# Nerodeo 2004



## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Been doing alot of surveys recently, my favorite so far has been
the 2004 Nerodia "Nerodeo" found over 100 snakes this year, quite fun
dealing with these nasty tempered suckers. heres a few pics of them
for your enjoyment.


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

another pretty pic


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Another pic


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Pic of one very fiesty female snake that refused to be measured,
this one bit me four times before I could quickly get this pic and let her loose
Beautifull snake.


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Hope these pics can help some of you in Identifying the species

These are all Northern watersnakes _Nerodia sipedon sipedon_
Common species in the Great lakes region


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

lovely markings. Did they just leave little scratchmarks when biting or did they draw significant amounts of blood? do they feed on fish in the wild for the majority of their diet, or what?


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

piranha45 said:


> lovely markings. Did they just leave little scratchmarks when biting or did they draw significant amounts of blood? do they feed on fish in the wild for the majority of their diet, or what?


 Oh they definitly draw a good amout of blood, often it is
unusual how much blood they draw, it's like they have
some type of anti-coagulant, They do not, but it sure seems
like it. 
A good sized snake can really give you a pretty gruesome if rather painless bite.
always looks worse than it is.

Diet is mostly fish, they will also take small rodents, Birds, amphibians
Other snakes and when small insects.


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

those are some great pics
and why are u wearing gloves


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Death in # said:


> those are some great pics
> and why are u wearing gloves


 Well if you have never had the pleasure
Watersnakes tend to do two things on catching them,
1. they bite repeatedly
2. they exude a very foul smelling musk and empty their bowels on you.

Beleave me after smelling that crap on your hands for a week,
you learn quickly to wear gloves when handling them.

I was also taking blood samples so it's also for hygenic issues,
trying not to contaminate the specimen with my own blood,
or it's foul exuded musk and bacteria contaminating my open wounds
after getting bit to many times to count.


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

these musk glands, are they fairly unique amongst snakes? where are the musk ducts located?


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

> 1. they bite repeatedly
> 2. they exude a very foul smelling musk and empty their bowels on you.


similiar to a musk turtle or total diffrent


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## Fruitbat (Jan 2, 2004)

All snakes can vent a 'musk' from their cloaca....water snake musk just happens to be particularly FOUL!! I can say this from many personal experiences with the Diamondback No Solicitation Allowed (_Nerodia rhombifera_) in the rivers and lakes around the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I can also attest to the fact that water snakes are willing and fast strikers....having been bloodied on many occasions when collecting the aquatic monsters. The bites aren't dangerous or even particularly painful but I can tell you that they do bleed profusely!!!

Even the smaller _Nerodia_ have the same vile disposition as their larger kin. I participated a number of years ago in a survey of the Brazos Water Snake (_Nerodia harteri_) and was bitten and besmirched by those little guys every bit as frequently as the Diamondback Water Snake.


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Fruitbat said:


> Even the smaller _Nerodia_ have the same vile disposition as their larger kin. I participated a number of years ago in a survey of the Brazos Water Snake (_Nerodia harteri_) and was bitten and besmirched by those little guys every bit as frequently as the Diamondback Water Snake.


 Yeah, that pic of the Newborn, it was probley just hours old,

Little sucker bit me at least seven times before it calmed enough to pose for that pic.

I just love these snakes, have to love their attitude and how feisty they are.
By far my favorite reptile.


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## Guest (Jun 21, 2004)

Poly, great pics. I wish my job was more like yours.:nod:

Water snakes are awesome predators. When I'm fishing, I often see them patroling the 
shallows with just their heads above the water.

Their cantankerous temperment has kept me from keeping one as a pet. I guess
their pugnacious attitude is an adaption to living out in the open, exposed to many potential predators.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

A strong place in my heart!
We've got more in common than I 
thought Poly; I did my
Master's work with Nerodia and bled
them for hormone study.

I'm guessing you use the caudal vein.
What are you bleeding them for?

I didn't tend to wear gloves, but
I'll admit to offending everyone I
saw for hours afterwards. I got
used to the stinking and biting
(and the occasional vomiting of fish)

Nerodeo, I dig it!


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

acestro said:


> A strong place in my heart!
> We've got more in common than I
> thought Poly; I did my
> Master's work with Nerodia and bled
> ...


 Purpose of the study was to get measurements of this population
to compare with others regionally, 
and to get a good idea of pcb and mercury levels in the blood.

They are eating alot of Round gobys in these parts and Bio-magnification is a 
serious concern, These snakes are an excellect way to keep track of this
perticular aspect of the Round goby problem here.

Meritistic data was the primary focus only a few were actually bled,
most of them being old females. (Re-Caps from previous studies as follow up)

Nerodia have a very special significance to myself also,
I've been doing local population surveys and behavioral work on them for 
what seems an eternity now,

It's funny actually how many people I meet that
just understand Nerodia and fondly remember getting 
smeared with foul musk in Nostalgia, I'm pretty much immune to it.
I literaly just do not react anymore as these bite the crap out of me,
so used to it that that shock value or fear is just gone, 
Smell is just normal so I do not even regester it anymore.

Thought about marketing the musk as a perfume for Biologists,
(well maybe the sweeter smelling Garter musk would be better)
Smell like it most the time anyhow :laugh:

Wife strongly disagrees with me after a day in the field.

Friend of mine used the term Nerodeo once to discribe working with
them in the field, Perfect term I think.
Only it is usually us that wind up bloody and beaten in the end :laugh:
Just have to love these snakes.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

They earn respect from those that stop and pay them attention.



> They are eating alot of Round gobys in these parts and Bio-magnification is a
> serious concern


It's funny, my initial project was to see if pollutants that so many people
were examining in fish were affecting nerodia. I agree, they love fish
so much that they are great bioindicators.

For those curious, they kinda suck as pets, although I've enjoyed a few
as pets in the past. Just think liquid poo and bad temper.
Not to mention liquid poo in the water dish.

Oh yeah, garter and ribbon snake musk rock! I do think they 
actually smell good. Again, in minority. Although I'd never 
claim to try an market Nerodia musk :rock:









I'm guessing this is around Lake Huron?


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

acestro said:


> I'm guessing this is around Lake Huron?


 Lake St. Clair, Detroit river, Lake Erie region,


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2004)

acestro said:


> For those curious, they kinda suck as pets, although I've enjoyed a few
> as pets in the past. Just think liquid poo and bad temper.
> Not to mention liquid poo in the water dish.


Thanks for that.

I had my hands on a vendor's deli cup with a water snake inside 
a few weeks ago. The one thing that stopped me was the vendor 
had the cup half full with water! I questioned the health of an animal
being kept so poorly and never bought the snake.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Bullsnake said:


> acestro said:
> 
> 
> > For those curious, they kinda suck as pets, although I've enjoyed a few
> ...


 Yes, being my subject of study (and keeping 24 of them, which later had 72 babies) I learned a lot. 
Namely, and you probably would appreciate this, Pituophis or a boa is a much better choice for a pet!


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