Welcome to Season 2. Kicking things off with the most common snake down in Louisiana the Broad Banded Water snake. I saw these at just about every trailhead I visited and in big numbers too. In this episode we dive into some of their key differences between them and the snake they're most often confused with, the Cottonmouth. You will see footage of cottonmouths being handled via grabbing behind the head. Please don't attempt to replicate what you see in those shots unless you are a trained professional using these skills for educational purposes.

This is the Western Ribbon Snake. This was potentially the most abundant snake I found in south Louisiana. They also have a knack for being a bit nippy sometimes. You won't really see much of the snake biting me in this video but you will for about a second near the end so it's not 100% clickbait haha.

This is the Copperhead. In my opinion, it's one of the most gorgeous vipers in the U.S. Video doesn't do justice to the true beauty of these snakes too. They are way prettier in person. Please don't attempt to handle venomous snakes like you see me do in this video. I was under the supervision of someone who's had years of experience with this which aided in my safety. Also don't be fooled by the calm demeanor of the individual I was handling. After filming, it decided to bite my snake hook and I had to wash off the venom from my hook.

This is the Speckled Kingsnake and in my opinion, probably the prettiest snake I've ever seen in the wild at the time of posting this video. Seeing one in person is so much more exciting than just on video. Also I was able to feature a second species in this episode that normally is pretty boring, but the individual I found was interesting because not only was it a pregnant female, she was found 4 feet from the ground. I'd never seen this species do that until that moment. Overall, this might be my favorite episode from this season.

I present to you, the two most common racers in Louisiana. I did visit the area in Louisiana where Buttermilk racers are found but I never found any so unfortunately, I'm only comparing 2 racers instead of 3. Honestly in terms of beauty, racers are HIGHLY underrated. All racers I've seen in my opinion are stunning snakes but, in this video, I'd have to say the Black racer is the prettiest. Which one do you think is the prettiest?

These are some of my favorite snakes from Louisiana because they're so docile and so beautiful. I had never seen so many in my life until that one night my friends found 12 in a single stretch of bushes lining a swampy trail. It really made me miss finding smooth green snakes back home. I think having one of these as a pet would be delightful if properly cared for. But that's easier said than done.

I thought I'd feature two more water snake species I got to see in Louisiana. The diamondback water snake definitely holds a special place in my heart because it was my first snake catch. However, the Mississippi Green water snake is still something I have yet to catch myself. But that doesn't mean I can't feature it.

If you live anywhere in the Eastern U.S., you may have seen one of these, the Eastern Gartersnake. There's some controversy over the fact that they possess a mild venom. What can't be argued however is the very apparent rear fangs they have that supposedly deliver that venom. Toxic or not, they're completely harmless to humans.

One of my favorite finds of my entire trip to Louisiana was finding a Midland water snake close to my friend's house that I stayed at. This creek just walking distance from his house is filled with cottonmouths and diamondback water snakes, but I never expected to see one of these.

If a water snake wanted to be anything in its lifetime, it would be a Cottonmouth. Most of the time, identifying one of these apart from a harmless water snake simply can't be done without getting a close look. They're likely the most successful viper in Louisiana as they are easily the most common. I saw them in multiple different habitats at while I visited. My favorite feature is the very noticeable ridge that makes up their snout. (This is characteristic of basically any moccasin). Like a water snake, they're very flighty and will do anything they can to get out of your way but when cornered, they show you what gives them that iconic name.

This is the Canebrake Rattlesnake. Though I consider this the most dangerous snake in the state, that's merely just a comparison to the other snake's native to Louisiana. The truth is, there's no such thing as a dangerous snake when they're left alone. Like any rattlesnake, they do everything they can to avoid an interaction with humans. I went out looking for this species multiple times when I visited and never had any luck. So, seeing this was something I'll never forget. I never expected that I'd see a rattlesnake so big either.

This is one of Louisiana's most common snakes! The Texas Ratsnake! It took a few trips down there to see one of these for some reason but eventually we got an amazing episode out of it and with a big individual too! These snakes can reach lengths of 7 feet and yet still spend a lot of their time high above the ground to either bask or hunt for birds! Sorry for the delayed upload. I've recently made a huge change in my work life balance while also starting college. But now that the spring semester is over, I'll be able to crank out a lot of videos for the next couple months! And I have many good ones from Florida and Utah lined up to edit and upload so stay tuned.