Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I found this one in the Everglades National Park last week on a warm wet night. I'm at a loss here. My first guess was Mole King but it doesn't appear that they extend down that far south.

The colors look like a Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon), but the local would suggest possibly a Brown Watersnake (Nerodia taxispilota). Just my best guess with some pics I have seen of both.
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Jenea

1:0 Eastern Hognose
0:0:1 Florida Redbelly Snake
0:1 Gulf Coast Box Turtle
1:1 Red-eared Slider
2:0 Cats
1:1 Kids
1:0 Spouse

That is a Brown Watersnake (N. taxispilota). One of my favorite Nerodia species.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

I can't find any pics that match the coloring well at all though. Is this one just unusally bright? Heck the saddles actually had reddish undertones.

>>I can't find any pics that match the coloring well at all though. Is this one just unusally bright? Heck the saddles actually had reddish undertones.

once in a while you do find brightly colored individuals. I found a real pretty northern water once that was bright enough and pale enough in ground color and red enough in saddles that it could have been mistaken for an eastern milksnake.
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PHWyvern

That is a little more reddish brown than average, but not particularly unusual. The snake is also wet which brings out its colors more. Many of the photos you see of taxispilota, the snakes are dry and the colors don't show through.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Being a South Florida boy myself I have seen tons of Browns. Never have I seen one down here that carried so much red/orange. You have something very unusual IMO. I have caught Penninsula Water Snakes that red, but again, never a Brown.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."