I found a large black snake in my driveway a minute ago.?

Question

Please tell me was it a water mocissian(if that's how it's spelled)? How dangerous is it. I went to get the hoe, but by the time I got back, it had crawled into the ditch under my driveway.

Firstly, Mr Taco, a snake's a snake. I don't care what kind it is. Secondly, I live in the south. it just rained and there is a big empty field behind my house. It was about 2 feet long, black, and had a yellow underbelly. Other than that. I don't care if it is an endangered species, I want it out of my yard. I got kids

Answer 1

Step One Eliminate habitat. Snakes require heat to digest their food. Dry, rocky locations are havens to most kinds of snakes. Be aware when walking near wood piles and large, flat areas of concrete.

2 Step TwoRemove hiding places. Snakes are shy creatures. When not hunting, snakes will hide in wood piles, among flower pots and under garden debris.

3 Step ThreeKeep rodents under control. A hungry snake searching for food will follow its stomach. To control rodents keep pet food indoors, garbage cans tightly sealed and vegetable gardens harvested.

4 Step FourErect snake proof fencing around your garden. A low fence only 2 to 3 feet high and made of fine wire mesh will prevent snakes from entering.

Here is another one:

If you want to keep snakes out of your yard, you’ll want to make sure that shrubs, bushes, and thick gardens are kept away from your home. Snakes love gardens with lots of shrubbery. It gives them a place to hide and hang out while they wait for the next meal to come along. It also provides the snake with a perfectly safe way to travel from one place to another.

Mowing your lawn will help you get rid of snakes. Tall grass is a great place for snakes to hide and move around in. Not only that, but tall grasses host a number of the snake’s favorite meals like crickets, grasshoppers, mice, and a plethora of other small rodents and insects. Keeping the grass low also means that snakes will feel less comfortable there because they’re open to attack by their own natural predators like hawks and owls.
Piles of wood, compost heaps, and mulch should be kept a safe distance from your home if you’re getting rid of snakes. As you might imagine, snakes are always looking for places to hide or cool off during the really hot days. The gaps between logs provide the perfect cover for snakes, as do compost heaps and piles of just about anything. By now you should understand that controlling snakes means removing their safe spots.
Getting rid of snakes means getting rid of small rodents. If you have snakes consistently slithering through your yard, chances are they’re chasing a meal. This is why we find snakes in our garage, under our porches, and in our gardens: those are all places where rodents like mice, squirrels, and other furry like to find a meal or make a nest. Snakes know this, and it only makes sense to go where the food is.
If you want to get rid of garter snakes, then keeping insects like crickets, grasshoppers, and other small bugs out of your yard is a good idea. Lord knows how to get rid of these things. There are so many types of insects, it’s impossible to get rid of all of them. In fact, if you’re having more problems with insects than with garter snakes, then it’s a good idea to just leave them alone and let them do their job—silencing those annoying crickets.

Try seaching at these website:

http://www.liquidfence.com/snake-repellents.html

http://www.247wildlife.com/snakes.htm

http://www.ridofsnakes.com/

Answer 2

First of all, there are LOTS of black snakes, and most of them are not water moccasins. They are also more likely to be found at a lake or swamp than in your driveway, so you probably saw something else. So chill out.

Second, you don't provide enough information here. For all I know you live in Alaska, which has no poisonous snake population. You also don't describe how the snake looked. "Black" is one thing, but what about length or relative width or head shape or eye color? Was it all black, or were there other colors? It could be a king snake, black racer, rat snake, or indigo snake... amongst other things.

Thirdly, water moccasins are fairly dangerous, but they are not prone to strike if you leave them alone. Even if one bites you, you go to the hospital, and you'll probably be fine. Very few people die from snake bites outside of third world countries.

Finally, had it not gone into the ditch before you got back, odds are you'd be a murderer of an innocent snake now. Why don't you educate yourself a little bit, rather than being an ignorant animal killer who doesn't know a rat snake from a cobra?

Answer 3

The Cottonmouth Water Moccasin
(Agkistrodon piscivorus)
There is only one North American poisonous water snake - the Cottonmouth Water Moccasin! Not to be confused at all with its many nonpoisonous neighbors, this snake is a pit viper in the same general family as the Copperhead and the Rattler.
This dangerous semi-aquatic snake is truly an aggressive reptile that will stand its ground or even approach an intruder.
Regional variations do occur, so never handle a water snake of any kind for fear of a nasty, bacteria-rich or venomous bite!
They favor lying dormant on logs, rocks or limbs at water's edge awaiting the telltale movement of approaching prey. It is characterized by a brown, olive or blackish dark body with lighter belly, and body crossbands which have a distinct border extending all the way around and across the yellowish stomach.
Young, born live, are much brighter and often are most similar in color to the Copperhead, each with a bright yellow or lime greenish tail tip. These snakes readily vibrate their tails when provoked or approached and can make an impressive 'rattling' sound when placed against leaves, water, or solid objects. The older snakes tend to lose the obvious pattern effect and appear to be darker and bland colored. The triangular shaped head is evident even at rest, set off with distinct elliptical 'cat-eye' pupils and a dark facial line extending through the eye. Powerful jaws support this snake's habit of latching on during a bite rather than the quick strike and release pattern of its cousin the Copperhead.
The main subspecies included in the genus Agkistrodon are the Western Cottonmouth, piscivorus leucostoma (pictured on this page), the Eastern, and the Florida Cottonmouth. In general, these snakes are an average length of around 30 inches, but specimens of the Western in excess of 54 inches have been captured by the author. Easterns have been measured at above 6 feet but are rare. Subspecies are accounted for in Central America, Asia, southeastern Europe, and Malaysia. They tend to exhibit the behavioral characteristics of territorial animals by defending and guarding a specific area, thus appearing to be more aggressive than most snakes. Typically, the nonpoisonous snakes which reside with the Cottonmouths are longer, less stout-bodied, flee when approached, and exhibit round pupils, along with a plain yellowish or white belly void of any band markings.Make no mistake, the Cottonmouth is a dangerous predator and can inflict a brutally damaging emotoxic bite!
This 'Cottonmouth' or 'trapjaw' can snap shut with lightening speed instantly when touched, and can deliver a large venom dose to prey or victims alike!
The Cottonmouth derives its name from the habit of lying in a sprawled coil, head flung back, with the mouth resting in an ominous open position exposing the white inner surface of the mouth almost straight up.

Answer 4

Unless you are not in the United States a solid black snake should be harmless.
Best to leave it alone in any event ,if you thought it was a black racer and it turns out to really be a moccasin things could get bad .

Answer 5

The following web site has some good descriptions of many/most of the snakes found throughout the Southeastern United States. I'm guessing since you are from the Southeast since you jumped quickly to water moccasin.

http://www.uga.edu/srel/snakebrochure.htm

Most people that show me water moccasins have misidentified the snake. Best practice is to leave them alone - they have very little interest in you.

Answer 6

Its probably a King Snake, that eats rodents, etc. DON'T kill it...you may want to call the animal control people...