The cottonmouth is a heavy bodied snake that can be dark brown, have a dark cross-banding pattern with some yellow coloration, or be completely black. They also have a large triangular head with a dark line through the eye and elliptical pupils.
Behavior
The cottonmouth can be found day or night, but hunts primarily at night during the hottest parts of the year. Almost always found near aquatic habitats, this snake will enter fresh and saltwater environments.
Reproduction
Cottonmouths are oviviparous, meaning that the young develop inside the female in a shell-less egg. The female gives birth to as many as 12 offspring every two to three years.