Help identifying this little guy...

[Pruddock]

At first I was sure this was a little copperhead, but I forgot that juvenile cottonmouths look the exact same. It never gaped at me, so I don't know if the interior of the mouth was white or not, and it was resting in the mud so I don't know if the tail was yellow. Any guesses?

[Relentless]

looks like a copperhead to me

[Nanci]

I vote Cottonmouth. I don't think the markings are Hershey's Kiss-like enough for a Copperhead. Skinny little guy...

I'm not positive, though. Here's a comparison page.

http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/snake_id_-_3.htm

Nanci

[Pruddock]

Thanks Nanci. Yeah I'm retracting my former vote, and I'm saying that its a juvenile Western Cottonmouth -- and my first one at that! Whoop!! :cheers:

[CrazyCorn]

That dark and thick eye band would make me lean towards a Cottonmouth.

[Nanci]

You don't think that first pic shows his whole tail??

Nanci

[Nanci]

Wait- if it was a Cottonmouth, it would have followed you back to your vehicle, and maybe even your home, snapping at your heels... :grin01:

Nanci

[SkyChimp]

No question, it's a cottonmouth. I've poked enough of them with sticks to know a cottonmouth when I irritate one.