Northern Brown Water Snake Inquiry

[x5tr41ghtj4ck3t]

I'm bored, and this is an excellent forum that shouldn't be taken for granted. So, I've been living in the Ulster County area of NY for just under a decade. I'm young, and interested in the relationships between animals out here and so I've got some questions that don't necessarily have to be answered. I guess it's more for discussion, really.
NOTE: I do not have credentials, so please don't use me as an example or quote me like I'm qualified to be handing out information. This is all personal.

The most common snake I find is the Northern Brown Water Snake. It's a beautiful creature, but darn it, I appreciate variety now and again. I've done a little research, but mostly personal studying. It appears that these snakes are labeled as aggressive (Snakes of New York State- Upstate NY Species).

Now, when I was a teen, I really didn't consider the morale of animals often or at least to the necessary degree they deserve. So of course, regardless of being bitten or of how much I might upset the poor guys, I would pick them up, and yes, they are very aggressive and spew awful musk almost every single time. However, what I've learned is that after you put them in some sort of container, they are docile upon exit. I have not once been bitten by a water snake AFTER captivity.

Now that I'm older, I've been keeping wild caught for longer periods of time (again, for my own personal interest; I do name them, but I do not label them as "pets").
I've also observed the common garter [or the maritime garter; I'm not positive] (ironically not as common, at least in my herpings), and they are labeled generally docile. Maybe it's just me, but when I find them, they bite me and musk, and when I've kept them around, they still bite me and musk. I'm assuming you've either got to be a philosopher, or a professional in herpetology to answer my question, but I was just wondering what exactly is it that would make these two snakes behave differently than what is claimed, and as well different from each other in MY experiences?

The garter snake and NBWS generally prey on the same animals and inhabit the same area (I find both mostly by the water, and actually, I've witnessed a garter with its mouth on one side of a frog, and a NBWS on the other, slowly eating him. The garter eventually regurgitated more of his portion for each amount that the NBWS advanced. The NBWS got to have the meal). According to the website, garter snakes get up to 5 feet long. I've NEVER seen one that long, but even so, they are thin; the NBWS is claimed at a max of 3 feet, most of which I've seen are much thicker than the garters (the NBWS do bear live young, thirty I think, and so maybe every large one I've seen has been pregnant =] ). I suppose it's childish to think the larger animal is more aggressive (seeing how people hold huge boas and aren't under constant attack).

Another thing that really blows my mind are the feeding habits of the NBWS (at least the one I currently have). Now, I understand that you all have mixed feelings, so very very few of you may not condone what I'm about to say, but I do go out and look for the snake's natural prey (considering he's from the same area/habitat and has already been feeding on the inhabitants here, it seems only fair to feed him what he's used to, so that when I return him, he doesn't have to re-transition his meal plan). Live frog is often on the menu, and I've noticed something peculiar (there's no way I could miss it anyway).

I have had TWO pickerel frogs in my tank with the NBWS for TWO WEEKS. TWO freaking weeks of listening to these guys every night, jumping up into the screen lid AS IF they can either not see the barrier, or they think there's a nice tasty snack for them (which I do provide insects from outside, since they insist on surviving; they will be released if neither is eaten by tomorrow). They rest in the same den as Skips (the NBWS), they jump around for him to CLEARLY see that they exist, they croak every now and again, and I imagine they must smell like frogs, but still... they live...

As soon as I put in a Northern Green Frog into the enclosure (mind you, unbelievably larger than the snake's mouth), Skips comes out of his den and strikes the leg, and after about an hour, finishes him. Why? Why is this so? Why would Skips skip the other meals? Are they poisonous? Are they invisible to his senses?

An enclosure question: I have housed these snakes before and so I am confident that certain aspects of my cage are correct, despite what is proclaimed in care sheets. The NBWS's DO suffer from water blisters in high humidity (contrary to their name). When I was younger, I found this out the hard way (plastic enclosure, little ventilation, and a whole hell of a lot of water), and I've only recently found out the diagnosis + cause. I do not claim to understand the physics behind aeration and humidity, but my setup has not provided issues yet.

40 Breeder with 5 inches of water. Thin layer of Quikrete gravel [which wasn't my best choice] (washed all 50 lbs myself, and it was arduous). I am the WORST at handling eggcrate and trying to create false bottoms/ layers between water and substrate, so I pushed that aside at the time. Instead, a piece of driftwood (RESEMBLES a part of a hollowed out stump (near the bottom, but not necessarily the roots)) raises above the water. On top of that is a large flat rock, which is dried (for basking) by the heat lamp above it. The space between the driftwood and the stone is the den where the snake rests. (I also find it strange that water has only seeped upwards in certain places of the wood, not the whole thing) For whatever reason, the snake has NOT suffered from water blisters in this enclosure (it's been 9 months), and so I'm assuming the screen top provides enough ventilation alone for humidity to be negligible between the water and the outside of the tank. Why then is it so pressed that the animal should only have a water dish?

I have also noticed that his nose appears to have developed a flaky looking dryness... I don't know how else to describe it (if a picture is requested, I'll post one up). What could have caused this? Do snakes also need UVB light (like turtles)? I know there was some controversy in another thread about necessity and benefits; it was claimed that ALL reptiles benefit from UVB light, and was somehow (mis)interpreted as "ALL reptiles NEED UVB light." Other than releasing skips into the wild to hopefully on his own gain back his complexion, what might remedy this small flaky dryness on his nose?

Any criticism or conversation is welcomed and requested, thanks!