Yet Another Moccasin/Cottonmouth Myth

EyeOfTheStorm · #1 (**permalink**) 10-22-2005, 05:35 PM

On one of many corporate "smoke breaks" I overheard someone saying "A water moccasin cant bite you while they are under water, because they will drown!"

I hadnt heard this old myth, but wondered if this ignorance was widely spread, and if anyone else had heard this before.

Freakkboy · #2 (**permalink**) 10-24-2005, 06:34 PM

I have heard this also, but I have seen Cottonmouths eating fish on some of my trecks through the swamps here. So, unless they are just extremely lucky and catch the fish in the air when they jump for bugs or something, I would say that they can and do bite underwater.....
Although, I have never been bitten while swimming, so I could be wrong....

Overalls · #3 (**permalink**) 12-10-2005, 07:09 PM

I have a coworker that claims to have been bitten by a cottonmouth as a boy while swimming...his credibility is questionable. Though he had an elaborate hospital story to go along with it.

AP · #4 (**permalink**) 03-14-2006, 05:19 PM

i've heard that from a few people that don't know anything about snakes in my experiance it's best to avoid cottonmouths anywhere they seem to be terrtorial or somthing and will come after you

amercnwmn · #5 (**permalink**) 03-15-2006, 03:11 AM

Ive heard that about Copperheads...like they will chase you down to attack LOL... I almost stepped on one last year...about 4ft in late summer, she was HUGE and just slithered off slowly down the hill..

A water moc can bite you underwater...dont know about it drowning though.. I wouldnt think so, since they eat fish and drink water...LOL
I mean, WE can bite underwater...

jonjpl · #6 (**permalink**) 03-15-2006, 03:15 AM

It is amazing what people can come up with....................

amercnwmn · #7 (**permalink**) 03-15-2006, 03:17 AM

???

terekirkland · #8 (**permalink**) 05-16-2006, 07:23 PM

Water mocs can bite you in the water, at least that's what my dad says and I believe almost everything he says. He always told me to steer clear of any water snake.

cstarr · #9 (**permalink**) 08-28-2006, 08:22 AM

they can bite under water.I was fishing with a co-worker about 2 yrs ago and he got bit while wading in water about waist deep.I carried him to hospital.

JuliusSqueezer · #10 (**permalink**) 08-29-2006, 09:12 PM

Snakes in all their versatility do have some things in common.

All snakes can swim. There isn't a snake on the planet that isn't an expert swimmer.
All snakes have an epiglotis by their tongue that they breath through.
All snakes can close the epiglotis to avoid drowning any time they choose to and it closes as a reflex action immediatly when fluid enters the mouth.
All snakes can bite underwater.

fizzbob7 · #11 (**permalink**) 09-04-2006, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuliusSqueezer

Snakes in all their versatility do have some things in common.
All snakes can swim. There isn't a snake on the planet that isn't an expert swimmer.
All snakes have an epiglotis by their tongue that they breath through.
All snakes can close the epiglotis to avoid drowning any time they choose to and it closes as a reflex action immediatly when fluid enters the mouth.
All snakes can bite underwater.

ironically, cottonmouths are some of the worst swimmers amongst snakes though lol......they're noticeably less at home in the water than other species.....they do most of their fishing from banks or in very shallow water but rarely go into water over a foot deep only to catch fish......i've encountered around 100 or so in the past month in a local swamp, and they all do the same thing when startled (if they move at all), crawl off with no real sense of urgency and hit the water with their head a few inches out of the water, then make their way to another piece of land or something that isn't in the water.....they normally crawl right back out too......they look awkward when compared to any species of nerodia.......and when a 4ft gravid female hits the water, it can be down right comical......kinda like she's swimming in one place or against a current........not graceful at all.........they don't like going under the water either unless absolutely necessary or to crawl under a rock pile that has a place inside for them to come up........
those water snakes can sure get around in the water though.....
most cottons will also bite and hold onto fish while envenomating it too....coppers will do it also.....

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