Water Snake in the clinic

So last month I got a call saying there was a copperhead in the clinic here in Millington. As a Preventive Medicine Technician, pest contol sometimes falls in my line of work in the navy. Anyway, I responded to the call and found this snake in a cardboard box. He was about 12" long and I knew right away what it was being I see them all the time on the water. Im pretty sure Ive identified it as a Midland Water Snake. Ive always just called them a water snake tho, never knew there were so many kinds.

Anyway, the day I found him/her it was a very cold out. With lows around 15 degrees, I knew the little guy would freeze if I turned him loose. So I took it upon myself to care for this snake until spring. Having never owned a snake, I googled it and apparently i learned enough to keep him alive. As a youngster these snakes live on a diet of worms, tadpoles, and minnows. Well the worms didnt work out, but as it turns out, he has a taste for goldfish and minnows. Im not really sure how much to feed him though.

I have him in a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen top and a reptile light($12 for the bulb-wtf?), and a pond for snakes and turtles that he now hunts goldfish in, and I made a makeshift cave out of an old piece of cement block in my yard. A couple of sticks and leaves later and the guy seems pretty happy. Oh yeah and I made the base of his home with a mixture of potting soil and sand.

Been feeding him about 3-5 minnows/goldfish a week. Hes about 15" long now i think. Im no Herpatologist or whatever you call them snake dudes, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Hes been with me for a month now, and it seems to be going well. I know hes growing a little bit.

The pics are in reverse order, sorry. I tried to get a pic of him eating goldfish but it dint turn out so well. He only eats when its dark, so to get a picture of him eating, I gotta turn the lights on, which make him spit out his meal. So I just leave him alone.

I think fender is the forum snake man, if memory serves.

Nice new pet you have there, I would agree on the Midland Water Snake identification. Keep him happy until spring and then turn it loose at Glenn Springs. I had a 4 1/2 foot diamondback water snake charge my boat there last spring, kind of suprised me, would've been some kind of dance if it made it on to the boat! On another note, I was the optician at the Millington BMC back in 2001 - 2002. The PMT offices were right next to optometry back then.

Fender66 Where are you?

Ictalurus said:

Nice new pet you have there, I would agree on the Midland Water Snake identification. Keep him happy until spring and then turn it loose at Glenn Springs. I had a 4 1/2 foot diamondback water snake charge my boat there last spring, kind of suprised me, would've been some kind of dance if it made it on to the boat! On another note, I was the optician at the Millington BMC back in 2001 - 2002. The PMT offices were right next to optometry back then.

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We need to get out to glenn springs sometime. Or another lake that you might know of around here. Ive only fished glenn springs since Ive been here.

Glenn Springs sounds good, I've heard you talk about some decent size bass you've caught up there, my luck there has not been as good, so I'd like to see how it's done. There are also several other TWRA lakes around that are alright. If you get a MS tag, there are some decent size lakes that are not too far away, although I've not fished those yet.

That is a cool snake. I am surprised you found him so late in the year. He probably came inside looking for a place rest up for the winter.

Jim said:

Fender66 Where are you?

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Someone yell SNAKE!

I'm here! So sorry for the delay....I couldn't find a phone booth quick enough to rip my suit off and reveal my snake cape. :shock:

Yes...that is a Midland water snake. Genus, "Nerodia". Without writing an entire article, here are a few pointers and facts about this particular snake.

1. All snakes from this Genus "Nerodia" stink. They have a gland that emits a very foul musk. It's hard to wash off. During breeding season in the spring....I can smell them just by walking by a female ready to breed. If you find that female, there's probably a couple males heading her way too if not already on her trying to mate.

2. All from this species (with very few exceptions) tame down. They will bite you in a heartbeat...then musk you if given the chance.

3. They are very cool and quite easy to take care of in captivity.

4. Only a few will eat the earthworm. Stick with the minnows and the occasional goldfish. Don't feed a strict diet of goldfish as they are loaded with keratin protein. Keratin protein is a known cause of gout.

5. Your cage set up seems pretty good. The only mistake that you made is that you fell prey to the "reptile bulb" scam that all pet shops pull. Snakes don't need any special lighting like turtles and lizards that require Vitamin B3 from sunlight. When that bulb burns out, replace it with a normal light bulb that will produce enough heat to warm one side of the tank to about 82 degrees. I say "one side" so the snake can regulate it's body temperature the way it wants. Being cold blooded, the only way it can warm up is to move to a warmer area. (Cool off, move to the cooler side of the tank) It might be nice to put a flat rock, or brick in the cage, under the light/heat source so that it warms up for the snake to bask on.

6. You could definitely feed it a few more minnows a week. When I kept water snakes, I usually kept a tank with minnows too. A snake this size will eat about 10-12 a week if you offer it. (possibly more, but not necessary)

7. Water snakes (all that I know of) give birth to live young enclosed in a yolk sac.

8. The bite, may and can cause bleeding, but is harmless. No venom here. Water snakes have slightly larger teeth than other snakes in the Colubridae family which include garter snakes, rat snakes, and many more.

9. Can't think of any other useless info to share.

10. Now where was that phone booth???? I need to get back to work. :LOL2:

Any other questions....just ask. I'm not a herpetologist on TV, but I play one on a forum that I love.

Thanks Fender. I did go ahead and purchase a small tank for the minnows because Petsmart is 15 miles away. Ill turn up the minnow intake and cut down the goldfish.

Yeah I guess they got me on the bulb.

Forgot to mention that I have a flat rock that is half buried in the dirt that I shine the bulb on. I can get the warm side of the tank up to about 76, but that is measured on the glass about 6 inches away from the rock, so I assume in the direct light is it a bit warmer. He stays hid under the cement block all the time, only coming out at night to climb about the branches and pursue goldfish. I keep my house at about 70, and I read that a water snake would stay pretty happy at that temp, but he does have access to a warmer temp. I assume its just like any other animal, if he needs heat, he'll find it.

Do you suggest I try to handle him or just leave him be until i turn him loose in the spring? I picked him up when I first got him and he leaked out a yellowish liquid(i think) that stunk up my whole living room. It was horrible. Needless to say, I havent touched him since. I plan on letting him go later on, so I assumed it would only harm him to partially domesticate him.

Also, how large should the minnows be?

Thanks again
-Nate

Nate...

Temps you have are fine. I'm guessing the rock is a little warmer than 70 degrees. It is winter anyway and they are more dormant in cool temps. Water snakes are the first out of hibernation and the last in, so they can handle cooler temps pretty well.

I picked him up when I first got him and he leaked out a yellowish liquid(i think) that stunk up my whole living room.

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That is the musk that I mentioned. If you want more of the same....go ahead and pick him up. Your call as it's not likely that you will domesticate him. :wink:

Also, how large should the minnows be?

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He can easily eat a minnow with a diameter size of his head. Feed him enough so that you see the bulge in his belly. Once you see the bulge...he's fed enough but will eat more if you offer it. A couple times a week like that and he'll be fine and grow well. He will also shed his skin with his growth rate. Feed more....grow more...shed more often. There is NOT a set # of times a snake sheds each year.

Snakes can get gout? :lol:

Quackrstackr said:

Snakes can get gout? :lol:

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Yep...and arthritis too. I've seen some really bad cases of arthritis. Not often I see gout. Then again, it's not as easy to diagnose so.....

Quackrstackr said:

Snakes can get gout? :lol:

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:LOL2:

That would make a nice belt.

lckstckn2smknbrls said:

That would make a nice belt.

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[-X [-X [-X

Fender..............you so smart......but a snake with gout, I don't know about that....but I'm gonna cut way back on my minnow/gold fish intake...Just in case. I don't want no stinkin gout.
Peace
ron

freetofish said:

Fender..............you so smart......but a snake with gout, I don't know about that....but I'm gonna cut way back on my minnow/gold fish intake...Just in case. I don't want no stinkin gout.
Peace
ron

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Ron,

Don't care what you cut back on....just catch big bass when we are fishing tourneys!

WTG on the snake rescue - and good stuff Fender!

I give you both extra Karma

fender66 said:

Any other questions....just ask. I'm not a herpetologist on TV, but I play one on a forum that I love.

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You must have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night :wink:

I would have called that one a copperhead, too. I'm no pro on identifying snakes though (obviously :lol: ).