Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It appears that I have a breeding population of these Hypomelanistic Broad Banded Water Snakes on my ranch in Texas. I caught and released a specimen 3 years ago larger than this one pictured. I caught this one yesterday. He immediately gorged down some minnows from the creek where I caught him. The habitat is sandy rock creek that is close to the color of this snake. Also the southern copperhead is prevalent and the color similarity in the field is amazing. The most preponderant snake is the water moccasin and Texas rat snake. I have seen regular patterned broad bands in various ponds my cousin has. I also just built a pond of my own one year ago and it is already populated by water snakes of which species I have not yet determined. I have never bred snakes but I am going to investigate breeding this one.

It seems that Hypomelanistic Nerodia fasciata sp. in the wild seems to be a trait that isn't necessarily rare, but not common either. I have found some areas with rather high concentrations of hypomelanistic Nerodia fasciata fasciata, but never an area with a "complete" population. The highest I have ever found averaged out to 2 hypomelanistic for 1 standard. There is an area in Northwest Florida that I go to that seems to have the same trait in the population with the highest "pure hypomelanisitic" population centered around a lake, becoming rare the further from the lake that I go. I'll have to get a picture next time I see one there.

In any case, I REALLY love the way hypomelanistic broad-banded water snakes look. You are quite lucky to have a population on land owned by you so people don't go and catch them all. Nice find!

Thanks for that information. I believe I am going to try breeding this one with a to be purchased regular Florida Nerodia Fasciata .

IF you live in Texas and are breeding the Texas broad banded water....breed it to a Texas broad banded water from the same place....even a dark one if you wish...(I would breed 2 hypos...well...3...)...

......locality stock....keep it that way....

please....

it is sweet looking....
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........JY

I will do that if I can find one... water snakes are the toughest to catch.. unless you are a skindiver !

This Pink Lady/Boy(don't know yet) just ate Canned Mackerel- Honey Boy brand !
Now that is a convenient, cheap, abundant, accessible feed.

think whole food items for long term...

canned fish is ok....but if you can afford them and find them....rat pinks and mice work well...and you need to feed less...and the waste smells ..well...it still stinks I guess....

....water snakes get more friendly really quickly I found once...I took 5 home...2 4 footers and 3 2 1/2 plus ones....(saw 18 got 5 , they were in walls and under boulders so can't get them all)...
anyways...bite like all that...in like 3 days...fine ....not crazy...
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........JY

Wow! That is spectacular!! I've been looking for a hypo and have some interesting offers for a trade deal!Let me know if you're interested! Thanks! Jeff