# Diamondback Watersnake (*Nerodia rhombifer*) The Diamondback Watersnake is a friendly snake that loves to swim in rivers and lakes. It has beautiful diamond-shaped patterns on its skin, which help it blend in with the water and rocks. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Diamondback Snake ![Diamondback Watersnake](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Diamondback_Watersnake.jpg&width=800) Photo: Susan E Adams, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diamondback_Watersnake.jpg) ## Appearance The Diamondback Watersnake is a robust, non-venomous snake with a striking pattern of dark blotches resembling diamonds on a lighter brown, tan, or yellowish background. Its belly is often yellow or white with dark spots. This pattern helps it blend seamlessly into muddy riverbeds and vegetated waters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Serpentes - **Family:** Colubridae - **Genus:** Nerodia ## Interesting facts - A single mother Diamondback Watersnake can give birth to over 60 live babies at once! - Despite their scary appearance, these snakes are not venomous to humans at all. - Their scales feel keeled, meaning they have a ridge down the center, giving them a rough texture! - They are often mistaken for venomous cottonmouths, but they have round pupils, not slit pupils. ## Special abilities - **Aquatic Agility:** Diamondback Watersnakes can swim with incredible speed and grace, propelling themselves through water using their muscular bodies to catch slippery prey. - **Stinky Defense:** Diamondback Watersnakes have musk glands that help them release a foul-smelling liquid when threatened, making predators think twice about eating them. - **Live Birth:** Diamondback Watersnakes give birth to live young, bypassing eggs that need incubation, which helps their babies survive better. - **Flattening Threat Display:** Diamondback Watersnakes can flatten their bodies and heads to appear much larger, which helps them scare away potential threats without needing to bite. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 75-150 cm - **Weight:** 0.2-1.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 5 km/h - **Swim Speed:** 10 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 2 m ## Diet & Feeding Diamondback Watersnakes mostly eat fish, frogs, and other small aquatic creatures. - **Primary Foods:** Fish, Frogs, Salamanders, Crayfish - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Bluegill](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bluegill) (*Lepomis macrochirus*) — Main food source for juvenile and adult watersnakes. - **Hunts:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Lithobates catesbeianus*) — Eats tadpoles and adult frogs found near water. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Large birds of prey can snatch snakes from the water's edge. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Opportunistic predators that prey on snakes near water. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low If you see a snake, it's best to stay calm and walk away. They are usually not harmful and just want to be left alone. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Diamondback Watersnake? Compare the full body pattern, build, head markings and tail. Color can shift with age and lighting. Rules of thumb about triangular heads or round pupils aren't a reliable way to tell whether a snake is venomous. Snake Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Diamondback Watersnake? 75-150 cm ### How much does Diamondback Watersnake weigh? 0.2-1.5 kg ### How long does Diamondback Watersnake live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Diamondback Watersnake move? 5 km/h ### What does Diamondback Watersnake eat? Diamondback Watersnakes mostly eat fish, frogs, and other small aquatic creatures. ### How fast can Diamondback Watersnake swim? 10 km/h ### Where is Diamondback Watersnake usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Audubon Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/audubon-place-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Downtown Tuscaloosa Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-tuscaloosa-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Gorgas-Manly Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gorgas-manly-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Campus - [San Antonio Missions National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-antonio-missions-national-historical-park) — Texas, US · National Park - [Abilene Zoological Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abilene-zoological-gardens) — Texas, US · Zoo - [San Antonio Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-antonio-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo [View all places to see Diamondback Watersnake](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/diamondback-watersnake) ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Diamondback Watersnake: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/diamondback-watersnake)