Anthony Clark you are correct. There were a couple different occasions while watch this I thought “that’s not a Cottonmouth, why are they showing it?”
I'm enjoying these videos that go more in-depth on a certain creature!
Many years ago I did my military training at Ft Benning, GA which included walking through swamps. "Good Training' they said...Anyway, to this day I remember someone saying at various times...' Water Moccasin 15 meters to the right...' And we would look and see it swimming along. I'm GLAD I didn't know they can bite underwater...I dunno how I made it through being from MN -Oh yeah - I was (very) young. The 82nd Airborne at Ft Bragg wasn't -any- better. 🤔 One walk through a swamp, any swamp, and one could easily figure out who was from the N, and who was from the S. lol
Reminds me of a Vietnam snake story. We had a young black guy from NYC in our platoon. Everyone liked him, and he was street smart. However, he was deathly afraid of snakes. A Cobra hooded on him, while we were on patrol. He almost emptied an entire clip, from a M16 on that snake. It gave away our position, and the LT was pissed. We had to withdraw our position, on that "nature walk." Gerald took a lot of crap from that incident.
There was plenty in harmony church c-9-2 when I was there. Saw a bunch at Bragg as well 2/508.
@@brianazmy3156 Yeah, man...Ft Benning was a hot spot, much worse than Bragg IMO. Charlie Co. 3/325 1977-80.
Thank you guys for your service. Fr
@@brianazmy3156
The 508th was still in Vicenza, Italy when I was at Ft. Bragg back in the 80's. I was in the Division MP Company.
Back when I was a early teen I was in a creek looking for crawdads. I lifted up a giant slate rock to see one of the biggest crawdads I have ever seen in the state of Ky. A second later I seen a cotton mouth getting ready to get the crawdad. I slammed the rock back down and I'm not sure if I scared the snake to come towards me , but I was going berserk with a tobacco stick trying to hit it while running backwards in the creek. Pretty good scare I had there..haha
When I was 12 years old, .... I was at Lake Lenape catching yellow spotted turtles, at the water's edge at a cedar lake, I annoyingly got to close to a cottonmouth ! He blended in perfectly with the wood and the leaves ! But the movement, & shaking his tail,and the breathtaking white wide open mouth with his fangs caught my attention immediately!
I struck him with a branch!
I slam down fast on him,... and he took off in the opposite direction,.... swimming over the water with his head above it,.... quickly and unnoticed by a whole bunch of people bathing! He just hightailed out !!! It was a very "primitive experience"!
He was about three or four feet long! My heart was pounding with excitement and every nerve and hair stood up on end !! That was 56 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday!
Yeah Humans are dumb like that.. wait until one strikes you with a branch! you should respect all living things unless your about to eat it!
Very interesting. Thank you for info.
I lived in Ft. Myers for a number of years. Ft. Myers is really an urbanized swamp and it’s common to be out for a walk and have a cottonmouth slithering across your path. They are really mean-looking but they are part of nature’.
Ft Myers- urbanized swamp... :) :) :) but I love to visit SW Florida.
Hope you are doing well after this hurricane.
We have a creek down here in Tennessee we call cottonmouth Creek because it is so full of cottonmouth
Growing up in the Texas Hill Country, I had several encounters with Cottonmouths. Once I had a stringer of fish in the water and watched one come for it from across a creek. By the time I got to the stringer and pulled it out of the water, It already had a grip on one of the fish and as I pulled it out, it hit three more while hanging out of the water. Another time I had been fishing for about 20 mins on a grassy bank when I caught and reeled in a fish. As I was lifting it out of the water a cottonmouth bit the fish from right under me in the grass. Evidently it had been there the whole time. On another occasion, I was fishing off a boulder about 10 feet above the water and noticed one swimming below me about 20 feet away. I wanted it to leave the area because as a predator, I figured it might affect the fishing. So I decided to throw a rock at it. The rock landed right next to it and rather than take off, it turned and headed right for me as I continued to throw rocks at it. Keep in mind I was ten feet above the water line so it had now chance of getting to me but it still kept coming. They are very aggressive and don't back down.
They WILL go after your fish.
We co-exist. They stay out of my shoes, I won’t tread on their back. Enjoyed the video!
We used to paddle down rock springs, and they would drop out of trees into the canoe's. Most aggressive snakes I've ever come across.
Omg i bet that was scary them falling in. There with you 😱😱😱😱😱
i hate the damn things...way worse than a rattlesnake or copperhead
They were almost certainly just brown-snakes. Brown-snakes have crappy vision, and were trying to get into the water to escape.
Correct.
@@TROOPERfarcry What kind of an arrogant dip wad tells someone that has experienced something with a snake the it "was almost certainly just brown snakes"
Well , I haven't seen you but I can say that you are almost certainly a putz!
Cats eyes and a noticeable stripe that follows the eye are good way to quickly identify the viper.
Recently found a young one in a tub that had a small amount of water. Wasn't sure what kind it was at first, until I put a stick near it, and it struck about 10 times. Strangely, a brick accidentally fell on it's head.
When frog gigging in a john boat, mocs sometimes drop into the boat from an overhanging branch. Simply pick the moc up with the gig and scoop it out of the boat. No big deal. Most people who get bitten are doing something stupid like attacking or bothering a snake that is minding his own business. Floridians, well, those who actually grow up in Florida, keep a snake bite kit in the glove compartment of the car, in a zip lock baggie in the boat, and in the house medicine cabinet as standard procedure. Antivenom must be kept refrigerated and is not generally found in a snake bite kit. Inside a kit you will finds such things as a razor and anything from a pinch suction cup to a battery operated suction pump to draw the poison out. In a best case scenario, the kit will keep you alive long enough to seek medical attention.
I think banded water snakes are more aggressive
The snake bite kit is An Anti vevum which is the blood from a horse or mule that they have injected poison from A snake to give to A snake victim your welcome.
CRO FAB antivenin is the only snake bite treatment for pitvipers cutting slits and sucking venom out does nothing along with all the other outdated treatments.
As a herpetologist that has studied cottonmouths extensively, I applaud you for you’re predominantly factual presentation.
And breaking with the norm for CZcams snake presentations, the only attribute of your video that I take issue with, is the use of clips portraying non-venomous species in areas of the video where they are not germane to the conversation. Such as multiple clips portraying juvenile black rat snakes, as well as other native non-venomous species.
However some latitude can be granted providing your Australian accent is legitimate; as you would not be abreast of all the species mistaken for cottonmouths in the US.
On the whole good video.
Thank you for pointing this out! Fairly early in the video I saw some watersnakes depicted as cottonmouths, when the pupil was clearly round and there was no ridge present above the eye that give vipers that signature “angry” appearance. While this may have been unintentional, it can result in viewers misidentifying venomous species as non-venomous species - and vice versa.
I just scared the hell out of myself trying to self educate...now there's one everywhere around me
I like how the clip showing Florida Man going to the hospital in an ambulance took place in a mountain town.
Sort of like Aunt Bee learning to fly in Mayberry, NC and Mt. Baldy was in the background.
They are very aggressive!! Times I've been fishing and they actually charged our boat because we slapped the paddle at it. It decided to quickly head our way. So be careful a very dangerous snake..
not aggressive at all. common myth.
@@Rryan8065easy to see you never been around any
@@chesterswortham5197 I’ve been around hundreds maybe thousands, it’s literally my passion. You probably don’t even know their scientific name, which is as basic as it gets for snake information. I bet you were chased in Ohio too huh?
@@Rryan8065 If you're a 30 minute walk to the truck and another 30 minutes to a hospital you really don't care what it's scientific name is and it sure won't matter to them. I've seen 3 people walk 2 feet by a Rattlesnake and the 4th(me) trigger it to rattle. I'm glad it just rattled and didn't bit. We were probably an hour+ away from medical help.
I've seen a Moccasin back a friend up to a brush line of a dried up pond while he empties a solid round shooter in the ground. You know if you miss by one inch it won't stop coming at you. Will it be a dry bit of full venom load? We didn't want to find out. We shot with scatter guns and were out of rounds(1 410DB and pump 12's).
It just seemed the Moccasin's were threatened by us more easily than the other snakes and we couldn't tell if they were in offensive mode or defensive mode when they're coming at you.
Could've been a shoot first ask questions latter mentality we had developed and not the cute little guy approach. I assume you have a better safety net if your out looking for them in the wild. Be safe out there.
@@robertjackson7590 they still aren’t aggressive nor will they chase you. If you make yourself known they will back off. Proving otherwise would be a groundbreaking discovery in the herp industry.
Cottonmouth snakes are found all over the state of Oklahoma
just look at a pond in the moonlight !!!
I’ve had them attack our boat in lake Okeechobee. They’re brazen lil snakes 🐍
Nope
I'd be the second person to walk on water
@@jeffreysinkler4135 what he’s claiming, they don’t really do
They're very aggressive devil's.
@@OtayBuckwheat they aren’t aggressive at all whatsoever
I grew up in the swamps of the Pee Dee in South Carolina. All of your statements are on point. I've seen plenty of cotton mouths and copper heads in the woods and swamps behind the house as well as right at the front steps. Your best bet is to use moths balls under your house and in your flower beds and gardens to keep away snakes and their prey. Also if you're not objected to it get a few cats to keep outside your house to help keep away snakes and their prey as well.
As a newly transported Yankee, I hiked into the swamp around Lake Martin near Breaux Bridge, LA and didn't make it back to the road until after dark.
I actually had to fight my way out through 100 aggressive moccasins with my fishing pole.
That was 40 + years ago and it still remains in the top 10 of stupidest things I've lived to talk about 😅
There have been multiple tests done, that prove moth balls do absolutely nothing to repel snakes. And only marginally repel rats and mice if used in large quantities...
Don't rely on old wives tales to keep snakes away. There are commercially available repellants that do work, and are less toxic than moth balls.
The backyard of my parent's house in NC was like a snake battlefield when I was a kid. Cottonmouths and Copperheads would meet up and fight to the death. Craziest thing I ever saw was a copperhead that killed a cottonmouth who was attempting to kill a rattlesnake that was eating a hog nosed snake. Dad came out with a Winchester 12 gauge and within seconds there were little pieces of four snakes inside a big crater in the ground. Not even five minutes later he shot a black racer. Did I mention that I immediately kill a snake on sight?
You showed the full range of color that you might see on a Water Moccasin. I was close to stepping on one while fishing in a stream just outside of Nashville , and the color screamed Copper Head, but the Head shape said Moccasin. I searched many web sites for that color pattern on a Water Moccasin, and finally confirmed the ID of the snake. Great video. One thing that comes to mind, the Indians called them Water "Moccasins", because they are so buoyant, floating high on the water. It is like walking on water in a moccasin.
Copper heads are known to imitate a Moccasin by flexing it's jaw and head muscles. I guess as a defense mechanism. garter snakes and black snakes will do this too. black snakes will shake their tail like a rattlesnake too
Kinda sad they didn't show a King Snake, the constrictor that preys on cottonmouths. Saw one nearly all black eating another snake a few years ago. She was a hefty girl, maybe seven feet.
We owned a farm on the Suwannee River and the River was full of Cotton mouth snakes . You would see a piece of wood floating down the river would be a hundred cotton mouth on that piece of wood .
Got news for your range, they are up in Wisconsin as north as Genoa along the Mississippi river. There are hundreds at times sunning them selves on the rocks during the day time.
Really? I always thought of Cottonmouths as a southern snake.
I've had to deal with way over a couple dozen this year here in Kansas.
If talking about Cottonmouths, Show me. I'm not calling you a liar, I have found Coral snakes WELL out of their native range. I would just have to see it to believe it.
No they aren’t you must be confused with water snakss
@@dragunovbushcraft152 Whether you believe it or not, is not germane to the conversation.
the racoon mask is by far the easiest and most definitive identifying feature
Fact 22 , copperheads are still here in Texas . Especially in my back yard in the Hill country. Good post.
Savannah River Plant in SC is thick with them. The water is warm year round. Very aggressive too. I have had more than one come directly at me when trying to give them a wide berth.
Yep I came across several kayaking in that area. Brick pond park in north Augusta is full of them as well!
They also can climb trees, especially cypress trees in lakes. That is why we were taught to look up and scan if we were drifting in to tie up. Your $40,000 bass rig is about to have a new skipper if you don't heed that...and you will be in the water...
In the water with one or more of our green skinned friends if you’re in Florida, Georgia or Louisiana. Especially Florida and Louisiana.
I've seen cottonmouths in Arkansas close to 8' with heads almost 4" wide?
I grew up in cent IL by a creek. One day I was walking barefoot across a man made damn of concrete slabs. There was a pile of brush on it and I stepped on what I thought was a 6" dia tree branch. Much to my surprise it was a giant cottonmouth. It shot head first into the water and stretched out before me. Having recently built a train layout from 4x8 sheets of plywood I can tell you with great certitude that snake was between 8'6" and 9'. It was the biggest I ever saw that was about 45 years ago. We used to get them in our yards when the creek would flood. We used to shoot them in the head with 22LR bird shot loads. Had many a run in with these snakes growing up.
I'd be lying if I said one never jumped in a boat with me before. You hear a lot of people claim they can't bite in water which is wrong. I found out myself 1st hand when I seen about 3 of them swim into a school of Minows trapped by a current in the river one time. It was actually pretty amazing to watch.
@Anonymous Anonymous Yes they will. I have experienced this first hand. You might leave them alone but they will not oblige .
I had one come after me and I was in a boat. He was doing everything he could to get to me, I'm talking super aggressive. I was scared shitless.
@Anonymous Anonymous The tale of "only defensive and not aggressive" is just how lovers of venomous snakes deny reality!
It´s how dangerous animals are seen by the mainstream: Sharks are only "mistaking" people for food, never preying on them, wolves are completely "misunderstood", crocodiles are just "defending their territory" and so on. Complete bullshit!
@Anonymous Anonymous Oh WOW! Seeing how you express yourself I can see that you are not very educated (apart from the fact that your partens did a poor job raising you not teaching you not to call people names). Obviously you have poor reading comprehension - what I wrote underlined what you said in your first comment.
Just for your information: I am not a "fucking idiot" - LOL -but a biologist who graduated at the University of Vienna. Have a nice uneducated life!
@@truthseeker6584 wow your brain cells must be decaying...
I'm a security officer here in orange beach & gulf shores Alabama. I'm not allowed to carry a gun on some properties. But I carry a very sharp square shovel with me at all times.. last summer I killed close to 20 cottonmouth snakes. I just kill them and throw the bodies into the fish pond. I've seen fish eat the dead snakes in no time
When I was a teen in the 1960’s I worked with a WW2 vet who told a story of his youth how he and his buddy would dive in a creek and let the current carry them under the root canopy of a huge tree to catch fish with their hands in the little holes in the bank . He dived in first and popped up under the roots and stared straight at a cotton mouth and eased back down and swam out . But his buddy wasn’t coming out when finally he did he had a fish in each hand . When asked didn’t he see that Cottonmouth ? He replied “ yeah Goddamn wasn’t he a big ‘un
In North Carolina most people wish they were endangered. Or even extinct.
Man that would mess up some environment stuff right quick.
@@corbingreen2231 I guess that if you live in a place where there are a lot of them,you see that somewhat differently.
@@hubertwalters4300 they play an active role in the environment no matter if you live near them or not.
Eradicating them gives way for huge problems in that environment.
Yes they're venemous, but they do things to benefit you and their environment which is more than can be said about most people.
@@JollyTSwift I don't know where you get the idea that I want to eradicate them from the environment, I don't,but if one is in my yard,unfortunately for it,it has put itself in my environment and I can't allow that,I will kill it,bc I don't want it to bite one of my grandchildren.
I know for a fact that North Carolina is snake central.
They have a good antivenin that’s effective for all pit vipers. That’s good because in the old days, they were species specific. The bad part is it’s very expensive per unit, so you better have good insurance! Pit vipers have hemotoxic venom and can tremendous tissue damage!
I live in a Florida swamp and regularly face these river rattlers. ☀️🌴
Growing up in Florida, we saw a cottonmouth on a dock. Threw a few balls of sand at it and it came off the dock and at us. Didn't stand a chance against five pre-teen boys. Accidentally caught a few small ones while catching water snakes. Fun times.
If you ever smell one when they release that musk you’ll remember it, it’s a very foul odor
Yeah Go big Orange I worked as a surveyor in Florida for about 20 years, including many months in the Everglades. Guy I worked with was always amazed when I would say I smell a cottonmouth. We would poke around within several feet from where we were and sure enough we would fin one. Never failed! Almost smelled like something died! Never had an issue with them. Even had them swim right by me more than a few times and they just kept on going.
Very interesting video. Thanks.
I have both Cottonmouths and black rat snakes, it has been my experience that the black (non-poisonous) rat snake is more feisty than the cottons I have encountered in my backyard! My dogs usually bark at them and I move the snakes back under and away! Great video info! Thanks!
Not too many other snakes will mess with the black snake! he's the real king!
I’ve had them also coil up and strike out at me with a 20” lunge (for a 3’ specimen)
So, basically they're mean as hell.
But not even close to being as mean as my 12 ga, with 3 inch magnums, full choke, semi-auto shotgun loaded with #4 shot. Heck they're not even as mean as my Mossberg .410, 3 inch pump shotgun with #6 shot, killed 7 in 2 days at my daughters 3 acre lake earlier this summer. Haven't seen any since then.
I got bit by one once. After 3 days of intense pain, sleepless nights and vomiting, the snake finally died. 🤣
Hahahaaa! THAT'S funny!
madman Jack : Same thing happened to a rattlesnake that had the misfortune to bite my wife last September ; )
That's good stuff
Idiots keeping snakes in pillow cases and trying to kiss venomous snakes is why i will always have a job!
Snake be like, “Respect me.”
Very strong dirty muskie
a couple of those snakes you had there were copperheads not cottonmouth
true
That's what I thought.
Water moccasins look like copperheads when they are younger. They start looking blacker after they get a couple of feet in length
Candice Harber they are related but they are different species. The cottonmouth is the same as water moccasin.
Great now they're teaching us wrong
They are EXTREMELY aggressive! I have had them go out of their way to attack me on several occasions.
Being from Georgia, though copperheads and some moccasins look alike, the general rule is if it's around water it's probably a moc. Copperheads are usually found around habitations and woodlands. Also I've never seen a light moccasin as in my area they are black, and they are aggressive. Copperheads are pretty kicked back and usually only bite if stepped on, which I have done. Fortunately it didn't have enough neck sticking out from under my boot (I had stopped right on top of it and only noticed it when I felt a tapping on the side of the boots upper) to have the leverage to penetrate the leather. Being an experienced woodsman this happened only because I had a sudden attack of diarrhea, and had without hesitation stopped and dropped my pants. My butt was about four inches from his head when I felt the tapping. Looking down I saw the wide head striking futilely against my boot. To this day I don't know how I did it, but in one swift motion I lept into the air, pulled my machete, and cut it's head off before my feet came back down and touched the ground. After that I had a total bowel evacuation. I often thought back on it later thinking how close I came to being bitten in the ass. I was lucky I had a couple friends along that day that could sucked the poison out had that happened. lol.
I was about to say we have tons of them here in Florida
Nc to
Definitely the most aggressive snake I've seen here in middle TN. out at the lake they will come for you....
I agree I live in Oklahoma and we have a lot of them here as well and they will come after you if the water they are a lot more aggressive than copperheads and rattlesnakes and copperheads and rattlesnakes don't want no problems cottonmouths are looking for problems
Yes sir they will come after u especially in a boat! I’ve had them to try to get in!
Great narration with good humor.
They are more often very dark, hard to make out patterns, just like a common water snake except for arrowhead snapped heads on Copperheads.
Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus
The smell as I've experienced here in Arkansas seems like a sweet yet pungent odor like a rotting carcass with honey drizzled on top
The honey I described was a little different. Lol
Hot damn Arkansas. What an imagination. I don't think I will ever eat honey again without that nasty thought . Ha Sheeeiiittt!!
Really, a very interesting and fact-filled video. As one who resides in the panhandle of Florida surrounded by beaver ponds and beaver dams we have an inordinate amount of cottonmouth activity here. So it was really wonderful to see this video, your narrating demeanor is very interesting and pleasant with a little humor thrown in. I have subscribed to your channel because of this video and I most certainly liked it! Keep up the great work and I look forward to future videos from you.
I have had to move over on pond banks many times to make way for a cottonmouth who wanted to get out of the water exactly where l was standing. Larger ones have no problem getting into a small boat from the water.