Venomous Snakes in Maryland - Poll

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  • Which are venomous and inhabit Maryland?


    • Total voters
      378
    • Poll closed .

    VG-10

    Active Member
    Oct 5, 2012
    320
    Calvert County
    You forgot to list some of the most poisonous snakes in Maryland.....politicians.

    Yes.......The Annapolis variety slither around in tunnels under the city to avoid thier only know natural enemy, the PATRIOT PICKET:party29:
     

    ted76

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2013
    3,151
    Frederick
    Here is a yellow phase Timber Rattler sunning in Southeastern WV right off one of the Hatfield McCoy trails. It was probably a female as it was late March and it was on a southeastern slope.
     

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    StickShaker

    Active Member
    Mar 3, 2016
    888
    Montgomery
    Here is a yellow phase Timber Rattler sunning in Southeastern WV right off one of the Hatfield McCoy trails. It was probably a female as it was late March and it was on a southeastern slope.

    Here is my yellow sweetie on mouse patrol. I was told they were females and the dark ones are male?

    P5310005.jpg
     

    ted76

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2013
    3,151
    Frederick
    I think that both sexes can be either color phase, the pictures that were posted earlier in the thread are the black phase.
     

    StickShaker

    Active Member
    Mar 3, 2016
    888
    Montgomery
    I think that both sexes can be either color phase, the pictures that were posted earlier in the thread are the black phase.

    Gotcha...I did see two others when it started warming up for the year that were brilliant yellow/gold like in your pic. I just assumed they were more yellow ones.
     

    Pushrod

    Master Blaster
    Aug 8, 2007
    2,979
    WV High Country
    yes cottonmouths are in Maryland. I stumbled on to them on two separate occasions at the Gun Powder Park years back. Scared the crap out of me both times. .

    No cottonmouths at all in Maryland, they are a warmer climate snake. The Northern Water Snake that is abundant in Maryland waters is often mistaken for a cottonmouth and just as aggressive.
     

    msinc

    Member
    Mar 12, 2010
    57
    No cottonmouths at all in Maryland, they are a warmer climate snake. The Northern Water Snake that is abundant in Maryland waters is often mistaken for a cottonmouth and just as aggressive.

    I agree, I have always been told and read that there are no cottonmouth snakes north of Richmond, Va. We have water snakes around here that do a heck of an impersonation though...white inside their mouth {and they don't mind showing it to you}, broad head, very aggressive, take right to water, some even lack the typical water snake pattern and are almost black. No wonder so many people think they saw a water moccasin.
    The fact is, when you do go south and see a real live cottonmouth there is no mistaking it again. The ones I have seen in Florida were about 2 feet long and 3 or 4 inches in diameter.
    The "other rattler", the Massasuaga probably confuses a lot of people too. It is referred to as a "diamondback" in a lot of places where it is found.
    One other thing I would say about rattlers....the "rattle" noise they make as a warning is often mistaken too. What you see on TV is some idiot shaking a maraca...what I have heard made by real rattlers is higher pitched and faster, more like a continuous cricket buzz.
     

    Huckleberry

    No One of Consequence
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 19, 2007
    23,308
    Severn & Lewes
    Some say no water moccasins north of the Great Dismal Swamp but I've seen them in the James River and others have reported them in the lower Rappahannock.

    Been chased by a few down at Ft Dragg. Shoved the muzzle of a M16 with blank adapter in one's mouth and let him have the whole 20. Just trying to convince him to stop coming after me while I was scrambling to get back on my feet. Stunned him but then he shook it off and slithered off really pissed off.

    Glad we don't have to deal with Eastern Diamondbacks like friends do down south. Now that is one big mother of a snake and a very aggressive with their strikes

    Went to the Opp, Alabama Rattlesnake Roundup one year and guys were bringing in some big ass snakes. But one good thing about a Eastern Diamond is they are quite tasty fried in cornmeal.
     

    rwbow1969

    Get Wiffit
    Dec 10, 2011
    4,154
    Clearspring
    This one snuck up on me while I was sitting on the end of my porch and almost slithered over my feet while I was looking out into the woods.
     

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    Pstango

    Active Member
    Sep 21, 2011
    769
    Mary Esther, FL
    No cottonmouths at all in Maryland, they are a warmer climate snake. The Northern Water Snake that is abundant in Maryland waters is often mistaken for a cottonmouth and just as aggressive.

    This. Every report or question I've ever received has been a Northern water snake. I've encountered NWS up on the plateau in the Yough, up on the Susquehanna, down on the Patuxent and Zekiah, and everywhere in between that I've hiked. I've done some extensive work on the eastern shore, but I don't recall coming across a pissed off NWS there, but I'm sure they are everywhere there too.
     

    Engine4

    Curmudgeon
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2012
    6,983
    What kind of water snake is this beauty? This was at our farm in Va.
     

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    ted76

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2013
    3,151
    Frederick
    Northern Water snake

    I think Remodeler1 is right about that being a Red Bellied, Virginia is about as far North as they range.
     
    Last edited:
    Copperheads & timber rattlesnakes unquestionably.
    Cottonmouths haven't been documented north of the Dismal swamp & having followed herpetology closely for 40 yrs & with all due respect I have never heard of anyone suggest that Eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes were indigenous to MD. I'd be interested in info concerning that

    There is a herp school of thought who question the accuracy of range maps that extend into Western PA and far Northern WV but not going into MD. Their stance is how can data of such a rare species be accurate in determining natural range.

    EDIT- I'm not a herp guy but have been working with them for years.
     

    Pushrod

    Master Blaster
    Aug 8, 2007
    2,979
    WV High Country
    The "other rattler", the Massasuaga probably confuses a lot of people too. It is referred to as a "diamondback" in a lot of places where it is found.
    One other thing I would say about rattlers....the "rattle" noise they make as a warning is often mistaken too. What you see on TV is some idiot shaking a maraca...what I have heard made by real rattlers is higher pitched and faster, more like a continuous cricket buzz.

    I always thought it sounded like bacon sizzling.
     

    ted76

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 20, 2013
    3,151
    Frederick
    Thanks. I think she's very pretty. We didn't do anything to her, just let her be. She came around for a few days then disappeared.

    That's a really big fat one, I can see why people could mistake it for a Water Moccasin.
     

    StickShaker

    Active Member
    Mar 3, 2016
    888
    Montgomery
    I always thought it sounded like bacon sizzling.


    That's a good analogy and the speed seems to match the threat level. I was working under my tractor in the barn and I see the snake in my pic that was under the shelving moseying on over towards me. It was heading for a pallet with stuff piled on it right next to where I was working and I'm thinking this is too close and I can't let that happen. So I get a 2X4 and try to push her off in a different direction. Not working, so I gently pushed down on her body because she was right at the pallet and getting ready to go under. Huge mistake! She darted under the pallet and wouldn't stop with that God awful full threat noise for at least 20 minutes nonstop. I finally just had to leave and look for something else to do.
     

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