Very scary encounter - water moccasin in park

[wemay]

My buddy sends me this picture, asks what kind of snake. Right away I call him because it's a Water Moccasin. It was at the park he was visiting near his home with his young daughter. The park is located in western Broward County which boarders the Everglades. He called the wildlife authorities and they moved the snake to a more suitable habitat. The park was full of kids and the viper well camouflaged. I'm sure the snake was also terrified.

 

[vavavroom]

"Snakes...why'd it have to be snakes?"
Indiana Jones

 

[wings&wheels]

I try to remind myself that I'm the guest, I am on their turf.

 

[LDB]

It's deadly venomous whatever it is. Every snake on the planet is deadly venomous. A fact that protects my life well at all times.

 

[Bailes1992]

My 6 year old son, our two dogs and myself both got chased down a mountain on Sunday by two bulls. I'd much rather that than snakes!

 

[vavavroom]

What's your agrizoophobia? Mine is moray eels. They have double jaws that were the inspiration for the xenomorph's inner jaw. Yes, a moray eel has a pharyngeal jaw hidden in its maw that it can extend to grasp and pull in its prey. Then the outer jaws bite down on the prey. Those monsters can be over 10 feet long. Their saliva will give you a terrible infection. They like hiding in tight spaces where you can't see them while diving. I have encountered them in Costa Rica and Bermuda. They taste okay.

 

[bbhero]

At first look I thought that was a eastern diamond back rattlesnake…

Upon further review I found pictures of some water moccasins that indeed have markings like the one in wemays original post.

 

[Danno]

Saw this good looking snake on my property. Looks to me it eat bugs, mice might be a bit much. About 18" long.

 

[4WD]

A cottonmouth puts on a big show - but I’d rather deal with them over a rattlesnake … Always assume they are there …
Try not to create too many places for them …

 

[RDY4WAR]

I dealt with a lot of these growing up in the swampy backwoods of southern Mississippi. Treating every snake as though they're venomous, no matter what, is a bit of an overstep. I know many were taught that way as kids and never left them. I was holding a hognose a few weeks ago. It slipped its way up my arm and back. They're quite calm creatures when they don't feel threatened.

It's rare for a snake to be aggressive to humans. Snakes are territorial and some react with violence more than others. The vast majority of the time, if you give it a little space, you can both go on about your ways. Obviously if it's next to a park with kids, that's a different story.

 

[nwjones18]

Now that we have a place with a pond and a creek I always assume there are cotton mouth's everywhere I'm about to step. I'll kill the ones I see as I would rather there be fewer of them with my kids around. I see 5 of them for every other kind of snake I encounter on the property. I leave the "good ones" alone. We have a rather large black snake that lives under the steps at the cabin and I've let it be. Never had a mouse in the house.

 

[Urshurak776]

Here in the Carolinas, we get Copperheads..........not fun either.

Had a big ole Eastern King Snake (good snake) slither through our wooded backyard earlier this summer. Wife FREAKED out.......LOL

 

[wemay]

I try to remind myself that I'm the guest, I am on their turf.
View attachment 234169

100%

 

[wemay]

Saw this good looking snake on my property. Looks to me it eat bugs, mice might be a bit much. About 18" long.

View attachment 234172

View attachment 234173

Green Snakes are beautiful and like all snakes, beneficial.

 

[wemay]

Here in the Carolinas, we get Copperheads..........not fun either.

Had a big ole Eastern King Snake (good snake) slither through our wooded backyard earlier this summer. Wife FREAKED out.......LOL

We have a Desert King as a pet. My son handles him all the time. He's growing up with a healthy respect/appreciation for wildlife.

 

[mk378]

Nearly all snakebites occur after a person sees a snake and intentionally gets close to it in order to examine or photograph it (or attempt to kill it, in which case the bite is well-deserved). It is rare for a snake to bite someone out of the blue.

 

[wpod]

Done in lots of Rattle snakes with a shovel or a rock. Decades ago I used to bike ride from San Bruno California to Woodside California eat some pastries and coffee and the bakery there then up old La Honda road to old Skyline and highway 35 to highway 92 the home to make a loop , one day there was a crowd on the side on the road by just past the Pulgas Water Temple. I stopped to see what the people were looking at and it was a large Rattle snake. I found a proper sized rock and dispatched it , don't want some high mile runner in the [groove] to get bit. By the time I arrived to Woodside all the people that were in the bakery were talking about the guy that dispatched the Rattle snake . The guy in front of me was in a conversation with the guy in front of him wondering why the guy that dispatched the snake didn't take the rattles. I butted in and said maybe the guy didn't dispatch the snake for its rattles. Around people areas I will dispatch venomus snakes in the wilderness [ back packing] I will give then space and leave them alone.

 

[wpod]

Nearly all snakebites occur after a person sees a snake and intentionally gets close to it in order to examine or photograph it (or attempt to kill it, in which case the bite is well-deserved). It is rare for a snake to bite someone out of the blue.

What fun is it if you don't torment the venomous snakes?

 

[Jetronic]

It's deadly venomous whatever it is. Every snake on the planet is deadly venomous. A fact that protects my life well at all times.

except the ones that swallow you whole of course!

 

[Danno]

Green Snakes are beautiful and like all snakes, beneficial.

Agree, I only take photos, found a garter snake as well. Those do keep the mouse population down.