Help me ID my snake?!

[JJJoshua]

My Brother caught him in a stream. Dumb brother almost starved him though, so I stole him. He'll only eat things in the water, or if they smell like fish. Has a big appetite, can eat 12 fish in 10 minutes, and comes back for more.

He's a good snake, got hell of a personality too!

Thanks for any help!

 

[Joe]

Based on what it looks like, where your brother found it, and where you live, I'd say it's a northern water snake, Natrix sipedon.

Joe

 

[skinheaddave]

Unless there is some big revision I haven't heard of (entirely possible), I believe the genus in question is Nerodia.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Joe]

Unless there is some big revision I haven't heard of (entirely possible), I believe the genus in question is Nerodia.

Cheers,
Dave

You're right. The old designation was Natrix.

Edit: I also just found out that all North American rat snakes are no longer in the genus Elaphe.

 

[JJJoshua]

Thanks couldn't find anything about him on the net (didnt know what to research). again, Thanks!

 

[Malkavian]

Edit: I also just found out that all North American rat snakes are no longer in the genus Elaphe.

Err since when? whats the new genus?

 

[scorpio]

Pantherophis....i think........

 

[skinheaddave]

Blargh. Just when you thought you had it down. Anyone have a reference for the paper?

Cheers,
Dave

 

[JJJoshua]

Hehe seems like I just caused more trouble... opend up a can of snakes... sorry had to.

 

[Joe]

Yes, the new genus designation is Pantherophis. Only for NA rat snakes, though. The Asian and European are still Elaphe, I believe.

http://www.folium.ru/en/journals/rjh/contents/2002/2002-02.htm

 

[Phillip]

Unless memory fails me all of the NA rats didn't go to Pantherophis but most did. The reasoning behind the change was that Pantherophis was the earliest name and since they aren't as closely related to the Euro rats as they are the other NA colubrids the name went back to Pantherophis.

Phil

 

[skinheaddave]

Okay. I placed an interlibrary loan order for the paper. Thank you.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[FryLock]

Some of the asians have been changed the one species i have E.helena is now Coelognathus helena (along with 4 to 6 others) which was there genus before they where placed in Elaphe these changes i think stem at least in part from Dr.Fry's work along with the NA rat changes tho i may be wrong.

 

[FryLock]

Ok googled it http://www.elaphe.it/Phylogenetic_relat_oldworld_ratsnakes.htm

 

[vulpina]

Dave there is an article about the name change in the current issue of REPTILES magazine. And yes the snake in the pic is a northern water snake. I'm surprised at the disposition you say it has, all that I have encountered would not hesitate to bite, it almost seemed as if they enjoyed it!!LOL!!

Andy

 

[cotton]

All the water snake species I have ever encountered have shown no hesitation to bite. The only aquatic snake species, that never tried to bite and spray me with musk, were queen snakes (Sp?) that I caught in the rivers here in eastern NC.

 

[JJJoshua]

He's extremely docile, he's never musked me, and has only biten once or twice. I handle him every now and then but mostly he's too feisty to keep out for a while. He sometimes eats out of my hand too and seems to enjoy not having to go and chase the fish I put into his water dish. So now everytime I open his cage, he comes up to my hands and looks for food. Very interesting snake!