snake
Cory Ryan

How to Identify Snakes in Northwest Louisiana

Cory Ryan

Snakes are part of life here in Northwest Louisiana. However, for some reason it seems that we have more snakes these days than ever before. In fact, one of Cory's dogs was just recently bitten by a copperhead (as seen above) and luckily survived. 

Knowing how to identify dangerous snakes is important. Here are just a few of the snakes that are indigenous to Northwest Louisiana and you can see the complete list here. Be on the lookout!

 

  • Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    1

    Canebrake Rattlesnake

    25-70 inches. Light tan or beige above with dark brown crossbands and a reddish stripe down the middle of the back; brown band from eye to angle of mouth; tail dark gray or black; scales keeled.

  • Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    2

    Copperhead

    14-45 inches. Beige, tan or pale gray, often with a dull pink or orange tint above, with broad, darker brown, hourglass-shaped crossbands that slightly paler on the lower sides; underside whitish with dark brown blotches.

  • Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    3

    Cottonmouth

    15-55 inches. Dark tan, brown or nearly black, with vague black or dark brown crossbands; side of head black with a white line from the eye to the angle of the mouth

  • Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    4

    Diamond-backed Water Snake

    18-65 inches. Pale gray-brown or tan above with dark brown or black crossbars alternating on the back and sides; dark markings are smaller than the interspaces; underside yellowish with small dark markings.

  • Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    5

    Racer

    20-65 inches. Racers are shiny black with white throats in the Florida Parishes. Racers in the Mississippi Valley and low areas of the southeastern part of the State are gray with black masks and whitish undersides.

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