With all the rain, my normally dry tank is full and just about to overflow. I've only had it for a year but i love to go down and check it out as it's now loaded with frogs, tadpoles, turtles, etc. I've been watching a snake, not sure if its the same one or different but i've been trying to identify it as to whether it's a moccasin or not. I can't really get close enough to it to tell but it's a young snake, only a couple of feet in length. If it's a good snake, I'm going to let it be.
Just curious if anyone else with a tank has experience with snakes. What other kind of snakes hunt for frogs, etc. Is there any other way to id without getting close to it?

Here is a link to the most common water snakes you'll see. I see more Diamondback Water Snakes than any other snake in the wild.

http://www.uta.edu/biology/herpetology/watersnakes.htm

Other Texas Snakes

http://www.texassnakes.net/pictures.html

If it swims with just it's head above water, it's a water snake. If it swims with it's body on top of water, it,s a bad snake, a cotton mouth. Shoot'em. Copperheads also swim on top.

Ditto on JWfish...

A good snake?

I recently bought a 1000 lumen flashlight. I went down to the tank one night just to see what I could see. Well there he was. He was fascinated by the light and was drawn to it. He kept coming closer and eventually he was within 2 feet of me. I could tell at that point it was not a mocassin so I let him be. About a week later, the neighbors saw him go up into their yard under a riding mower. They moved the mower and there he was with along with a copperhead. They killed them both. They were convinced he was a mocassin.

To somebody who knows about snakes - Are moccasins common once you get out of East Texas? Like Fort Worth Area? Everybody thinks every water snake is a moccasin (even in west Texas), but I don't think their range is that big.

I've seen no moccasins around my place in rural NE Texas, but have seen quite a few diamondback water snakes which some people confuse as moccasins. One guy up the road from me claims sightings, but he also refers to herons as storks so I have my doubts. Like John Wayne's comment in the Comancheros when explaining how to disquinishing a tame indian from a Commanche- "Just like your first rattler. One look and you'll know".

Good question. I've seen a lot more snakes on my land near Whitney this year, due to the abundant water, I would think. Killed three copperheads earlier in the year...--> Story

Killed a bunch out the teal pond today!

I hope there is a Snake Heaven cause about once every year, take a 20 gauge, a box or two of shells, a case of beer and thin anything that pops up in the water in the stock tank. Really after Friday, both my dogs got hit in the face by copperheads and 450 dollars later at the vet, I don't care if there is a Snake Heaven!

I've had more than enough close encounters with snakes in the water that I really don't care what they are now. If it's in the water and doesn't look like a turtle or frog, then I shoot it. The tank we have is about 1 acre and there are kids around as well as the goats and dogs, so better safe than sorry.

I think this is a red banded water snake

Took the picture then put them back in the water and watched them swim off. too cool!!