Diamondback Water Snake Control (Nerodia rhombifer)

Many water snakes are actually harmless, despite the fears raised by the cottonmouth or water moccasin. Diamondback water snakes are harmless to humans and nonvenomous water snakes. And while you probably don’t want to go around chasing them down and picking them up, they are a valuable part of the ecosystem. If you suspect that you have these snakes on your property, here’s how to identify them and how to deal with their presence. You can find a water snake control & removal professional here!

Diamondback Water Snake Identification and Behavior

The diamondback water snake is heavy-bodied, reaching about 4 feet long at maturity. It is grey or grey-green, with vaguely diamond-shaped, dark-edged markings down the back and vertical crossbars on their sides. The belly is a plain yellow, and their pupils are round.
Its range extends from southern Illinois and Indiana, south along the Mississippi River drainage to Mississippi and Alabama, west to Texas and Mexico, and then north through Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. In these states, it’s most frequently found basking on logs and in brush along the water’s edge.
Diamondback water snakes feed upon frogs and fish. In turn, its predators (animals that prey upon the snake) include egrets, herons and crabs.

Distinguishing Diamondback Water Snakes from Cottonmouths/Water Moccasins

The easiest way to distinguish nonvenomous water snakes (Nerodia spp.) from cottonmouths or water moccasins is by their behavior when approached. Water snakes almost always flee quickly into the water when threatened, while cottonmouths often will stand their ground and perform their threat display, which includes vibrating its tail and throwing its head back with its mouth opened to show the startling white interior, hissing and pulling the upper body into an S-shape. Other threat display behaviors include flattening its body, and emitting a foul-smelling substance from the base of its tail. Water snakes are not always wallflowers, however. When picked up, they readily and repeatedly bite, and while they’re nonvenomous, they have a lot of teeth and their bites can be painful.
Another way to distinguish harmless water snakes from cottonmouths is by looking at their eyes; water snakes have round pupils, while cottonmouths have vertical, cat-like pupils. When swimming or crawling, another distinguishing characteristic is that cottonmouths will hold their heads up high, at an angle of about 45 degrees, while watersnakes will keep their heads more or less level with the water or ground.
Diamondback water snakes lack the characteristic wide, dark "raccoon mask" facial stripe sported by cottonmouths. This stripe is visible from a distance, so you can correctly identify the snake before getting too close.
Here’s an excerpt from an excellent guide published by the Georgia DNR:
· Water moccasins, or "cottonmouths," are relatively short and wide. Water snakes are longer and more slender.
· Water moccasins bask on land, or on logs and stumps near water surface; water snakes are good climbers and spend a lot of time basking on branches hanging over water.
· Water moccasins move slowly and defend their territory while water snakes move quickly away from disturbances.
· When swimming, cottonmouths keep their heads elevated above the water and bodies riding nearly on the water surface. Water snakes keep their head and body low and below the water surface.
· Cottonmouths always cock their heads at a 45 degree angle on land. Water snakes keep their heads level with the ground.

Water Snake Habitat Modification and Exclusion

Repellents, whether ultrasonic, scent-based or flavor-based, are universally ineffective. Inexpertly placed glue traps can catch and injure non-target animals, leaving you to deal with the problem of freeing those animals without getting injured yourself.
More effective are habitat modification techniques. For water snakes, this may include cutting long grass by the water banks, and cutting back branches overhanging water. However, these measures may degrade water quality in the long term, reducing or eliminating populations of desired animals such as fish, frogs, birds, and turtles.
If you water your lawn regularly, this may attract frogs and toads – and diamondback water snakes that are traveling overland, seeking out new water sources and prey. Watering less frequently will help to break this cycle.
To keep water snakes out of your home or building, here are some effective measures to take:
· Check clearances under doors; seal any gaps with weatherstripping.
If you need to reduce water snake populations on your property, it is best to call in an experienced professional in water snake trapping and removal. They can remove water snakes quickly and efficiently, leaving you to enjoy the outdoors in peace.

Nuisance Animals