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photo ©Dylan Edwards

As you probably know, snakes shed their skins as they grow. Most snakes need a lot of moisture in order to shed cleanly, which is one of the reasons you'll see them swimming around or soaking in the water. I always seem to find sheds after a rainstorm, probably because the wet environment makes it easy to shed just about anywhere. If the skin is too dry it tends to come off in little pieces rather than as one complete sleeve, and bits can get stuck and cause a variety of problems for the snake.

photo ©Dylan Edwards

photo ©Dylan Edwards

Many people I've talked to have expressed fear and concern regarding the presence of these snakes by the pond. Often they mistake these for venomous water moccasins and threaten to kill the snakes for safety reasons. In response to this, I have created an informational page to educate people about these snakes in hopes of easing people's concerns.