Mother in law sent me that. I told het bull snake.

diamond back water snake...they can be some mean mofos

Your supposed to flip him over and inspect his butthole before you kill them. I saw it on the internet so you know it's true.

She has a few little ankle biter teacup sized mutts, I told her she better keep an eye on them. She killed 2 of the snakes this morning on her porch and the 3rd slipped into the tank about 20 yds from her back porch.

It does apply to any of the indigenous venomous snakes in the U.S.

A 'single' row (vs. a double row) AFTER the anal vent/plate indicates a venomous snake.

A 'double' row is non-venomous.

Naturally, it is recommended you try to make the distinction using other identifying features FIRST, so you don't have to handle or kill the snake.

Yep! Mean as hell and easy to kill cause they will just come up to you looking like they want to eat you.

They go around looking for a fight....

That is what we used to call blotched water snakes, but have been reclassified with several other subspecies. They're now called plain-bellied water snakes.

this one came at me a couple of years ago. fortunately i had a metal rake in hand and took him out!

they get BIG

^^^^^^^^^^ Indeed they do. The largest water snake I've seen in my lifetime was a diamond-backed water snake. In both length and girth....it was HUGE. Sunning itself on a large piece of foam dock flotation material on Lake Travis.

As it uncoiled itself and slipped into the water I got a really good look at it. I'm guessing it was all of 5 feet long (or better) and probably 8" in girth. Big...powerful snake.

I've caught small ones while wading creeks, but you have to catch them on land, they are much too fast in the water.

And YES, they are all too happy to BITE...if they see an opportunity.

Very aggressive snakes that don't seem to have the normal fear of humans.

Good snake. It has (o) eyes, not (|) eyes.

I'm not a snake killer, but these guys can change my mind. Was reeling in a catfish once and this damned thing would not leave me alone, even after it was in the cooler because I guess I smelled like a catfish. Tried swatting it away a few times and then chopped its head off when it didn't get the hint.

Not sure that makes them a "good" snake, but certainly non-venomous (for the indigenous pit-vipers) we have in Texas.

They will still bite the pee-diddly out of you. And if you have fish on a stringer...they invariably find them and try to get one.

Kind of a nuisance snake...if you ask me.

Those guys have been the cause of a few late night surprises for me. Go to reach you hand in the floating minnow bucket to rebait, only to jerk it back at the last second when you see a nice big snake coiled up on top. Good times.

then go change your drawers

I like snakes, but not on the minnow bucket

We need to fish that tank