What Kind Of Snake Is This App
What kind of snake is this? How to identify common snakes in the Houston area
"What kind of snake is this?" is a common question during the spring and summer months as more slithering creatures come out of the shadows.
Continue clicking to see the snakes that have been found in southeast Texas, both venomous and non-venomous, and some of their key features.
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Venomous
Characteristics: Stout-bodied with a large, flat-topped head, dark in color with ill-defined cross-bodied patterns. Newborn cottonmouths have bright yellow-tipped tails. Adults grow to be about 24"-36" in length.
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Venomous
Characteristics: Light tan/pale brown with hourglass-shaped crossbands that are darker in color than the rest of the body. Newborns have the same coloring as adults, but with a bright yellow tail. Adults grow to be about 24"-36" in length.
Venomous
Characteristics: Wide red and black crossbands separated by bright yellow thinner bands. Remember the rhyme, "Red touch yellow, kill a fellow; red touch black, venom lack" to distinguish Texas coral snakes from other non-venomous snakes also found in the region like the Louisiana mild snake and the scarlet snake. Adult coral snakes average under 24".
Venomous
Characteristics: While this snake prefers West Texas' drier climates, some specimens have been found on Galveston Island and Brazoria County. Characteristics include a thick body, black and white banded tail that rattles when threatened, and light-bordered dark diamond-shaped blotches.
Venomous
Characteristics: Small rattlesnake with a grey body and dark spots patterned down its back. Their rattles are very small and black. Adults grow to be between 15"-20".
Venomous
Characteristics: Large-bodied with light brown-grey coloring separated by arrowed-shaped crossbands down its back. Its rattle is a glossy black, which is where it got its nickname of "velvet-tail."
Non-venomous
Characteristics: These lengthy snakes can grow up to seven feet and are often mistaken for a rattler, because of their patterns, but the long straight head is different from the wide, triangle-shaped heads of poisonous snakes.
Non-venomous
Characteristics: Thin-bodied with brown coloring with darker brown small spots down its back. Most notably is its white cheek patches on either side of its head.
Non-venomous
Characteristics: This harmless snake is often confused with the western pygmy rattlesnake because of their similar colorings and even pretends to strike like a rattler would. Though, if pretending doesn't work, it usually turns over, opens its mouth and plays dead.
Non-venomous
Characteristics: This thin, all-green snake has a lighter head, but can be seen camouflaging itself in trees and bushes.
Non-venomous
Characteristics: On the top, they look like a water moccasin, but their bright yellow bellies give them away. This water snake is commonly mistaken for cottonmouths, but though they have the same environment preferences -living in water - they aren't venomous. This doesn't mean they won't try to bite since they are quick-tempered.
Non-venomous
Characteristics: These water snakes are commonly mistaken for cottonmouths since they have the same environment, but they aren't venomous. This doesn't mean they won't try to bite since they are quick-tempered.
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What kind of snake is this? This is how you can identify common snakes that are native or have been seen in Houston.
Rex Lisman/Getty ImagesThe Houston area has been blessed with great sunshine and many head outdoors to enjoy the weather, but sometimes slithering snakes can interrupt the enjoyment of the outdoors.
The warmer temperatures mean snakes are out of winter hibernation and likely sunbathing in the rays, so folks need to start keeping an eye out.
While the most dangerous snakes like copperheads and water moccasins are well known, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish the difference between others that have been found in the Houston area.
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Texas is home to over 115 different species and subspecies of snakes, but only about 15 of those are potentially harmful to humans.
Click through the gallery above to see the snakes that have been spotted in the Houston area in the past.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, if a person doesn't want to get bitten by a snake, either venomous or non-venomous, it's generally good practice to avoid the reptile. But officials also note that there isn't a quick trick to identifying a venomous snake versus a non-venomous snake.
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"Unfortunately, there is no one simple hard and fast criterion a person can use to tell a venomous snake from a harmless one," the TPWD advises online. "None of the popular criteria such as a broad, triangular head, a heavy body, cat's eyes (vertical pupils), a flat body or rough scales are safe since both harmless and dangerous snakes are known to share some or all of these traits.
"The only unfailing method is an examination of the snake hollow of grooved fangs and venom glands. For obvious reasons, this is not a practical approach. A better method is to know which venomous snakes occur in your area and have a good idea about what they look like," the TPWD says.
The TPWD continues to explain that people enjoying the outdoors must also keep in mind that snakes prefer hiding places like large rocks, fallen tree limbs and overgrown grass. Officials advise Texans to avoid rocks, holes and crevices you can't look into or behind. Most importantly, outdoorsmen and women must "look before you reach down."
Heather Leighton is a digital reporter at Chron.com. She considers herself as a Jack(ie) of all trades and covers various topics from entertainment to politics. You can read more of her stories here and follow her on Twitter at @loveheathernoel.
What Kind Of Snake Is This App
Source: https://www.chron.com/life/health/article/What-kind-of-snake-is-this-How-to-identify-11121273.php
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