Retail reptiles shed negative image in year of the snake

These Are The Snakes You'll Find In The Arkansas River

A Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin) ready to strike© KF2017/Shutterstock.Com

Arkansas is home to 39 species of snakes, and six of them are venomous. Thankfully, not all of these venomous snakes inhabit Arkansas' waterways. Of those 39 species, only about seven snakes are commonly seen in water, such as those found in the Arkansas River. Many of these are harmless, but some can be aggressive—here's what you should know about them before swimming.

Yellow-Bellied Water Snake

The yellow-bellied water snake, Nerodia erythrogaster, is a non-venomous snake found in Arkansas rivers. This species is challenging to identify due to its variable patterns, which change as it matures. Juvenile yellow-bellied water snakes have a checkered pattern with alternating dark brown and tan colors. Adult yellow-bellied water snakes are darker, usually appearing as a solid shade of dark brown, green, or gray, with a yellow underbelly. When fully grown, they can reach a length of up to 48 inches.

This snake isn't picky about its aquatic environment. It can be found during the daytime near lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and even drainage ditches. The only place they're not seen, according to Herps of Arkansas, is in north central Arkansas. Yellow-bellied water snakes also hang from trees or vines over water, so it's essential to keep an eye on low-hanging branches. While it's non-venomous, it will drop down into the water when spooked. They're primarily active during the summer and after high rainfall, drawn particularly to flooded areas.

Black Rat Snakes

Black rat snakes, Pantherophis obsoletus, are common in Arkansas. They camouflage exceptionally well thanks to their coloring. Mature snakes are black with a cream-colored underbelly, and can grow up to seven feet long. Due to their size, rat snakes are constantly searching for food and are also avid sunbathers. While it's sometimes debated, the black rat snake is one of the most common snake species found in Arkansas.

©John Callahan/iStock via Getty Images

While not exclusively drawn to water, black rat snakes follow the path of their next meal. This means rivers, streams, and lakes are potential hunting areas, especially anywhere prey might stop for a drink. They're also found around barns, chicken coops, and brush piles, since they hunt rodents. Black rat snakes are also known to coil up on high tree branches or in hollows, so exercise caution when hiking near waterways. As a species, they're relatively docile and are not prone to attacking humans.

Speckled Kingsnake

The speckled kingsnake, Lampropeltis holbrooki, is relatively easy to identify. As the name implies, this snake is black with pale yellow speckles throughout its upper body, with a yellow underbelly. As the snake matures, the speckles become more checkered. These snakes can grow up to 48 inches long once fully mature.

©Joe Farah/Shutterstock.Com

Speckled kingsnakes are both foragers and voracious predators. They're non-venomous and pose more of a threat to other snakes than to humans. They primarily consume rodents, but won't hesitate to eat another snake, including a venomous one. This species is not known for climbing, but it will scavenge bird nests that are within its reach. Due to its varied diet, it can be found along waterways and near lakes or streams. It's not likely to bite a human, but it displays an aggressive nature if it senses its next meal.

Midland Water Snake

The midland water snake, Nerodia sipedon pleuralis, is often confused with the venomous cottonmouth. Its banding closely resembles the dark brown and tan stripes of the venomous cottonmouth, making identification difficult. If you are close enough, you can identify this snake by its round eyes and white lower lip, which indicate it is non-venomous. As adults, these snakes can grow to a length of 49 inches.

This snake also shares similar habits with the cottonmouth. It can be found basking in the sun along rivers, lakes, and ponds, and is known to hang from trees. It can be found in practically any body of water, including deep puddles or man-made ponds. As a result, sightings of this snake are frequent but often unpredictable. Reflecting their aquatic nature, midland water snakes primarily hunt turtles, fish, frogs, and crayfish. It can remain submerged for extended periods, especially when hunting, often waiting under rocks or in crevices. While this snake is not naturally aggressive, it's not a bad idea to check rocky riverbeds before going for a swim.

Broad-Banded Water Snake

The broad-banded water snake, Nerodia fasciata confluens, is often mistaken for a venomous snake. Its striped pattern alternates between tan and black, with bright yellow and red bands on its underbelly. Its head is bright red, which is a definitive marking of the species. When fully mature, it can grow to 30 inches long.

©William Cushman/Shutterstock.Com

This misunderstood snake is often killed when it's mistaken for the cottonmouth. Though it's non-venomous, its defensive behavior mimics that of its venomous counterpart. The fact is that this snake is naturally defensive rather than offensive. It's more likely to flee and try to escape, only attacking if it's truly cornered. Because of this, you may not even realize there's a broad-banded water snake nearby. It prefers marshes and low-lying waterways with plenty of vegetation. This is where it can be found basking during the day, but it will occasionally enter the water and remain at the surface.

Diamondback Water Snake

The diamondback water snake, Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer, is yet another that's commonly mistaken for a venomous species. The most significant difference between the two is the eyes of the diamondback water snake. This species has distinctly round eyes with a red hue that stands out against its dark banding. Adults can grow up to 48 inches long.

©Laurie L. Snidow/Shutterstock.Com

You're unlikely to run into this snake in the Ozarks or Ouachita Mountains. It prefers low-lying marshes and swamps but can also be found along the Arkansas and White Rivers. Like many other water snake species, it can be seen hanging from low branches or vines. It is primarily active at night and can be elusive during the day, but it is not impossible to spot. However, this snake has a more aggressive temperament than others. Its first instinct is to flee, but it also won't hesitate to bite if it feels threatened.

Northern Cottonmouth

The northern cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus, is known by several names, including the water moccasin. As its name implies, this highly venomous species is no stranger to water. Coloring on the cottonmouth varies from snake to snake, making identification challenging. Adults can be black, brown, or dark green, with banding that isn't always easy to spot. According to Herps of Arkansas, dusty or dirty snakes can be even more difficult to identify. Unlike non-venomous snakes, the eyes of a cottonmouth are hard to see from above. If you can see its eyes, they'll be slitted and serpent-like, unlike the round eyes of a non-venomous species. Cottonmouths also have brightly-colored tails that are typically green or yellow.

©Danny Ye/Shutterstock.Com

Most cottonmouths are commonly found near water, and many are often seen swimming in it. This makes them a greater threat to humans, especially those swimming in still water. Cottonmouths prefer slow-moving water sources over fast-moving ones and can be found basking in vegetation along the water's edge. If they are not basking, cottonmouths can be found under rocks, coiled up in roots, or in the deep hollows of a river or lake. Cottonmouths can bite both above and underwater, and should be given a wide berth. As a defense, they'll often emit a foul odor to warn predators that they're nearby. They open their mouths as a second line of defense, which means they're close to striking. They are territorial but typically don't go after humans; however, they should be respected as a venomous species.

The post These Are the Snakes You'll Find in the Arkansas River appeared first on A-Z Animals.

Are Snakes More Active After Rain? Why Central Texas May Have More Sightings This Weekend

It's not just the rain. While it may seem like snakes suddenly appear during and after wet weather, the connection isn't as ssssimple as "rain equals more snakes."

In Central Texas, more sightings are possible this weekend following several rounds of severe storms, but rain itself isn't the main reason for that. May is already an active month for cold-blooded creatures, as many reptiles have emerged from winter brumation — a hibernation-like state — to begin mating.

But the recent rain could have some influence this weekend.

Remember, you're more likely to get bitten while attempting to kill a snake than if you simply leave it alone. In fact, you're five times as likely to die from a lightning strike as from a venomous snake bite — lightning strikes result in an average of 28 deaths annually, while venomous snake bites cause about five deaths, despite there being 7,000 to 8,000 bites each year.

What to do for a venomous snake bite: Texas is home to 4 venomous snake species

Are snakes more active in rain?

It's a common belief that snakes come out more after rain, but there's no clear-cut pattern — different species have varied habitats and prefer different conditions.

The Raleigh News & Observer explored this topic after a significant spring downpour a few years ago, focusing on copperheads and their post-rain behavior. They are one of four venomous species in Texas.

Jeff Beane, herpetology collection manager at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, told the Observer in 2022 that copperheads adjust their activity based on the weather. In hot conditions, they tend to be nocturnal, active at night; in cooler weather, they shift to being diurnal, active during the day. So if copperhead sightings spike, it may simply be because they're active when people are more likely to notice them.

Beane also noted that copperheads often emerge when temperatures rise following a stretch of cooler weather.

"A warm, sunny day after a long period of unseasonably cool, rainy weather might bring them out during the day because it could be their first chance to bask in the sun in a while," Beane said. "A relatively cool, sunny, or partly cloudy day is a good time to see a copperhead basking in an area exposed — or partially exposed — to the sun."

For other snake species, the answer is similarly nuanced.

Sightings may increase after rain, not because the weather directly draws them out, but because flooding forces them to leave their dens or shelters in search of higher, drier ground. Sometimes, this means ending up near — or even inside — homes.

At the same time, food sources like toads, frogs and other amphibians become more active in wet conditions, giving snakes more reason to move around.

The days immediately following a storm can also bring a spike in sightings because snakes are eager to bask in the sun after cooler, damp weather. Some may also be mid-shed — and lingering moisture on damp grass and leaves helps to soften old skin and make it easier to slough off — while the humid environment helps reptiles stay hydrated.

A closeup shot of a copperhead snake laying on dirt.

This reflects a broader trend in which reptiles exhibit increased activity during wet years compared to dry years.

According to the San Diego Zoo, during dry weather and drought, reptiles "often become inactive, staying deep underground where it is cool and moist."

This behavior not only helps snakes regulate their body temperature and maintain hydration, but it also coincides with many small mammals and other prey staying hidden underground during droughts, often causing their populations to decline. As a result, snakes remain underground to conserve both energy and water until conditions improve, since food is not guaranteed.

"In years of heavier rains, snakes are often more active than in dry years, staying closer to the surface where they can easily find food and mates while maintaining their water balance," the San Diego Zoo notes.

So, it's likely that snake sightings will increase over the next few days, especially in areas recently hit by heavy rain. But regardless of the storms, sightings tend to rise naturally at this time of year.

How many venomous snakes are in Texas?

Although there are more than 100 snake species and subspecies in Texas, there are only four groups of venomous snakes. If you can safely identify them, you have a better chance of avoiding bites.

Copperheads have light-colored bodies with reddish-brown circular bands. They tend to live in rocky areas and wooded bottomlands that have ample moisture. They grow to be about 2 feet long, and their bites don't normally kill humans because of their short fangs and minimal venom. There are three subspecies of copperheads in Texas, and their patterns vary.

The copperhead is the most common venomous snake found in the Cape Fear region and North Carolina as a whole. It is responsible for the vast majority of snake bites in the state.

Coral snakes have red, yellow and black rings around their bodies. They grow to about 2½ feet and live in woodlands and canyons. Their bites deliver one of the most lethal types of venom in North America. However, their behavior is typically more elusive, and unlike pit vipers, they will often retreat from any signs of danger rather than confront any potential threats.

Eastern Coral Snake, It's often confused with the similarly marked harmless king snake.

Cottonmouths, also known as water moccasins because they tend to live in swamps, lakes and rivers, are usually dark brown, olive green or black, with wide, dark bands along their bodies. They grow to about 3½ feet long. If threatened, cottonmouths will display white tissue inside their mouths, from which they get their name.

The cottonmouth is a venomous snake that's also known as a water moccasin.

Rattlesnakes come in various forms. The most common throughout the state is the western diamondback rattlesnake, which has a brown body with dark brown, diamond-shaped markings down the middle of its back and black and white alternating rings near its rattles. They grow to about 4 feet in length, but they can reach 7 feet.

Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are found in Mississippi and are the largest of rattlesnakes.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Are Texas snakes more active after storms? More sightings are possible

Scientists Find 34-million-year-old Snake That Changes Our Understanding Of Evolution

Finding a fossil snake usually means sorting through a jumble of tiny backbones. A lone vertebra here, a rib fragment there, and plenty of guesswork about the rest of the animal. That is why an almost complete snake skeleton excites paleontologists.

Last spring, field crews in western Wyoming uncovered not one but four snake fossils so intact that their skulls, ribs, and tails lay in near-perfect order.

The quartet comes from sediment laid down about 38 million years ago during the early Oligocene, a time when cooler climates were spreading across North America.

The snakes were preserved together in a thin layer of fine mudstone, hinting that they died within hours of one another.

Early lab work linked the fossils to two known genera, but subtler features soon pointed toward something new. Those hints would reshape a corner of the snake family tree.

Oligocene snake fossil quartet

Detailed comparisons showed that the Wyoming snakes differed in jaw shape, tooth arrangement, and vertebral keels from the species they first resembled, Ogmophis and Calamagras.

The differences were consistent across all four individuals, leading researchers to name a new species, Hibernophis breithaupti.

The animals were small burrowers, each only a few feet long, with the largest specimen twice the length of its companions. That size spread offers a rare side-by-side glimpse of juvenile and adult stages inside a single species.

Michael Caldwell of the Faculty of Science at the University of Alberta was struck by the condition of the fossils.

"There are probably, in the world's museum collections, nearly a million disarticulated snake vertebrae. They are easy to find. But finding the whole snake? That's rare," Caldwell enthused.

The four skeletons give researchers a continuous map of more than 200 vertebrae – living snakes of similar size can carry 200 to 400 – plus ribs and delicate skull bones, allowing them to see how each part changes from head to tail, something isolated bones can never show.

DNA shows family ties

The team combined the anatomical data with DNA sequences from living snakes to work out evolutionary relationships.

Their analysis placed Hibernophis close to today's boas, a diverse family that includes tree-climbers, sand-swimmers, and massive constrictors.

"We learn quite a bit more about Boidae evolution in the broad sense," Caldwell noted. "It seems that they probably started out as relatively small-bodied snakes, which is interesting."

The new genus sits outside the branches that hold modern boa species, suggesting that the boid family had already begun to split into multiple lineages by the early Oligocene.

Growth patterns offer another clue. The smallest Wyoming snake sports a skull barely half an inch long, while the largest shows thicker jaw bones and fused sutures.

That observation supports the idea that ancestral boas were modest in size before some lineages evolved into the giants seen today.

Because Hibernophis adds an articulated spine to the record, researchers can match particular vertebrae to specific life stages.

Hibernating in their winter shelter

The four snakes were curled together inside what appears to be a hibernaculum, a winter refuge shared by many individuals.

Caldwell noted that the arrangement "represents social behavior in snakes, which is something that we don't often see," and added, "This is really unusual for reptiles. Of the almost 15,000 different kinds of reptile species alive today, none of them hibernate in the way that garter snakes do."

The fossil cluster shows that garter-like tactics already existed millions of years ago.

"They can't regulate their body temperature, so they need to conserve as much heat as possible during winter by forming large masses," Caldwell explained.

Modern garter snakes sometimes gather in groups hundreds strong. Opportunistic rattlesnakes have also been seen slipping into the throng for borrowed warmth.

The Wyoming discovery hints that communal sheltering arose early and may have been widespread among ancient snakes.

Ash clouds make good snake fossils

The bodies owe their pristine condition to nearby volcanoes that were belching out clouds of ash while the snakes sheltered underground.

The fine particles settled across the floodplain, sealing burrows in an airtight blanket that slowed decay. "They were preserved in a very unusual circumstance, geologically speaking," Caldwell said.

Layers of ash alternated with pulses of mud washed in by seasonal rains, locking the skeletons into what geologists call the White River Formation, a fossil-rich unit that spans several Great Plains states.

A small flood soon plugged the burrow with silt, keeping the snakes undisturbed until prospectors split the rock. "Fossilization is a rough process requiring precisely the right conditions for preservation."

With every bone still in place, the quartet shows how vertebrae shift along the spine – a reference that could lead museums to reconsider labels on their loose bones.

The full study was published in the journal Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

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