A close relative of the copperhead, this snake is also
known as the water moccasin. When first born, the babies look
nothing like the parents. They have a wavy banded pattern in bright
orange and brown, with a sulphur-yellow tail tip. As they grow,
the pattern often fades away and the animal darkens, finally being anywhere
from dark brown through olive green to even jet-black. In
a few instances, the juvenile color and pattern remain throughout the
snake's life. One thing the babies and adults have in common is
a "bandit's mask," a dark line which runs through the eye,
bordered above and below by white.
The cottonmouth is found in every county in
the state, seldom far from, but not necessarily in, water. Looking,
however, at the topography of Florida, with its many lakes and network
of canals, they may be found in most parts of the state. There
are several non-venomous water snakes that can easily be mistaken for
the cottonmouth. In the water, the cottonmouth floats very high,
with most of its body visible above the water line. The non-venomous
water snakes are less bouyant, swimming with little more than the head
and neck exposed. Behavior is a good key to distinguishing
the water snakes from the cottonmouths. When a cotttonmouth
feels threatened, it will most often cock its head up to a 45º angle.
It will also vibrate the tail, which is not done by the water
snakes. Upon further provocation, they will often assume
a tight coil and throw the mouth open wide, showing you whence the name
cottonmouth, as the inside of the mouth is nearly snow-white.
The cottonmouth will eat virtually any kind
of animal matter.
Their diet includes baby alligators, small turtles, fish, amphibians,
birds, eggs, rodents and snakes. They help keep our waterways
clean, as they are as much scavengers as they are predators.If a cottonmouth
which has been sunning itself on a tree limb overhanging the water drops
into your boat, don't reach under the seat for the shotgun; you'll sink
the boat! What you should do is very quickly, using a paddle or
fishing rod, gently lift the snake out of the boat. Quickly, because
before you drift too far from shore, you may want to consider the option
of just giving him the boat!
This snake has been known to exceed 6 feet
by a couple of inches, although it averages around 30 inches.
While it has been known to kill people, with prompt, proper medical
treatment, the bite will not prove fatal. One of the two bites
I have experienced was from a cottonmouth, and while there was much
pain and a week's worth of missed work, my life was never really in
danger.
A close relative of the copperhead, this snake is also
known as the water moccasin. When first born, the babies look
nothing like the parents. They have a wavy banded pattern in bright
orange and brown, with a sulphur-yellow tail tip. As they grow,
the pattern often fades away and the animal darkens, finally being anywhere
from dark brown through olive green to even jet-black. In
a few instances, the juvenile color and pattern remain throughout the
snake's life. One thing the babies and adults have in common is
a "bandit's mask," a dark line which runs through the eye,
bordered above and below by white.
Their diet includes baby alligators, small turtles, fish, amphibians,
birds, eggs, rodents and snakes. They help keep our waterways
clean, as they are as much scavengers as they are predators.If a cottonmouth
which has been sunning itself on a tree limb overhanging the water drops
into your boat, don't reach under the seat for the shotgun; you'll sink
the boat! What you should do is very quickly, using a paddle or
fishing rod, gently lift the snake out of the boat. Quickly, because
before you drift too far from shore, you may want to consider the option
of just giving him the boat! 
