# Tessellated Water Snake (*Natrix tessellata*) The Tessellated Water Snake is a smooth, non-venomous snake that loves to swim! It has beautiful patterns that help it blend in with the water and plants around it. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Tessellated Water Snake](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Natrix_tessellata_Rheinland-Pfalz_01.jpg&width=800) Photo: Orchi, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Natrix_tessellata_Rheinland-Pfalz_01.jpg) ## Appearance The Tessellated Water Snake has a slender body, typically grey, olive, or brownish, marked with a distinctive checkerboard-like pattern of dark, square spots. Its underside is usually yellowish with scattered dark blotches. This unique pattern helps it camouflage in rocky riverbeds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Serpentes - **Family:** Colubridae - **Genus:** Natrix ## Interesting facts - Female water snakes are often much larger than males. - These snakes can shed their skin several times a year. - They sometimes bask on tree branches overhanging water. - They're non-venomous, making them harmless to humans! ## Special abilities - **Foul Scent Defense:** Tessellated Water Snake can release a smelly musk because of glands near its tail that deters predators when it feels threatened. - **Playing Dead:** Tessellated Water Snake has a special ability to play dead (thanatosis) that helps them trick predators into thinking they are no longer a threat. - **Underwater Agility:** Tessellated Water Snake has a streamlined body and powerful tail that helps them swim quickly through water to catch agile fish. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 50-130 cm - **Weight:** 0.2-1.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-15 years - **Swim Speed:** 7 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-30 - **Incubation:** 30-70 days ## Diet & Feeding This snake is a skilled underwater hunter, mostly eating fish but also enjoying frogs! - **Age differences:** Young snakes tend to eat smaller prey like tadpoles and very small fish. - **Primary Foods:** fish, frogs, newts, tadpoles - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Gudgeon (*Gobio gobio*) — A common small fish preyed upon by the snake. - **Hunts:** [European perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-perch) (*Perca fluviatilis*) — Another fish species that the water snake commonly hunts. - **Eaten by:** [Western Marsh Harrier](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-marsh-harrier) (*Circus aeruginosus*) — A bird of prey that can hunt these snakes. - **Eaten by:** European Otter (*Lutra lutra*) — An aquatic mammal that preys on water snakes. - **Eaten by:** [Grey Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grey-heron) (*Ardea cinerea*) — A large wading bird that can catch and eat snakes. ## Traits - [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. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [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. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a snake, it's best to watch from a distance and not touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Tessellated Water Snake? 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 Tessellated Water Snake? 50-130 cm ### How much does Tessellated Water Snake weigh? 0.2-1.5 kg ### How long does Tessellated Water Snake live? 8-15 years ### What does Tessellated Water Snake eat? This snake is a skilled underwater hunter, mostly eating fish but also enjoying frogs! ### How fast can Tessellated Water Snake swim? 7 km/h ### Where is Tessellated Water Snake usually found? Wetlands ### How does Tessellated Water Snake hunt? Ambush ## 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: [Tessellated Water Snake: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tessellated-water-snake)