Only 6 of these snakes are venomous. It is illegal to kill a nonvenomous snake (O.C.G.A. Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin) The North Georgia water snakes that people often come across are the Banded and Northern species. These snakes have bands that are wide on the top and look borderline symmetrical while the Copperhead’s pattern and band is narrow on top and looks more like an hourglass. As always, the best thing you can do before heading out into the wilderness, or just going for a swim in a lake, is to familiarize yourself with the local snake species, especially the venomous ones. Of the 46 species of snakes in Georgia, only six are venomous. Instead look at the snake’s eyes. The Eastern Diamondback is ready to strike at moments notice, it is highly irritable and will readily defend itself if threatened. Some of those harmless water snakes look and act like the venomous cottonmouth snake, which also spends a lot of time in the water. While most snakes in Georgia are harmless, it’s still smart to be able to identify the venomous snakes. Brown Water Snake: Another snake known by a number of other names, you may have heard of it called the water-pilot, green water snake, southern water snake, water rattler or great water snake. This snake is the largest venomous snake in all of America. 2. A heavy-bodies snake, it can measure up to 60-70 inches in length and is often confused with the water moccasin or cottonmouth snake because of the match in appearance and habitat - streams and swamps. By: Ashlyn Halseth. Legally, you’re not supposed to kill the non-venomous snakes, so it’s important to know the difference. Georgia is home to over 41 different snakes. The one sure fire way to determine if a snake is a common water snake or a water moccasin is to look at the head but not at the shape of the head. As a pit viper, the water moccasin has the distinctive, wide-jawed, wedge-shaped head, and water snakes … Coral snakes belong to the elapids family of snakes, which includes some of the deadliest snakes in the world, such as cobras and mambas. The difference is most notable when comparing the heads of both snakes. Permits are required to possess any of Georgia's non-venomous snakes. The state of Georgia protects its non-venomous snakes. As their name suggests, the red-bellied watersnake or Nerodia erythrogaster erythrogaster is a non-venomous snake, found in Georgia, that lives close to water!They are known for their distinctive keeled scales, that make them appear dull and raised off the snake’s body as opposed to smooth scales. This list needs pictures and descriptions for each snake listed to fit the goals of the Snake Project. Water Snakes. Here’s what you need to know. Many water snakes have a triangular head and there are other better ways to determine whether the snake is a water moccasin or a common water snake. Water Moccasins or Cottonmouths Water moccasins thrive in the southeastern parts of the U.S. but often get confused with non-poisonous water snakes. It is normally found in south Georgia, although there have been a few sightings in Middle Georgia. Below are Georgia's non-venomous snakes. According to a 2012 study, Georgia has 15.67 snakes per square mile, surpassing Arizona's 15.2 for the largest number in the country. 27-1-28). It is illegal to kill, capture or harrass any of the snakes pictured below.