Common Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: Nerodia sipedon
Widely distributed throughout eastern and central North America, ranging from southern Canada down through the eastern and midwestern United States, extending as far south as the Florida panhandle and Texas.
Look up Common Watersnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: Nerodia sipedon
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. They are common and adaptable throughout their range, though local populations can face threats from habitat destruction, pollution, and intentional killing due to misidentification.
Physical Description
The specimen displays a brownish-gray dorsal coloration with darker, indistinct crossbands on the anterior portion and alternating blotches further down the body. The scales are heavily keeled, giving a rough texture. The head is moderately distinct from the neck, and the eye shows a bluish-milky hue, indicating the animal is in pre-shed (ecdysis) phase.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen in the container appears to be a juvenile or small subadult, roughly 12-18 inches in length. Adults typically range from 24 to 42 inches (60 to 106 cm), with females generally growing larger than males.
Habitat
Found predominantly in or near freshwater aquatic habitats such as streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes, and swamps. They prefer slow-moving water with abundant basking sites like logs, rocks, or overhanging branches.
Diet & Feeding
Diet consists primarily of fish, amphibians, frogs, tadpoles, and occasionally crayfish or small mammals. They are active foragers both in and out of the water, seizing prey and consuming it live without constriction.
Reproduction
Viviparous (giving birth to live young rather than laying eggs). Mating occurs in spring, and females typically give birth to a litter ranging from 10 to over 50 young in late summer or early autumn.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. They are common and adaptable throughout their range, though local populations can face threats from habitat destruction, pollution, and intentional killing due to misidentification.
Cultural Significance
Plays a vital role in wetland ecosystems by helping control amphibian and fish populations. They are often misunderstood and killed out of fear.
Notable Features
Noticeable cloudy blue eyes on this specimen indicate that it is experiencing 'spectacle clouding' right before shedding its skin, a normal physiological process for growing snakes.