4. Copperheads

When I was a small child, my family's terrier attacked and killed a Copperhead that was living in a sandbox I played in, so they mark my personal first brush with a venomous snake. They tend to be light brown or tan with darker bands crossing their backs. They are numerous in the Houston area, and while their bite is venomous, its toxicity is considered relatively low. Southern Copperheads like to inhabit wooded areas, and are often spotted in parks or wooded yards. They will often shelter themselves under piles of brush or rocks, and can provide a nasty surprise to humans that poke around their habitat without taking precautions. They tend to be small to medium sized, generally topping out at about 36 inches.

Jared Kirby, a friend and snake authority, says encounters with Copperheads can often be avoided.

"Most confrontations can be avoided altogether by being watchful and trying to avoid walking through tall grass. When you have to venture into areas where you are likely to find them, your best bet is to wear boots and jeans for protection. I'd venture to guess that most Copperhead bites are from people stepping on them while barefoot or wearing flip flops."

3. Western Cottonmouth

This snake, commonly referred to as the "Water Moccasin" is another fairly common in this  area, particularly along places close to a body of water. They are usually fairly stout, and either dark brown or nearly black, with markings along their backs. Cottonmouths resemble other water snakes, and have a fairly nasty reputation as being aggressive and quick to strike. I spent part of my childhood growing up in a rural area outside of Houston which was located along a creek, and encountered Water Moccasins on a nearly daily basis. Occasionally when the water was really high, they would climb into the branches of low laying trees, which was always an unpleasant surprise. But that was in the country. Years later, I was shocked when I spotted something large and dark laying in the street in front of my house in the Heights. I approached it expecting to find a small pile of trash, and realized that it was a rather large snake instead. Even then, my first thoughts were that it must be a fake snake made of rubber, until it suddenly moved when I was about ten feet away. In any case, I suddenly understood that snakes like Water Moccasins didn't respect city boundaries, and they adapt to city living just fine. These guys range in size from about two to three feet in length, although bigger ones are occasionally found.

Kirby feels that Cottonmouths have an unfortunate reputation, but that it's not entirely their fault.

"They would much rather crawl or swim away than become involved in an altercation with a person. The chances of an encounter with them is unfortunately higher due to the active manner in which they hunt. Unlike Rattlesnakes or Copperheads, Cottonmouths spend a great deal of time on the move in and around local waterways like the bayous, searching for prey.

Despite their mobile form of hunting, Jared still maintains that humans are usually more dangerous to Cottonmouths than the other way around, and that people should just avoid snakes in the wild, allowing them to go about their business.

"Many other snakes mimic the Cottonmouths' appearance, and almost every picture I see posted online of a "Water Moccasin" that's been killed by someone is just some harmless Water Snake or Hognose. If a you see a snake of any kind, just leave it the Hell alone. It will work out great for all parties involved."