Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all, I live in Houton, TX. Many years ago as a teenager captured a water snake from a ditch in front of my neighbors house at the time. It has bugged me forever that I never made a positive id of the snake. I don't have a pic but I will attemp to describe it. The Snake was brown not too dark maybe more of a dark tan color. it had a fairly thick body but a very small head in comparison. The thing that was most noticable were the eyes. The eyes were very red. Also there was no noticable pattern and the belly was yellow if I remember correctly. If anyone has any clue what this snake may have been I would greatly appreciate the info. By the way, I took the snake to the bayou to free it so it would not get run over by a neighborhood car.

Thanks,
Miller

I am from Houston too. I have only seen red eyes in one species around here (assuming the snake was not amelanistic, which it does not sound like it was) and that is the diamond back water snake. They are fairly variable, from brown to emerald green/blue. I have found some really odd looking ones. It definitely does not sound like a broad banded and the only other water snakes that are fairly common are yellowbellies and blotched, which often intergrade. Mississippi greens and salt marsh snakes do occur outside of Houston further south into Brazoria and Galveston counties. I have some pictures of the different species of water snake on my site below, the herps of houston identification key. You could always go to the library as well and sort of thumb through some guides to see if you can find a match.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: thekingofproduct
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

"A yellow ribbon instead of a swastika. Nothin' proper about ya propaganda. Fools follow rules when the set commands ya. Said it was blue when ya blood was red. That's how ya got a bullet blasted through ya head"- Rage Against the Machine

Andy, thanks for the info. I looked at all the pictures on your site and the links, still no luck. Maybe it was some undiscovered houston herp and it will eventually be named after me! I need to go find it! I am sure after more than 15 years it is still in the bayou where I released it!

Thanks again,
Miller

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Thanks for the post. Do you have any pics of that snake. I will also do a net search.

Thanks,
Miller
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Miller
0.1 Florida King

Nerodia erythrogaster. Subspecies from the area would the yellowbelly, N. e. flavigaster and the blotched, N. e. transversa.
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Andy Maddox
AIM: thekingofproduct
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

"A yellow ribbon instead of a swastika. Nothin' proper about ya propaganda. Fools follow rules when the set commands ya. Said it was blue when ya blood was red. That's how ya got a bullet blasted through ya head"- Rage Against the Machine

Actually, I looks exactly like the Glossy Crawfish snake. The only difference is I remember if having red eyes. Do you know if these snakes are known to have red eyes?

Thanks,
Miller
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Miller
0.1 Florida King
1.0 Chow Chow
0.2 Cats