Water Snakes That Have Red on Them
Some people are afraid of snakes that they see swimming on the surface of the water thinking the snake has to be poisonous. Not every aquatic snake is venomous like the cottonmouth or water moccasin. Some snakes live in or near water and can be identified by a red, reddish-brown or reddish-orange pattern somewhere on their bodies.
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Red-bellied Water Snake
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The red-bellied water snake grows up to 48 inches long. As the name implies, the venter, or belly, of the snake is reddish-orange. Its neck and the scales around its mouth are also reddish-orange. The back of the adult may have a reddish-brown pattern or be plain brown or gray. The pupils of the eyes are round. Red-bellied water snakes have been found in the Florida panhandle, southeastern Virginia, eastern North Carolina, South Carolina, the Gulf states and the southern tip of Illinois. They prefer quiet waters.
Green Water Snake
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Although the common name of the green water snake hints that the snake is green, in the southern tip of Florida, the species is reddish-colored with brown bands. The snake can grow to a length of 4 feet. The habitat for the green water snake is any body of water that has large areas of aquatic vegetation, although they will live in brackish water sometimes. When cornered, the green water snake will bite but it is not venomous.
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Eastern Mud Snake
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The eastern mud snake has a range similar to that of the red-bellied water snake but is also found throughout Florida. The snake can grow to be 81 inches long. The belly of the mud snake has a distinctive red or dark pink and black barred pattern. The tip of its tail ends in a sharp spur, which looks like a horn. The eastern mud snake is rarely seen because it prefers bodies of water like marshes and swamps where it can hide among the vegetation. If it is cornered, it will not bite.
Rainbow Snake
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Reddish stripes extend along the belly and down the back of the rainbow snake. It can grow to be 66 inches long. This colorful snake prefers a habitat like the mud snake but has a smaller range. The rainbow snake is not found as far north as Illinois or throughout Florida. Because it stays hidden among the dense aquatic vegetation of cypress swamps and bodies of water with black water, the rainbow snake is not seen often.
Black Swamp Snake
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The black swamp snake has a reddish belly with black blotches and grows to less than 2 feet long. The top of the snake is glossy black. The snake has a range that extends throughout Florida, southern Georgia, the eastern half of South Carolina and North Carolina's Atlantic Coast. Black swamp snakes remain hidden in aquatic vegetation most of the time and are less sensitive to drought conditions than other water snakes. If you catch a black swamp snake, it will not bite. Instead, it will release a foul-smelling musk from glands near the tail.
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