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Danger Noodle Or Friend Noodle? A Guide To Austin-area Snakes.

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Shy and delicate.

Two words you might not associate with snakes. But that's exactly how Gary Geiler, a lifelong snake enthusiast who is also known as u/serpentarian on Reddit, describes them.

Geiler has spent most of his life studying snakes, searching for them in the wild, and educating Austinites on how to react if they encounter one.

There's a good chance you will see a snake this summer. Wetter conditions brought on by the El Niño climate pattern that occurred this spring may lead to snakes being more active, Geiler said.

Tabitha Blewett, a reptile expert of 25 years, agrees. Blewett owns and operates Austin Reptile Service, where she teaches reptile safety classes and responds to calls for reptile rescue.

"It's a pretty common time of year to see an uptick in snake sightings," Blewett said.

Snake breeding season starts in April and lasts through October, or until it starts getting cold outside.

You'll have your best luck (or worst, depending on your personality) at seeing a snake at dawn or dusk. During the day when summer temperatures reach near 100 degrees or higher, snakes are nestled in trees, buried underground or finding shade.

If you do see a snake in Central Texas, Blewett has good news.

"Out of all the calls and emails and texts I get asking for snake identification, it's very uncommon that I actually get pictures of venomous species," she said.

But then there's the not-so-good news. Snake identification isn't as simple as you might've learned in middle school. Blewett advises against using the head or eye shape to single out a species or following any of the common nursery rhymes.

"Most of that stuff is not really applicable to any of our species," she said.

Instead, you have to do it the hard way and familiarize yourself with the region's breeds. There are nine most commonly seen in Central Texas. Let's go over them.

First, the non-venomous types.

Texas rat snake 

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Texas rat snakes are typically 4 feet long and have black skin that is sometimes dotted with yellow or orange.

By far the most common type of snake found in Central Texas is the Texas rat snake. They're also called the chicken snake because they love to eat eggs and are often found stealing from a chicken coop or bird's nest. They are great climbers and can scale buildings and trees.

Texas rat snakes are typically 4 feet long and have black skin that is sometimes dotted with yellow or orange.

Plain-bellied water snake 

Adam Dawson

Plain-bellied water snakes are about 3 feet long, and can be brown with faint stripes across its body or a solid color gray-ish green.

These snakes are about 3 feet long and can be brown with faint stripes across their bodies or a solid color gray-ish green. They are in every single water system in Travis County, Geiler said, and are often confused as a cottonmouth.

As for cottonmouths, Blewett said they aren't common in the Austin area.

"I've never seen one here in Travis County, but I get a lot of calls from people who think that they have seen one, and it has always been a water snake," she said. "They have never been recorded in Williamson County."

Checkered garter snake

Tabitha Blewett

Checkered garter snakes have brown skin with two long stripes that run from head to tail and a black checkered pattern on its back.

Garter snakes are small, ranging from around 12-18 inches long. They have brown skin with two long stripes that run from head to tail and a black checkered pattern on its back. Garter snakes like to eat fish and amphibians, so they are often found near ponds, streams and gardens.

Rough earth snake 

Tabitha Blewett

Rough earth snakes are small, brownish-gray snakes that range from 6 to 10 inches long.

These are small, brownish-gray snakes that range from 6-10 inches. They like to hang out in people's lawns and eat insects and worms.

Texas blind snake 

Jared Gorrell

Texas blind snakes don't really look like snakes. You might confuse them for a big, silvery-pink worm.

Texas blind snakes don't really look like snakes. You might confuse them for a big, silvery-pink worm. They spend most of their time underground, feeding on termites. Owls often pick them up, take them back to their nests, and use them to get rid of parasites that live on baby owls.

Western coachwhip 

Adam Dawson

Western coachwhips are long, thin, tan in color and have "gigantic judgy eyeballs," Austin Reptile Service owner Tabitha Blewett said.

Coachwhips are long, thin, tan in color and have "gigantic judgy eyeballs," Blewett said. They are built for speed, often found slithering through tall grass. They are called coachwhips because their tail resembles the braided whip used by stagecoaches.

Now, the venomous breeds. (Or the "danger noodles")

Coral snake 

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Coral snakes are about 2 feet long and have red, yellow and black bands.

These snakes are about 2 feet long and have red, yellow and black bands. They are often found in gardens as they like to feed on lizards and smaller snakes, such as garters, that hang out in gardens. Blewett said if you think you've encountered a coral snake, you probably have, as there aren't many similar-looking breeds in Central Texas.

Geiler said coral snakes are more common than you might wish they were, but they typically aren't dangerous. While they are venomous, their small heads and short fangs usually keep them from inflicting serious wounds on people.

Western diamondback rattlesnake

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

The western diamondback rattlesnake ranges from 3 to 4 feet long and have light brown skin with a dark brown and white diamond pattern on their backs.

The western diamondback ranges from 3 to 4 feet long. They have light brown skin with a dark brown and white diamond pattern on their backs. And, of course, there's a rattle at the end of their tails.

Like most snakes, the western diamondback doesn't like being around humans.

"When I see a rattlesnake, I see a very scared thing that's saying 'please don't step on me, please don't step on me,'" Geiler said.

But they can end up in your backyard in search of rodents and birds. Blewett and Geiler both recommend getting rid of any piles of wood or rocks and mowing tall grass that rodents like to live in to keep rattlesnakes away.

Broad-banded copperhead

Gary Geiler

Broad-banded copperheads range from 2 to 3 feet long and have light tan and orange bands.

Broad-banded copperheads range from 2 to 3 feet long and have light tan and orange bands. Blewett says they aren't common in Travis County, but it's not unheard of to see them.

If you do encounter a snake, Geiler and Blewett offer similar advice.

If you come across a confirmed nonvenomous snake on your property, the best thing to do is just leave it be.

If you think it may be venomous, stay calm. Snakes are only dangerous if you go near them, and most snake bites occur because a person is trying to kill it.

Either leave them be or call someone like Blewett or Austin Wildlife Control, and they will remove it for you.

NYC Driver Crashes U-Haul After Finding Live Snake Under Seat: 'I Hate Snakes. I Freaked Out'

He had a ssscary ssstowaway.

A New Yorker crashed a rented U-Haul van he was using to transport a sofa when he discovered a live snake under his seat as he drove across Manhattan Saturday afternoon.

Jared, who only wanted to use his last name, was driving through Soho back to his apartment in downtown Brooklyn with his roommate after they picked up a sofa they found on Facebook Marketplace in New Jersey.

The 25-year-old trader was driving the van at the intersection of Canal Street and Broadway when he looked down and noticed what he thought was a "big" "toy" snake at his roommate's feet.

Officers hold the snake found in the rented U-Haul van. William Farrington

"Maybe someone left their toy snake in the car? So I reached down to pick it up, like what's this?" Jared told The Post.

Jared realized the slithering snake — white with yellow stripes and about 3 and a half feet long — was actually a live reptile.

"It was warm and heavy. Then it turned its head and looked at me," Jared said.

Jared and his roommate freaked out and started yelling, "Oh, f–k," he said.

Jared, right, and his roommate Will pose after finding a snake in their rented van. Jared called the incident a "crazy misfortune." William Farrington

"There wasn't a lot of coherent thought at this point. I hate snakes. I freaked out. I took my foot off the brake and crashed into the car in front of us," Jared said. 

After he crashed the U-Haul into the car in front of them, the two roommates still had to deal with the live snake in the truck. 

"I put the car in park, and we had our feet up on the seat. At first, I thought to chuck it out of the window, to get it out of the car, but then I realized we were in Manhattan, there is nowhere for me to really put it. There are pedestrians everywhere," he recalled.

Officers search for the "big" snake in the van. William Farrington A crowd gathered on the sidewalk as multiple officers worked to remove the reptile. William Farrington

Two responding female officers "didn't want anything to do with" the snake, Jared said.

Animal control officers eventually arrived and searched the van for the snake before hauling it off in a big, white bag, he said. 

The snake was found slithering behind the passenger seat of the van. William Farrington

Jared doesn't think the snake came from the sofa they bought.

"We took the couch apart to put it in the truck, so I know there was no snake in the couch," he said. 

A Post reporter contacted the U-Haul location in the Bronx where Jared rented the truck. A man who refused to give his name answered the phone, but confirmed he reported his harrowing find.

"U-Hauls are used for many things. I would have no clue how the snake got there. Obviously, I'm surprised," the worker told The Post. 

Jared is just grateful no one was seriously injured. 

"Holy s–t, what a crazy misfortune. I am so sorry to the girls for hitting their car. I am grateful no one was hurt. It could have been a lot worse."

20 Of The World's Most Venomous Snakes

An estimated 5.4 million people are bitten by venomous snakes each year, leading to between 81,000 and 138,000 deaths and many more amputations, according to the World Health Organization.

Snakes with very potent venom aren't always the most dangerous to people, however. Most just want to be left alone and won't seek out encounters with humans.

From the colorful but deadly blue Malayan coral to the sometimes indistinguishable cottonmouth, here are 20 of the world's most venomous snakes. 

Inland Taipan Ken Griffiths/ Getty Images Considered the world's most venomous snake, Australia's rare and reclusive inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) mounts rigorous self-defense when provoked, striking with one or more bites. What makes the inland taipan particularly deadly isn't just its high toxicity, but an enzyme that helps accelerate the venom's absorption into the victim's body. Luckily, the inland taipan is rarely encountered by people and not particularly aggressive—except, of course, toward its prey, which consists primarily of small and medium-sized mammals, especially the long-haired rat.  Black Mamba Pieter Bester/ Getty Images The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) inhabits vast areas of savannah, hill country, and forests in southern and eastern Sub-Saharan Africa. Its name comes not from its color, which is brownish or grayish-green, but from the black interior of its mouth. The snake is not confrontational, but will aggressively defend itself when threatened by raising its head, opening its mouth, and issuing a warning hiss before striking repeatedly in rapid succession. It's fast, traveling at speeds up to 12 miles per hour and climbing trees with ease. Encounters with humans can frequently occur when the snake takes refuge in populated areas, and the black mamba's venom is extremely dangerous. Boomslang Rainer von Brandis/ Getty Images The reclusive boomslang (Dispholidus typus) is native to central and southern Africa and generally blends with the browns and greens of trees and shrubs. It hunts by reaching its body outward from a tree, disguising itself as a branch until it's ready to strike. The boomslang's rear fangs give it the appearance of "chewing" its victims when it strikes; they then fold back into its mouth when not in use. Blue Malayan Coral Snake Seshadri.K.S/ Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY-SA 4.0 The blue Malayan coral snake (Calliophis bivirgatus) has a pair of dazzling light blue stripes running the length of its blue-black body and a red-orange head and tail. Just don't get too close—its venom gland extends through one-quarter of its body and produces a neurotoxin that triggers a paralysis in which the victim's muscles tighten in uncontrollable spasms. This snake hides in leaf litter in lowland forests of Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and western Indonesia, preying on other snakes as well as lizards, birds, and frogs. Its powerful venom makes it one of Southeast Asia's most dangerous snakes, although it is not aggressive and human fatalities are rare. Saw-Scaled Viper Lensalot/ Getty Images With subspecies present across northern Africa, the Middle East, Afghanistan, most of Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, the aggressive saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) typically hunts at night, preferring lizards and toads and sometimes baby birds. Its defensive posture is a looping figure-eight, and it strikes with great power and speed. While it is rarely lethal to humans, it is one of the world's most dangerous snakes because it produces a highly toxic venom, is often found in cultivated areas, and has an extremely aggressive temperament. Russell's Viper Meet Poddar/ Getty Images In India, the Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) is the species responsible for the majority of deadly snake bites—tens of thousands each year. It's one of the most deadly vipers in the world, with the majority of its victims dying from kidney failure. These nocturnal rodent-eaters bask in the sun during the day but often hide in rice paddies and croplands, posing a danger to farmers. The snakes can be yellow, tan, white, or brown, with dark brown ovals outlined in black and cream-colored rings. They move fast when threatened, coiling into an S-shape and emitting a loud hiss before striking.  Banded Krait tontantravel/ Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY-SA 2.0 The banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) is a relative of the cobra that inhabits South and Southeast Asia and southern China. It has a distinctive raised ridge and alternating bands of black and white or creamy yellow. Most active at night, the banded krait feeds on other snakes and their eggs, and may also eat fish, frogs, and skinks. Its venom causes muscular paralysis, and the big danger occurs when this paralysis affects the diaphragm, interfering with breathing. Fer-de-Lance Mark Kostich/ Getty Images In Spanish, the fer-de-lance (Bothrops asper) is known as barba amarilla, or yellow chin. Otherwise, this gray-brown viper with diamond patterns is referred to by its French name, which means spearhead. Found in lowland tropical forests and farmlands of Central and South America, its venom causes severe swelling and tissue necrosis, making it one of the most deadly snakes in the region if the victim doesn't receive swift medical treatment. It feeds on lizards, opossums, and frogs, as well as crop pests like rats and rabbits, making it beneficial to farmers.  Olive Sea Snake S.Rohrlach/ Getty Images Named for its greenish hue, the olive sea snake (Aipysurus laevis) lives along the northern coast of Australia, along with New Guinea and nearby islands. It inhabits shallow coral reefs, hunting fish, prawns, and crabs. Though surfacing every 30 minutes to two hours to breathe, this sea snake spends its entire life in water, hunting at night. The greatest risk to humans comes when fishermen inadvertently catch them in their nets, prompting an aggressive response. But underwater, these sea snakes approach divers with curiosity. A recent study concluded that the snakes sometimes mistake divers for sexual partners and coil around them in a misguided courtship ritual. The diver is then left with the challenging task of remaining calm so as not to provoke the snake into delivering its potent neurotoxic venom. Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin) Trevor Baker / Getty Images The cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) gets its name from the white interior of its mouth, which it opens wide when threatened. Also known as a water moccasin, it's a semi-aquatic pit viper found in the southeastern U.S. It preys on turtles, fish, and small mammals. While its venom is powerful, the cottonmouth isn't especially aggressive. However, it will strike humans in self-defense. Identifying cottonmouths can be tricky as their pattern of lighter and darker body bands often resemble that of harmless water snakes. Eastern Coral Snake JasonOndreicka/ Getty Images The eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) is the most venomous coral snake in the United States, though it might not seem so at first because its bite doesn't cause much pain or swelling. However, the venom contains a powerful neurotoxin that affects a person's speech and vision. Luckily most bites to humans aren't fatal. They are shy, burrowing creatures that inhabit woodlands and marshy wetlands, feeding on lizards, frogs, and other small snakes.  Common Death Adder Ken Griffiths/ Getty Images The death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) inhabits a variety of ecosystems across large swathes of Australia, including rainforests, woodlands, and grasslands. It hides out under loose sand, leaves, or low shrubs, lying in wait to ambush prey. The death adder lures prey by coiling, bringing the tip of its tail near the head, and wriggling it like a worm to attract frogs, lizards, birds, and small mammals. It has a grey to reddish-brown body with darker crossbands, and long fangs. Encounters with humans are rare, but as its name suggests, its bite can be fatal if not treated promptly. South American Bushmaster Ivan Kuzmin/ Getty Images The bushmaster (Lachesis Muta) inhabits northwestern South American forests, including parts of Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, and is the largest venomous snake in the western hemisphere. The patient pit viper is known to stake out prey for days or even weeks at a time, but upon finding its intended target, the snake strikes quickly, releasing a large amount of venom in just one bite.  Eastern Brown Snake Matt from Melbourne, Australia/ Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY 2.0 The eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) is a member of the elapid snake family, with fangs at the front of its jaw. It comes in various shades of brown with a creamy, spotted underside and is found in eastern Australia and southern Papua New Guinea. Its defensive posture is to rear up into an S-shape. After a strike, it coils around its victim. Its venom is a potent neurotoxin that leads to hemorrhaging, paralysis, respiratory failure, and cardiac arrest. Generally reclusive, it hunts by day and burrows at night.  King Cobra Cavan Images/ Getty Images The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the largest venomous snake in the world, found in northern India, southern China, the Malay peninsula, Indonesia, and the Philippines. This aggressive snake has frighteningly long fixed fangs that release a neurotoxin to paralyze prey and inhibit breathing. The king cobra inhabits areas alongside forest streams and mangroves, along with agricultural areas and trees. Its preferred diet is other snakes and sometimes rodents. Its low hiss and moans can sound like a dog growl, but despite having a formidable reputation, it mostly avoids people unless threatened.  Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake MarkNH/ Getty Images The eastern diamondback (Crotalus adamanteus) is one of 32 species of rattlesnake, and the most venomous in North America. It inhabits coastal lowlands of the Carolinas to the Florida Keys, and west to Louisiana. The snake lies in wait to ambush rabbits, birds, squirrels, and small rodents, providing an important ecosystem service by controlling rodent populations. When threatened, it coils and rattles its tail in warning. It can strike up to two-thirds of its body length, injecting a hemotoxin that kills red blood cells and damages tissue. Copperhead kristianbell/ Getty Images The copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) is a large pit viper found in the eastern and southern United States. Its five subspecies have varied habitats ranging from forests to wetlands, but it also lives in areas of denser human habitation, including suburban developments, which elevates people's risk of being bit though copperhead bites are rarely fatal to humans. The copperhead climbs bushes or trees to stalk rodents, small birds, lizards, and frogs. It can also swim. Copperheads hibernate during winter but emerge on warmer days to bask in the sun. Beaked Sea Snake ePhotocorp/ Getty Images The aggressive beaked sea snake (Hydrophis Schistosus), so named for its beak-like nose, releases venom several times as powerful as a cobra and is responsible for the majority of sea snake bites, though it rarely attacks humans. It dives up to 100 meters in coastal waters as well as mangroves, estuaries, and rivers to hunt catfish and shrimp using its sense of smell and touch. While it's known to be aggressive, this sea snake doesn't often attack humans. It is found mainly in the coastal waters of South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Madagascar. Stiletto Snake Willem Van Zyl/ Getty Images The little stiletto snake (Atractaspis bibronii) is a burrowing dark brown snake with a white underbelly that ranges across grasslands and forests of southern and eastern Africa. It has very long fangs on the side of its head to stab its prey sideways, dagger-like. This serves the snake well since its prey includes small mammals and lizards that inhabit old termite mounds. Mainland Tiger Snake kristianbell/ Getty Images The tiger snake (Notechis scutatus), named for its tiger-like stripes, inhabits creeks, rivers, and wetlands across southern Australia and nearby islands. It preys on fish, frogs and tadpoles, lizards, birds, and small mammals and will also consume carrion. This ground-dwelling snake is also a great climber. Although it prefers to escape rather than fight, the tiger snake's defensive maneuvers are impressive: It rises up, hisses loudly, and inflates and deflates its body in warning. If it feels further threatened it will strike, releasing a dangerous neurotoxin. Why This Matters to Treehugger

Understanding the biology and behaviors of our fellow creatures is key to protecting biodiversity and habitat conservation. We hope that the more we learn about these amazing snakes, the more motivated we'll all be to help protect them and the habitats they call home.

Frequently Asked Questions The inland taipan is considered to be the world's most venomous snake, producing an enzyme that accelerates venom absorption after striking a victim.

The bites of a blue Mayalan coral snake, banded krait, king cobra, and eastern brown snake—to name only a few—can cause paralysis in victims.

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