Swimming with northern water snakes?

Question

We have a lot of northern water snakes in our lake, and I am scared to death of them. It says they aren't poisonous but will bite agressively. Any advice on how to swim when they are near, or things you can do to keep them away? Will they bite if you accidently swim to close and don't see it

Answer 1

They are harmless, and they will try their best to avoid human contact. It you grabbed one it would likely bite you, but their bites don't hurt. I've gone swimming in lakes with plenty of them and I've never had one swim up to me. They tend to stay in the shallows or weeds. I've also caught plenty of them, and a few have bit me, but it feels about the same as a 6 month old baby pinching you. They are really nothing to worry about. I'd be way more worried about a northern pike or a musky mistaking my foot for a meal than getting bit by a water snake.

Answer 2

http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/herpatlas/coherpatlas/images/Species/Snakes/northwatersnake2.jpg

This is a Northern Water Snake picture linked above, and this is the typical listing of habitat: Creeks, rivers, reservoirs, ponds, marshes, flooded meadows, and canals along major drainage systems; rarely found away from the immediate vicinity of water. Usually seen swimming along marsh edges or basking in semisecluded onshore sites, on log jams in streams, on mats of algae, on clumps of dead cattails, or up to several feet high in woody streamside vegetation; sometimes under rocks or wood at the water’s edge.

http://users.bestweb.net/~habitat/OH_copperhead_grass.jpg
This is a copperhead, pic linked above. Copperheads can be found in most all habitats, although they often prefer to be near streams and other waterways. They may be found on hilltops or lowlands.

I can see the confusions growing between the two - however, the attack of a copper head is to freeze, then possibly attack (they like to conserve venom when they can), whereas, as stated, the Northern Water SNake runs and only attacks if restrained.

Either way, always be prepared with a first aid kit/snake bite kit when you know ANY venomous or aggresive snakes are in your area (even a non-poisenous snake bite barely breaking skin can become infected if not cleaned right). Also, go to the lakes in groups - more eyes, better protection. But don't NOT go swimming when you know the protocols, are prepared, and can use common sense to stay out of areas you can't clearly see. Open water on a lake is usually pretty devoid of anything but fish nibbles and mosquitoes.

Answer 3

Dude...do no longer pass touching snakes except you have a a hundred% advantageous identity, exceptionally the place there are rattlesnakes. Water snakes style of look like rattlesnakes too. There are water snakes in California, 2 species to be spectacular, the northern and southern water snakes (Nerodia sipedon and Nerodia fasciata)...and that they the two would desire to unquestionably be wrong for a rattlesnake, or vise versa! Getting bitten by making use of a rattlesnake may well be the worst ingredient that would desire to probable ensue to you wanting a custom derailment or a development collapsing on you.

Answer 4

okay well i live in Missouri and in the last week i have seen two of these Snake but be very careful because they can be copperheads to they also swim and they are very piousness and are aggressive and they look allot a like many people mistake them if it is a norther water snake they aren't piousness but they can bite if you frighten them or if you get to close they like to hang around docks and shallow weedy areas but are known to swim out pretty far, and don't think that just because you splash that it will keep them away because sometimes it doesn't like by docks if you splash sometimes you see them swim out from under them or even get scarred and swim out into the water so i wouldn't swim in that lake because it could be a copperhead depending on where you live or a northern water Snake they are hard to tell apart. so be careful and good luck.

Answer 5

Water snakes are only aggressive if you grab them.
You probably won't encounter very many; they prefer weedy areas, and I'm guessing you prefer to swim in the open.

Answer 6

i have never heard of a northern water snake . where do you live ? I would never swim with anything that is agressive . I think you should forgo swimming in that lake . good luck .

Answer 7

these snakes are pretty shy and will only bite you if you catch them.