Diamondback water snake questions

Caddyspaddy · 05-25-21, 06:45 PM

I rescued a baby snake from my sisters cat about a month ago. Thought it was a rat snake but turned out to be a water snake, either diamondback or brown. I heard these guys can be nippy but im hoping to tame it down since its super young. Right now it each super small frozen pinkies and crickets because I didn't know it was a water snake. Ive had a water snake temporarily in the past but was way bigger and darker and nippy. What are the chances of me taming this one down? Its no nippy at the moment. I have it in a kritter keeper but have a bioactive enclosure im waiting to grow in before i transfer him or her. Any advice is welcomed too. Couldn't find any info on growth rate, anybody know about that. Ill try to attach pics

poison123 · 05-25-21, 09:50 PM

I believe I read on this very forum many years ago that the care for water snakes is not so different than a corn snake or garter snake. Mostly land with a water bowel large enough to submerge in. Now I've never had a water snake so dont listen to me just something I read on here. Would like to see pics though. you would need to make 5 post before posting a pic unless you share a link to the image.

toddnbecka · 05-27-21, 11:37 PM

Water snakes do fine in a typical corn or king snake setup. Do provide a large water bowl, add a few rocks, and stock it with guppies every few days. The rocks will help the snake hunt down the fish, though if it's already eating unscented pinks you can continue feeding those as well. Avoid goldfish or rosy red (aka fathead) minnows, they contain thiaminase.
Did you think it was a baby rat snake because it has a checkerboard pattern? That would most likely be a diamondback water snake.

Caddyspaddy · 05-28-21, 06:36 PM

Thanks i will take that into account and research. I originally thought it was a rat snake because thats what we usually get in my neighborhood. Rat snakes and copperheads. The water snakes have been seen and found at the creek but not near my house. And it came into the yard from the back where the field is but I've never seen water in that field flying my drone. So i just naturally assumed a rat snake then some pics looked similar. Wasnt till i added water he came to life and started thriving. I'll probably keep on pinkies but i think its so young it never had a fish. My thoughts is that the mom traveled a few days to get to thebfield and layed her eggs there cause itd just be nearly impossible for a baby to make that trip unharmed