That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information
Watersnakes are largely ignored by herptoculturists, and I’ve never quite understood why. Hardy, prolific, and often colorful, their utilization of two habitats makes for very interesting observations. Today I’d like to focus on the northern watersnake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon), and to mention a few others.
Description
Background color varies through shades of pale gray to dark brown, with reddish to black cross-bands. Juveniles are brightly marked, while the colors of older animals usually darken. Stoutly built, the northern watersnake may reach 4 ½ feet in length, but averages 3 feet.This species interbreeds with its subspecies, the midland water snake, which may confuse identification at range overlaps.
Range
The range extends from southeastern Quebec, Canada to North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi. Related subspecies occur as far west as Colorado.
The endangered Lake Erie water snake (N. s. insularis), a subspecies of the northern, is found only along Put-In-Bay, Lake Erie.
Habitat
The northern water snake frequents swamps, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams. It rarely strays far from the water’s edge, but frequently basks on logs and overhanging branches. Although preferring quiet waters, I sometimes encounter them along swiftly flowing rivers.
Status in the Wild
This snake can build up large populations in suitable habitat but, in my experience, does not adjust well to human presence (it is sometimes killed in the mistaken belief that it is venomous and reduces game fish numbers).
Several years ago I visited formerly well-populated ponds on Long Island, NY, as part of a government-sponsored survey. Despite adequate habitat and a healthy prey base, I found nearly all to be barren of snakes, and local fishermen confirmed their absence.
Diet
Watersnakes seem almost “crazed” when food is scented. Legendary reptile man Raymond Ditmars reported catching them on fishes tied to a string, a feat I repeated a half-century later with admirable results. I have also taken them in minnow traps.
Watersnakes feed upon a wide variety of frogs, tadpoles, salamanders and fishes and crayfishes.
Reproduction
Mating occurs in early spring. The young, 9-100 in number, are born alive after a gestation period of 2-3 months (March-July).
Miscellaneous
This snake was once common within NYC but has declined dramatically. I re-introduced it to the grounds of the Bronx Zoo in 1986, and a small breeding population is now to be found there.
Northern water snakes are harmless but aggressive when disturbed, and are often mistaken for the venomous water moccasin. The confusion is greatest in the Southeastern USA, a watersnake-lovers paradise, home to 12-15 subspecies. The massive Florida green water snake (N. floridana) reaches 6 feet in length and even holds its mouth open when threatened, in a manner reminiscent of the moccasin’s display.
Various watersnake species regularly hybridize, producing a bewildering array of forms in the species-rich southeast. Despite the passage of over 20 years, I still clearly recall a gorgeously-patterned individual that I narrowly missed capturing in south Florida. It was almost certainly a mangrove watersnake (N. clarkii compressicauda), perhaps hybridized with a Gulf salt marsh or Florida watersnake. I realize that my awe seems odd in these times of captive-bred “designer snakes”, but to encounter such a creature in the wild was quite a thrill.
Further Reading
You can learn more about the natural history of the 10 Nerodia species at http://www.jcvi.org/reptiles/search.php?submit=Search&exact%5B%5D=genus&genus=Nerodia.
Nerodia sipedon image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Brian Gratwicke
Nerodia rhombifer image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by LA Dawson.
Hello sir, I am twitch from yahoo.com, you answered my question about the baby northern water snake and left me a link to this page. And I must say, this certainly changes the pace from most of the more “amateur” pages about these snakes that I have been finding. This blog and the answer to my question on yahoo are both very informative, I am fairly new when it comes to being a snake owner, and the ones I have now are the first water snakes (and baby snakes) that I have owned, and I look forward to reading your blogs and taking your advice so I can learn how to get closer and have a better understanding of these amazing animals
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks very much for taking the time to read my article and to write in with the kind words; much appreciated.
Perhaps you might enjoy this 4 Part Article on Garter Snakes, which are closely related to watersnakes and have similar care requirements.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep be in touch if I can be of any help. I look forward to your comments and observations,
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello, Your article on garter snakes really came of great use to me, especially considering (and ironically enough) the next day after reading your articles on them a week ago, I had come across my very first, garter snake! 🙂 she is a female and very young, I had found her on the side of the road in my apartment complex near some small woods, with a large open wound about a quarter way up her tail, she couldnt move very well sadly, but never bit me, and with closely following your guide and using some of my basic instinct, she has already made an amazing recovery, the wound has healed a great deal and has stopped bleeding. But of course with good news comes bad news, my large female water snake got violent and had forced her way out of her cage into my parents house, i had caught her and am guessing she was already about 3 or 4 years old or so, and because my mother has an extreme phobia of snakes, i had to take her back to the pond up the street and let her go because she had become so unmanageable after giving birth, 3 of the babies i had given away to some of my friends that were snake lovers and already had dwellings for them since i cant keep 6 water snakes seeing as how big they can get (the mother had gotten almost 4 feet by the time i released her), the remaining 3 youngsters I will keep and continue to raise, 2 are already tame, but my problem child is still giving me a hard time. and since there are 2 males and a female, I am hoping to learn how to breed them when they get old enough.
Hello Kyuki, Frank Indiviglio here.
Nice to hear from you again…Thanks for the kind words and glad the article was helpful. Snake wound often become infected, so I think you did quite well with the garter.
Interesting to hear that your female watersnake’ s personality changed after she gave birth. I wonder if her being extra-hungry had anything to do with it. Bearing live young is quite a drain; I’ve noticed that females of several species are ravenous afterwards.
Yes, best not to scare your Mother…my own had to put up with much trauma – she even once unwraped a large boa from around my 10-year old body and then helped pry his teeth from my arm!
Glad you are considering breeding – there are so many interesting watersnakes in the US, some quite large (the Green sometimes approaches 6 feet), some endangered, and not many people giving them any attention.
I noticed that you mentioned the sex of the youngsters – if you are going by tail thickness, please keep in mind that this will change as they grow; it’s not a reliable indicator until they are sexually mature.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Well, I am just going by what a friend of mine is telling me, on how if the tip of the tail is more rounded then it’s female, and if it’s very pointed then it’s male. Although I’m not entirely sure if this is true, it gives me a good start, as im not completely sure on how to tell what the gender is.
Hello Kuuki, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for the feedback; unfortunately, no truth to that story. Adults can be sexed by looking at the underside of the snake, below the cloaca (assuming one can be held in that position for any length of time!). The males’ sexual organ, known as the hemipenes, is a paired structure located internal, just below the cloaca. It adds thickness to the tail, so that the width of the snake tapers slowly for a few inches below the cloaca; females become rapidly thinner just below the cloaca; this is easy to see on adults, not visible on youngsters. Other methods include rolling out the hemipenes and probing the area with a special tool, but these are best left to professionals. Adult females are also a good deal stouter and longer than males.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello sir, I just have a quick question regarding my young garter snake. Since I have had her, she has been eating small minnows that I have been putting in a small water dish and setting in her tank. Well lately, she doesn’t seem to want to eat them, and she wont eat any crickets as well. I am thinking that maybe it is just time for a change, and if so, what do you recommend I feed her, as I cant find anything she seems to want.
Hello Kyuki, Frank Indiviglio here.
Nice to hear from you again. Earthworms are always a great favorite – along with minnows they can comprise the bulk of the diet. However, if you are in the northern hemisphere, your snake may be reacting to the changing seasons. Often they slow down and cease feeding now, even if kept warm; reacting perhaps to an internal clock. It’s very individual…most garter snakes continue to feed if kept warm so keep trying. Please check this article: Autumn’s Effect on Reptile Appetites, and please be in touch if you need further info.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello sir, I just had a few more questions to ask about my green water snake,if you dont mind answering them. How much time do these snakes actually spend in the water? How often and how much should I be feeding a baby? Humidity was another question, ive read that they should be kept mostly dry but im not entirely sure(not a whole lot of info out there). thanks so much.
mike
Hello Michael, Frank Indiviglio here.
Nice to hear from you again. Time spent in water depends largely on temperature and the snake’s sense of security. I nature they inhabit weed-choked waterways, and hatchlings, which are on the menu of many predators, may be reluctant to open water or a water bowl. Floating plants may help. However, they will use it when needed, often at night.
The safest method is to provide plenty of places to dry off; a small incandescent bulb in 1 corner of the tank will usually be used as a basking site once the snake calms down. Except at shedding time, when they need to soak, they do not need to be in moist surroundings, as would a salamander, for example. In fact, if the snake spends all its time in the water and does not bask, a fungal “blister disease” will almost always take hold. Let me know if your snake does this, and we can talk about terrarium modifications.
You can feed youngsters and sub-adults every 3-4 days; their metabolism is higher than that of typical snakes. They will over-eat; start with 2 fishes, about the size of the snakes head, or a similar amount, for each meal as a starting point. You don’t want to see a bulge in the stomach after a meal (in contrast to rodent-eating species).
I look forward to more – nice to have a discussion on these; I hope to write an article on several species soon,
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Well He spends a good amount of time in the water, but it’s not constant. It’s usually through out the day. Like morning, late afternoon then night time. The temp is still about 80 F, and he has plenty of hide spots(including the newspaper, which is what i have him on for now). As far as eating, he’s eating just fine every 4 days about. The eating and humidity weren’t my prime concern as was the amount of time spent in the water I guess.Does is it sound like hes spending to much time in the water? I’m also going to start putting that 2.0 uv bulb on through out the day as well for good measure, if you dont think it would hurt.
thanks, mike.
Hello Mike, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for the feedback. Check to see that its skin is drying out during the time the snake is out of the water; time in water is not as important as the snake drying out at some point. If the snake remains damp, remove the bowl for a time each day.
A 2.0 bulb is a good idea…will aid drying without adding much heat; UV likely inhibits fungus on skin as well.
If you eventually move him to a larger tank (i.e. 20 long or so), you should be able to set up a heat gradient, with an incandescent bulb at 1 end. AS ambient temps drop, the snake should start basking.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Thank so much, I will continue to check and keep you posted.
thanks,mike.
Hello Mike,
My pleasure…I look forward to hearing more.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello air mike here, i had gotten a baby mangrove salt marsh snake a little while ago and its eating fine and displaying normal behavior. But today i noticed its skin had random little bumps that looked clear like or cream white and it literally came out of nowhere, i mean i noticed one i think a couple of days ago but today were bunch. I just moved and the condo’s a little cooler but not cold, shes still eating and all, so i don’t know if that’s a factor. and its spends a lot of time in the water, i mean a lot, and i remember you telling me if they spend to much time in the water and don’t dry off afterwards then their prone to blister disease. i’m pretty sure that’s what it may be, almost completely certain. They might not be that color, i may of inspected wrong, but its along those lines. what do i do?
thanks mike
Hello Mike, Frank Indiviglio here.
Nice to hear from you again; great species to work with. Sounds exactly like fungal “blister disease”. It usually clears up on its own once you limit access to water and provide a warm basking spot (start with 85-90 F or so). If the snake does not bask, try moving the light near its favored retreat, just watch for overheating (some refuse to leave shelters under any circumstances). A low-output UVB bulb (i.e. Zoo Med 2.0) might help, but is not essential.
You may need to remove bowl except for a few hours daily, or change the set-up. Eventually you can experiment until you find the right balance. They may stay in the water if that is the most secure place in the tank. Also, they likely spend most of their time there in the wild, and I’m sure that most do not bask much when small, but incidental sun exposure prevents skin problems. Doesn’t work out in captivity, however.
Please let me know if you need any further information, or send in details about the set-up. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
so should i try both, removing the water and providing a light? or one at a time? because i have her in a small Rubbermaid container about the size of a five gallon roughly( a tad longer and wider), so i dont really have a basking option for right now. Would putting it next to a tank with a basking bulb work? i have a timor with a 150w bulb and anything near it is in the high 80s and light steers off from it as well, hitting anything a half a foot in range( its a tall cage, anywhere at the bottom of the bask spot is around 90 or so). Or should i go ahead invest in one of those 2.0, i mean obviously i want whatever is more effective and safer. what do you think?
Hello Mike, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for the feedback; helpful in understanding the situation.
An incandescent light is most impt, but it’s the drying effect of the light more than the heat that will be helpful. For this I think you’ll need to move the snake to an aquarium, or a larger tub-type enclosure. Unlike colubrids, it seems that watersnakes usually do not fare so well in plastic containers, perhaps because they soak so long and do not have a chance to dry out thoroughly. If you can arrange the tub to have light fall on it, it may work, but my best advice would be another tank with a smaller bulb.
Another problem is the lack of a thermal gradient in a small enclosure – not critical for colubrids, but watersnakes will be more likely to remain submerged if too hot.
The 2.0 is not vital, just speculation where fungus/natricines are concerned.
Limiting water will \be useful for now, but light exposure most likely needed to dry out the fungus; best to move quickly, as opportunistic bacteria often colonize the afflicted areas, complicating treatment. If you have trouble setting up a new enclosure, or it will take time, best to swab the blisters with neosporin or polysporin, or a similar over-the-counter med. I’ve not used these, but have heard good reports; bacitracin another possibility. Be careful not to puncture the blisters.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
How long should i keep the light on? should i keep it on all day or turn it off periodically?
Hello Mike, Frank Indiviglio here.
A 12 hour daylight period is fine, assuming you do not overheat the animal. The snake should be able to move away from the basking area to an ambient temperature of 72-80F.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Thanks for all the helpful info. I really appreciate it. How does this usually take to clear up?
Hello Michael, Frank Indiviglio here.
My pleasure; recovery depends upon how far advanced the condition is, but assuming the snake is otherwise in good health, it should fid itself of the problem with the next shed.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Ok cool, yea i think shes fine overall. shes eating what and not and it seems to be slowly clearing up. should i leave the light on after all this is cleared up to avoid future problems?
Hello Michael, Frank Indiviglio here.
Good to hear; once the condition clears it would be best to set up an environment that allows for a warm basking area (85-90F) as well as access to cooler temps; This is most easily done in a sizable aquarium; in a small tank, you may need to close the basking light after it has been in use for a few hours, so as not to overheat the environment.
You’ll need to experiment with access to water; perhaps providing it only for short periods if the snake does not leave the water bowl regularly.
Please let me know how all progresses,
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello,
I’ll shortly receive a Nerodia clarkii compressicauda. I think provide a thermal gradient between 22 ° and 30 °, which is the climate of this subspecies (north of cuba, south florida),if I am not mistaken. Are these temperatures correct?
I also have a question on the N. clarkii compressicauda diet. As they evolve in Mangroves, is it necessary to feed them with brackishwater fish, or can we offer freshwater fish?
Thank you in advance for your advice,
S.
Hi Segolene,
Nice to hear of your interest…this species does not get much attention, for some reason.
Temperatures are fine, they usually bask as needed…will use a branch placed below the light.
Freshwater fish can be used for the diet…minnows, shiners. Avoid goldfish, or use sparingly, as a steady diet of these has been implicated in health problems with turtles – no good info on whether the same would hold for snakes. Black mollies, sold in pet stores, are brackish, and can be used to vary diet…bait store minnows in seaside regions can be used as well, if available, but a sole diet of small freshwater fish is fine. Please keep me posted, frank