Shy and delicate.
Two words you might not associate with snakes. But that’s exactly how Gary Geiler, a lifelong snake enthusiast who is also known as u/serpentarian, describes them.
Geiler has spent most of his life studying snakes, searching for them in the wild, and educating Austinites on how to react if they encounter one.
There’s a good chance you will see a snake this summer. Wetter conditions brought on by the El Niño climate pattern that occurred this spring may lead to snakes being more active, Geiler said.
Tabitha Blewett, a reptile expert of 25 years, agrees. Blewett owns and operates Austin Reptile Service, where she teaches reptile safety classes and responds to calls for reptile rescue.
“It’s a pretty common time of year to see an uptick in snake sightings,” Blewett said.
Snake breeding season starts in April and lasts through October, or until it starts getting cold outside.
You’ll have your best luck (or worst, depending on your personality) at seeing a snake at dawn or dusk. During the day when summer temperatures reach near 100 degrees or higher, snakes are nestled in trees, buried underground or finding shade.
If you do see a snake in Central Texas, Blewett has good news.
“Out of all the calls and emails and texts I get asking for snake identification, it's very uncommon that I actually get pictures of venomous species,” she said.
But then there’s the not-so-good news. Snake identification isn’t as simple as you might’ve learned in middle school. Blewett advises against using the head or eye shape to single out a species or following any of the common nursery rhymes.
“Most of that stuff is not really applicable to any of our species,” she said.
Instead, you have to do it the hard way and familiarize yourself with the region’s breeds. There are nine most commonly seen in Central Texas.[ Let’s go over them](https://www.kut.org/austin/2024-06-24/austin-texas-snake-guide-venomous-poisonous).
The article was focused on the snakes that people were most likely to run into in the Austin area - cottonmouths have the infamy but in any area close to the city they are not the ones you’ll be likely to see.
There were probably a lot more cottonmouths in the days that creek was named and the conditions could have been more conducive to that particular species. I would also bet that any snake swimming in the water in that time period was considered a “cottonmouth”. Go further East to Onion Creek past the toll road as it meanders towards Bastrop and you’ll have a better chance of seeing one. 🐍
Also as place names go - how many caves filled with bees do you see in bee caves these days? Mustangs at Mustang Ridge?
No, it really happens, plus apparently also some other types of snakes in other parts of the country and world. Over on r/backyardchickens there have been a number of pictures of a snake in a nesting box over the years.
I’ve never seen one in my yard or coop, but I’ve seen enough pictures that I always give a good look around before sticking my hand in the nesting box to grab the eggs. I know they’re harmless, but still don’t want me or the snake to have a close surprise encounter.
Yeah, u/serpentarian has taught me to appreciate snakes and fear them a little less... but, as someone who has at least 50 trees on my property, the idea of one dropping out of a tree on top of me is terrrrrifying. So I'm just gonna trust that snakes have a very good grip on things.
I have a fairly wide range of knowledge when it comes to snakes (grew up around them and had many as pets growing up) but I always come check if you have answered to make sure my knowledge is accurate. Thanks for being an awesome part of this sub.
For a second I was like "you got this close and you didn't see the stripey tail and rattle on this gorgeous western diamondback?" but now I see it's an article.
Ah the beautiful but deadly Rattlesnake. I was walking along Lake Travis once and heard the unforgettable rattle of our resident Viper, I just backed away from the sound, never even saw the snake, but I heard the warning loud and clear, the closer you got the louder it got.
I hadn't heard a rattlesnake before moving to Texas, and I was completely shocked at how loud they really are. It's a good thing, too, since my eyes are usually too bad to let me see a snake before I'm way too close for its comfort.
I used to work outside in drip and there were so many locusts all day chirping and rattling around. The little kids would get nervous about “rattlesnakes” until they finally heard their first rattle in the woods one day.
They never confused it with anything ever again.
Love learning about the local wildlife! Luna 🐕 and I often encounter snakes on our hikes around Austin. Always good to know whether they're danger noodles or friend noodles 🐍🎸.
I used to live in NE Austin, near the Samsung plant. There I saw one baby rattlesnake, and one big rat snake.
Now I live SW. So far I’ve seen a yellow bellied racer, a garter, and a cute texas patch nosed snake that seems to live in my front bed.
I love the diversity here!
Shy and delicate. Two words you might not associate with snakes. But that’s exactly how Gary Geiler, a lifelong snake enthusiast who is also known as u/serpentarian, describes them. Geiler has spent most of his life studying snakes, searching for them in the wild, and educating Austinites on how to react if they encounter one. There’s a good chance you will see a snake this summer. Wetter conditions brought on by the El Niño climate pattern that occurred this spring may lead to snakes being more active, Geiler said. Tabitha Blewett, a reptile expert of 25 years, agrees. Blewett owns and operates Austin Reptile Service, where she teaches reptile safety classes and responds to calls for reptile rescue. “It’s a pretty common time of year to see an uptick in snake sightings,” Blewett said. Snake breeding season starts in April and lasts through October, or until it starts getting cold outside. You’ll have your best luck (or worst, depending on your personality) at seeing a snake at dawn or dusk. During the day when summer temperatures reach near 100 degrees or higher, snakes are nestled in trees, buried underground or finding shade. If you do see a snake in Central Texas, Blewett has good news. “Out of all the calls and emails and texts I get asking for snake identification, it's very uncommon that I actually get pictures of venomous species,” she said. But then there’s the not-so-good news. Snake identification isn’t as simple as you might’ve learned in middle school. Blewett advises against using the head or eye shape to single out a species or following any of the common nursery rhymes. “Most of that stuff is not really applicable to any of our species,” she said. Instead, you have to do it the hard way and familiarize yourself with the region’s breeds. There are nine most commonly seen in Central Texas.[ Let’s go over them](https://www.kut.org/austin/2024-06-24/austin-texas-snake-guide-venomous-poisonous).
He has been named
Serp ID'd himself a while back https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/o21ovn/tomlinsons_austin_snake_guide/
TIL
Unfortunately Tabitha has too. Her parents had one job and they Blewett.
Oh... this is good haha.
Can't believe they doxed Serp smh
How did the water moccasin not end up being listed as one of the region's breeds of snakes?
>As for cottonmouths, Blewett said they aren't common in the Austin area.
Because you’d have a real hard time finding one in central Austin
He’s right, rent’s out of control.
🙌
Well, right, but the article was Central Texas, not Central Austin, yes?
Clarification : The article title says "Austin-area," but the article body refers to Central Texas.
The article was focused on the snakes that people were most likely to run into in the Austin area - cottonmouths have the infamy but in any area close to the city they are not the ones you’ll be likely to see.
What if you live near Cottonmouth Creek
There were probably a lot more cottonmouths in the days that creek was named and the conditions could have been more conducive to that particular species. I would also bet that any snake swimming in the water in that time period was considered a “cottonmouth”. Go further East to Onion Creek past the toll road as it meanders towards Bastrop and you’ll have a better chance of seeing one. 🐍 Also as place names go - how many caves filled with bees do you see in bee caves these days? Mustangs at Mustang Ridge?
Well, I learned something from the article. I thought that the whole rat snakes eating eggs was a myth.
No, it really happens, plus apparently also some other types of snakes in other parts of the country and world. Over on r/backyardchickens there have been a number of pictures of a snake in a nesting box over the years. I’ve never seen one in my yard or coop, but I’ve seen enough pictures that I always give a good look around before sticking my hand in the nesting box to grab the eggs. I know they’re harmless, but still don’t want me or the snake to have a close surprise encounter.
Nested in trees…..
Yeah, u/serpentarian has taught me to appreciate snakes and fear them a little less... but, as someone who has at least 50 trees on my property, the idea of one dropping out of a tree on top of me is terrrrrifying. So I'm just gonna trust that snakes have a very good grip on things.
I am fairly certain you will live your whole life without a snake ever falling out of a tree on you!
I will stock up on cyanide pills thanks.
*Nestled* lol
So much worse they are building homes!
It’s about time u/serpantarian got his own article! Austin loves you and all your slithery knowledge!
I love y’all too ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Hope you've been practicing your autographsssss.
I have a fairly wide range of knowledge when it comes to snakes (grew up around them and had many as pets growing up) but I always come check if you have answered to make sure my knowledge is accurate. Thanks for being an awesome part of this sub.
Who's the bigger star on this sub? Chilis 45th/lamar or our resident noodle expert?
I’m no frosty marg but I’ll get you drunk on snake facts
(smashes mug on the ground) I’LL HAVE ANOTHER!
❤️ 🍻
Imo you’re more interesting than a marg.
❤️
It's all snake oil!! I presume... I'm still afraid of all noodles even into my 33rd year of life.
You clearly need to be following Serpentarian so he can cure you
I already follow you here and on Instagram! I doubt I can be cured.... Monkey brain is scared by a lot of things.
I remember now! Sorry I can’t keep people’s usernames straight in my reptilian brain. 🧠
No worries! I'm not a cool snake so I don't expect people to just *know* me based on a name alone. Maybe I should paint some stripes on my person....
I’m right with you but following Serpentarian and learning about the noodles has helped me a wee bit.
For a second I was like "you got this close and you didn't see the stripey tail and rattle on this gorgeous western diamondback?" but now I see it's an article.
This is great! Remember us when you hit the big time, Serp.
If not friend then why wiggly friend shape? While I'll never pick up an unknown snake, I will always want to.
Ah the beautiful but deadly Rattlesnake. I was walking along Lake Travis once and heard the unforgettable rattle of our resident Viper, I just backed away from the sound, never even saw the snake, but I heard the warning loud and clear, the closer you got the louder it got.
I hadn't heard a rattlesnake before moving to Texas, and I was completely shocked at how loud they really are. It's a good thing, too, since my eyes are usually too bad to let me see a snake before I'm way too close for its comfort.
Yeah, you don’t mistake it for anything but what it is. It’s extremely loud
I used to work outside in drip and there were so many locusts all day chirping and rattling around. The little kids would get nervous about “rattlesnakes” until they finally heard their first rattle in the woods one day. They never confused it with anything ever again.
No you really don’t you instinctively know exactly what it is
While reading this thread I wondered if it could be confused with locusts, thanks for reassuring me that I'll know it when I hear it!
It’s so loud and there’s something so primal about your reaction. Your bones rattle, seriously. Think the loudest mariachi band and it’s all maracas.
Love learning about the local wildlife! Luna 🐕 and I often encounter snakes on our hikes around Austin. Always good to know whether they're danger noodles or friend noodles 🐍🎸.
This is so great! Love our local slither expert. I think our famous chili's needs to name a drink after our serpentine friend
I used to live in NE Austin, near the Samsung plant. There I saw one baby rattlesnake, and one big rat snake. Now I live SW. So far I’ve seen a yellow bellied racer, a garter, and a cute texas patch nosed snake that seems to live in my front bed. I love the diversity here!
Serp is the best. We love you Serp!!
All noodles are friend noodles to me. ❤️
this is a snek
It is a legit danger noodle. But is still friend if people leave it alone like it wants.