Reptile · GBIF taxon 6161327
Tessellated Water Snake
Natrix tessellataAlso known as Dice Snake, Tessellated Snake
Dice snakes spend most of their lives in or around water, diving with agility to hunt small fish along riverbeds and lake shores. When cornered on land, they deploy a dramatic defense strategy by feigning death, turning onto their backs, limp and unmoving, while secreting a pungent foul musk from their cloaca. Females lay clutches of 5 to 25 eggs in damp leaf litter or rotting vegetation near the water edge.
Semi-AquaticNon-VenomousEurasian
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Small Fish
- Frogs
- Tadpoles
Predators
- Grey Heron
- Eurasian Otter
- Birds of Prey
ThreatsHabitat destruction, water pollution, dam construction, human persecution
HabitatsLakes, rivers, streams, ponds, coastal brackish marshes
Life span10–15 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyColubridae
- GenusNatrix
- SpeciesNatrix tessellata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Non-venomous but may discharge foul musk or bite if handled; observe from a polite distance.
- Why it is dangerous
- Lacks venom but produces foul cloacal secretions and can inflict a painful defensive bite if grabbed.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for a slender body with a checkerboard or dice-like pattern of dark spots over a greyish-green background.
- What to do
- Give the snake plenty of space near water margins and never try to pick it up.
Responsible observation
- Observe from Shore: Watch quiet river margins and sun-warmed rocks near water for basking individuals.
- Avoid Handling: Handling triggers severe cloacal musk discharge that is difficult to wash off.
- Check Swimming Motion: Look for a smooth, undulating swimming motion along the water surface.
Predator (c) Frank Sengpiel, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Frank Sengpiel · cc-by
Predator Bernard Landgraf / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Ferran Pestaña, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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