Chocaholic - For what it's worth I used to own a house in Augusta that had a fair sized pond at the back. I had snakes swimming across it frequently and they were yellow bellied water snakes. They would always make themselves scarce whenever you got close. Never did see a cottonmouth. I was told that they swim differently, the water snakes swim just under the surface with their head above water but the cottonmouths inflate themselves and swim on top of the water. I don't know if there are any experts on here that could confirm or deny that. Either way they were just left to go happily about their business.

You don't know it, but that fellow is your best friend. If he takes up residence with you it means water mocs haven't. If he leaves, they're likely to take his place. Obviously that's a good place for slithering fellows and water mocs are common in your area. Let him stay where he is and don't molest him. He's more than paying his rent to you.

its a snake that you should be smarter than. know he may be there, act accordingly, and know you could kill him. it's nature live with it and at one, you are better served.

i feel crummy when i kill an animal, unless i might be eating it. now people? they suck.

T$

I have no intention of killing it. But I have a wife and three kids that aren't fond snakes slithering around where they swim and play. We're not over-run with snakes here. This is the first I'd seen in 4 years. Just hoping I can convince him to relocate.

Don't shoot the snake!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/06/boy.killed.ap/index.html