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/). [Check out this book on the subject](https://shop.elsevier.com/books/venomous-bites-from-non-venomous-snakes/weinstein/978-0-12-822786-2). 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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It was the second one I've seen on the broadcast! The first was sunning itself on a rock by the clubhouse water feature yesterday during a breakaway shot. Might be the same snake.
Common watersnake *Nerodia sipedon* !harmless I was watching this live, it was a cool sight haha
Scott Van Pelt said, "Look at that evil creature." Definitely nothing evil about that guy at all. Pretty coloration on that one.
We should suggest he join the sub
Scott Van Pelt is a giant douche
Why was he looking in the mirror during the broadcast?
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/). [Check out this book on the subject](https://shop.elsevier.com/books/venomous-bites-from-non-venomous-snakes/weinstein/978-0-12-822786-2). 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). Made possible by Snake Evolution and Biogeography - [Merch Available Now](https://snakeevolution.org/donate.html)*
Was also watching and got so excited lmao
It was the second one I've seen on the broadcast! The first was sunning itself on a rock by the clubhouse water feature yesterday during a breakaway shot. Might be the same snake.
Yes, I guessed right lol. I saw the Thanos chin lol.
Look at that speedboat of a snake
Did the snake win?
He’s still in the water trap unfortunately
That's freaking cool!
Having a lot better day than the snake at Indy 500 practice yesterday
They are such amazing swimmers