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Water Moccasin or "cotton-mouth" Snake — Part 3
In captivity there are few or no reptiles more hardy than the Moccasin. The writer has specimens which have been captive for more than eleven years, and promise to flourish for an indefinite time. Some of these snakes were captive born and have grown to great size, owing to a regular supply of food and the absence of the hibernating period, which tends to limit a reptile's growth. These specimens never show the least intimations of hostility, and in fact the general demeanour of this species of snake when removed from a wild state is a lazy indifference to everything but food. They live well with no other water than contained in a small drinking dish, and usually congregate in social clusters with heads protruding in all directions from the mass of tangled bodies. With other snakes of equal, or even larger, size they are generally quarrelsome. Smaller snakes of other species are usually eaten, while many young Moccasins may be in the cage with the adults and escape all molestation. The pugnacious attitude of the Moccasin toward other snakes was well illustrated by the escape from a cage in the writer's collection of a specimen of moderate size. This reptile prowled about the "snake room" until, prompted by a spirit of curiosity or seeking a place to hide, it entered the ventilating apparatus and into the cage of a large South American Anaconda. There it battled with the big constrictor, biting him in a dozen places. The catastrophe occurred during the night. Morning revealed the presence of the moccasin, quietly coiled in the quarters of the anaconda, and the twelve-foot serpent lay contorted and dead after its struggles against the action of the formidable virus of its diminutive adversary, a snake of less than four feet.
Captive Moccasins feed upon small rabbits, rats, birds, fishes and frogs. Rabbits and large rats seem to greatly excite these snakes. They strike many times, and wildly, as if in fear of being attacked by the animals. With smaller creatures they do not strike, and then await the death of the animal from the poison, as is characteristic with most Crotaline snakes in captivity, but once seizing the animal they retain their hold, with fangs deeply imbedded, until its struggles have ceased, when swallowing commences. It is the opinion of the writer that all of the poisonous snakes feed in this manner when wild, unless the prey be very large and powerful, and that the striking of a rattlesnake and the immediate release of the bitten creature is merely a symptom of nervousness exhibited by many of the poisonous snakes which are so high-strung, that they are on the constant qui vive in captivity. The Moccasin, possessed of a more stolid disposition shows its natural manners of feeding even when under artificial conditions.
If a man is reckless enough to trust a snake possessing venomous fangs, he may handle one of these serpents with the utmost good-nature on the part of the reptile. Such familiarity with the average rattlesnake would be immediately resented and with disastrous results.
The Moccasin produces small broods of living young, the number varying from seven to twelve. Among several specimens under observation, two produced broods of eight young, each; three gave birth to broods of twelve young, each, and one to a litter of three. A very small female gave birth to one youngster, which fed voraciously and within two years was so much larger than its mother that conditions of parent and off-spring appeared to be reversed.