You either love them or hate them.
Snakes are by far the most polarizing creature in Texas wild lands with a majority on the hate side, and a few of us loving them. The fact is, snakes should be respected and there are many misconceptions that need dispelled as well as some new data that can shed some interesting light on all things serpent.
• Species: There are many species of snakes in Texas but only four basic types of venomous snakes. In fact, the only types of venomous snakes in the United States are copperheads, cottonmouths, rattlesnakes and coral snakes.
An indigo snake. In this case it’s an eastern indigo snake, a close cousin of the Texas monster-sized serpent.
Every other species is nonvenomous.
• Venom medicine: Snake venom is being used in various forms in cancer treatment. Copperhead is being used in some breast cancer treatment, king cobra venom is being used in various types of medicines and coral snake venom has applications an epilepsy treatment.
The compounds contained within some of these venoms are being used for good.
• Longest snake: The longest snake in Texas is the indigo snakes with confirmed specimens over eight feet long. They live in deep South Texas.
The longest snake most likely to be encountered in Texas is the Texas rat snake. They can grow to more than seven feet long and routinely top out at after five feet.
These snakes are often called “chicken snakes” due to their fondness for eggs and baby chicks.
• Ground rattlers: Here’s a hint. If it doesn’t have a rattle, chances are it is not a rattlesnake. It could be a Dekay’s snake or several species of it that live in Texas.
Thousand of these harmless snakes have been hacked to death due to being called “ground rattlers”. They are no such thing.
These thin, brown snakes with light uniform black freckling down the backs have always been called ground rattlers here but they are totally harmless.
The pigmy rattler which is sometimes found in the area is also called “ground rattler” but it has an actual rattler (albeit small) and looks like a rattlesnake. It is sometimes confused with the hognose but looks nothing like the poor marsh brown snake.
Chester Moore
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