These ambush predators will feed on a wide variety of prey, but the vast majority of their diet consists of small fish and frogs. The eastern subspecies is found to the north of the Florida subspecies, from Georgia to North Carolina. The western subspecies is located in the westernmost section of their range, from Alabama to Texas, and as far north as Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois. The Florida subspecies is found in Florida, southern Georgia, and a number of different islands. Within their range the species is broken up into three separate subspecies the Florida, western, and eastern cottonmouths. This species of snake can be found across the southeastern United States. Most of the time they remain in freshwater, but they are occasionally found in brackish, or saltwater environments. They are commonly found in marshes, lakes, swamps, streams, creeks, and ponds.įor the most part they prefer aquatic habitats with slow-moving water and plenty of aquatic vegetation to attract prey and provide hiding places. This species of snake is semi-aquatic, and thus attracted to areas with sources of water. These snakes search for prey, like frogs and small fish, among the dense vegetation in lakes, ponds, wetlands, and rivers. Both species are semi-aquatic, and spend much of their time hunting in the water. Swimming Snake – Another reason water snakes are commonly mistaken for cottonmouths is because they reside in similar habitats.Killing venomous snakes is incredibly dangerous and should be avoided at all costs, many venomous snake bites occur because the person was attempting to kill the snake. Unfortunately, this similarity results in the death of many harmless snakes. Misidentification – These snakes are similar in appearance to a few species of water snakes.They wiggle their tail about, giving it a worm-like appearance that attracts small prey. The tips of their tails are yellow in color, which helps lure prey closer to the snake. Lure – Young cottonmouths have a little extra help in their waiting game.When a small mammal, fish, or bird wanders too close, the snake strikes and lets it’s venom do the work for it. They lie in wait, both during the day and at night, and watch for likely prey to pass nearby. Wait and See – This species of snake is an ambush predator.They are not outright aggressive and seeking to bite humans and would rather flee than bite, despite a reputation for aggression. Interesting Facts About the CottonmouthĬottonmouths are venomous, and they can be quite dangerous if you disturb or threaten them, but they should not be vilified. Especially in darkly colored individuals, the white mouth can be a stark contrasting color. Sub adults and hatchlings are lighter in color, with more dramatically visible banding and patterns. Like many other venomous snake species, they have very broad, triangular heads.Īdults are mostly or totally black, with brown, grey, or tan patches. in length, their average size is closer to approximately 3 ft. Cottonmouths are relatively large snakes.
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