Perhaps one of the most unique creatures that you are going to find in Georgia are the different water snakes. These snakes are either venomous or non venomous.
These snakes thrive in different habitats in Georgia and various species are known to thrive in the water bodies around the state. The water snakes are some of the most diverse species that you are going to find in the region. You can find these snakes throughout North America and other southern states. Over five snake species call the state of Georgia as their native home.
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Types of water snakes in Georgia
There are various snakes that you are going to find in Georgia. You will mostly find them in the water bodies around the state. Some snakes are dangerous to humans while others are not. The most dangerous species that you can find are the Florida cottonmouth and northern cottonmouth.
Read more: Most dangerous animals in Georgia
Depending on the region that you visit in Georgia, there is a high chance that you are going to encounter these species. Here are some of the water snakes that you are going to find thrive in different habitats around Georgia.
Northern Water Snake
The northern water snake is an iconic snake that you are going to find thriving in different habitats around the state of Georgia. They are the largest nonvenomous snakes that you are going to find in the state.
In most cases, this snake is confused with a cottonmouth snake and you must take your time to review the places that you are visiting before you can make a conclusion. They can grow up to 5 feet long and they come in a wide array of colors such as gray, black, brown, and tan. They usually have dark brown cross bands on their necks.
In some waters around the state, these snakes are completely black. The northern water snakes are very active during the night and day. They usually like to hunt for their prey along the edges of the water bodies around the state.
Some of the creatures that these snakes eat include leeches, worms, frogs, toads, crayfish, small birds, and even fish. When you are exploring different parts of Georgia, you are likely to find these snakes basking in the sun on rocks, logs, or even vegetation around the water.
They are very agile and can move very fast whenever they see danger. While they can be non venomous, their saliva usually has an anti coagulating substance, so when they bite there is a high chance that you will bleed profusely.
Glossy Swamp Snake
The glossy swamp snake, as the name indicates, is a unique species that you are going to find in different parts of Georgia. These snakes are common in different water bodies and they are non venomous in nature.
They can grow up to 24 inches long and they are highly aquatic. The snakes usually come in different colors which range from grey, tan, brown, and olive green. They have light stripes that run down the length of their bodies and their underside usually has dark spots.
Common Garter Snake
The common garter snake is a non venomous snake that you are going to find in the waters of Georgia. This snake can grow up to 49 inches long. They have a dark body, tan, and dark gray colors.
They have their unique three yellow stripes that run throughout their bodies. You can find the common garter snakes with some of the base colors. The most common colors that they have on their bellies are white and light yellow.
These snakes are more common in the woodlands, hillsides, meadows, along rivers and lakes and grassy environments closer to water bodies. These snakes usually eat toads, frogs, fish, slugs, and tadpoles.
They are active both during the day and at night, therefore, you should be very careful when exploring the area. They have a high number of bacteria which could cause severe infection to your body.
Eastern Ribbon Snake
The eastern ribbon snake is one of the unique water snakes that you are going to find in the state of Georgia. This snake is non venomous, and it can grow up to 30 inches long.
They are known to have their unique three yellow stripes that run down their bodies from the head to the tail. They are semiaquatic in nature. Therefore, you will find them in different habitats such as ponds, rivers, streams, and lakes.
These snakes usually prefer to eat a wide array of animals such as toads, frogs, salamanders, newts, and tadpoles.
Plain-Bellied Water Snake
The plain-bellied water snake is a type of water snake that is iconic and you are going to find them in different habitats around the state of Georgia. This snake is thick-bodied and they come in solid colors such as grey, brown, olive green, and black.
The bellies of these snakes vary from red to yellow. The adult snakes can grow up to 40 inches long and their young ones usually have unmarked bellies. You will find them on permanent water sources such as lakes, ponds, rivers, and flood plains among other natural wetlands around the state.
Northern Cottonmouth Snake
The northern cottonmouth snake is a very dangerous species that you can find in the state of Georgia. This snake is classified among the pit viper family and they are usually semiaquatic in nature.
They have a highly potent venom and whenever they strike then they are going to cause tissue death, failure of the vital organs, and in some cases, could result in death.
Whenever they are threatened, they usually coil their bodies and display their fangs before delivering the bite and venom to the victim.
You will find these snakes in slow-moving waters around the state such as streams, marshes, shallow lakes, and ponds. They are good swimmers and they have very dangerous venom, hence the need to stay far away from them.
Brown Water Snake
The brown water snake is one of the common water snakes that you can find in the state of Georgia. This snake can grow up to 60 inches long and they are heavy-bodied, therefore you can see them thriving in different habitats around the state.
They usually come in dark-colored bodies such as brown, black, tan, and dark grey. They have a line that runs throughout their bodies. Their bellies are usually light, with brown patches and black crescents.
Read more: Dangerous animals in North Carolina
The heads of these snakes are usually larger than their necks and you will often see that they have triangular heads. You will find the snakes in northern Georgia and some of the places include rivers, canals, creeks, and flowing waters around the state. These snakes are excellent swimmers and you can find them in different parts of the state.
Diamondback Water Snake
The diamond water snake is a type of water snake that you can find in different areas around the state of Georgia. These snakes are non venomous and are endemic to the United States.
They come in different colors such as dark brown, olive green, and other dark colors with black patterns on their bodies. Each spot on the snake is diamond shaped, and they can have lighter colors on their bellies.
They can grow up to 48 inches long and others that have been recorded have been 69 inches long. These snakes usually like slow-moving waters, therefore, you are likely to find them in streams, swamps, ponds, and rivers. You will find them hanging on the branches above the water as they hunt for food. Whenever they see people, they are likely to run away.
Queen Snake
The queen snake is yet another of the water snakes that you are going to find in the state of Georgia.
They are a non venomous species. They can grow up to 24 inches long and they are slender in nature. You will find them in different habitats and mostly around flowing waters.
These snakes come in different colors such as light brown, olive green, tan and other colors. They usually have three dark stripes that run throughout their bodies. These stripes are yellow or white depending on the location where you are going to find these snakes.
Queen snakes are some of the common water snakes in areas where there are adequate running waters such as streams and rivers. You can find them as well in rocky habitats where they eat a lot of fish species in the region.
Banded Water Snake
The banded water snake, or what is commonly called the southern water snake, is one of the water snakes that thrives in different habitats around the state of Georgia.
These snakes can grow up to 48 inches long and they are heavy-bodied snakes. They are semiaquatic in nature, therefore you will find them along the water bodies.
The colors of these snakes will vary depending on the location that you visit. They usually come in common colors such as brown, black, grey, and tan. They have square patches on the side of their stomach and a stripe that runs from the jaw to the eye.
Further reading: Most dangerous animals in North America
These snakes are unique because they prefer freshwater habitats such as swamps, streams, marshes, and other wetland areas around the state.
These snakes are active both during the day and at night and you are likely to find them on the branches of trees that hang over the water. You can spot them hunting in the shallow waters around the state as well.
Mud Snake
The mud snake is a common species in the state of Georgia. These are non venomous snakes that are heavy-bodied and they will grow up to 81 inches long.
During your travel to the region you are likely to encounter them rarely in the waterbodies around the state. They come in different colors and some of the most common colors include red, pink and checkered patterns on their bellies.
You can find them in western Georgia. The mud snake, as the name indicates, usually prefers slow-moving waters. So, you will find them closer to ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams. They are predominantly aquaticaquatic, hence you cannot miss them closer to the water bodies.
Florida Cottonmouth
The Florida cottonmouth snake is another type of water snakes that you can find in the state of Georgia. It is important that you watch out for these creatures because they can be very dangerous.
They are very dangerous creatures that you will find in Georgia and they are known to grow up to 5 inches long and can weigh up to ten pounds. They have visible stripes in front of their jaws.
Further reading: Dangerous animals in Florida
You are likely to see these snakes at the edges of water bodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. They are very venomous and aggressive and you should watch out for them during your visit to the state.
