Snake identification help
Posted by Terri Flowers on September 11, 2007
Q: Please help identify this snake. We found 2 about 8-9" long recently near our chicken house. It appeared to be young. It had a very light colored belly nearly white. We live in SW Georgia and have a small pond out back. Thanks so much!
Habitat: pond/lake
State: Georgia
Habitat: pond/lake
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A: From your photos and other information, your snake appears to be a Banded Water Snake (Nerodia fasciata). This is a totally harmless water snake that is often misidentified as a poisonous variety. Water snakes get lots of bad press but are a healthy part of any ecosystem and don't diminish the quality nor quantity of fish in a pond as is often believed.
I realize snakes can be scary but almost all you'll encounter are harmless and good to have around. You may want to google this animal but be sure to note that there are often different colors among individuals, especially when looking at adults and young.
Hope this helps.
John Wiessinger ( September 11, 2007)