
[BOR]
0: Safe
1: Please only post links to actual news sources, no tabloid sites, etc
2: No NSFW content
3: No hate speech, bigotry, propaganda, etc

[EOR]
[BOC]
They are very similar to garter snakes, both in behavior and care. Inquisitive diurnal snakes that are quite active, in captivity they just need a dry enclosure with a large water bowl. They generally eat fish but most can be switched over to hairless rodents with scenting(mice,rat,rabbit pinkies). Since garters and watersnakes don't eat a lot of hairy prey in the wild there's some concern their bodies aren't designed to handle a lot of hairy prey and that they have a higher rate of getting impacted compared to other snakes when fed hairy rodents as a staple part of the diet. My garter snakes all converted over to pinky rats from fish/worms over time. Garter snakes and water snakes can both be mean, nippy and musky in the wild but in my experience all have tamed down over time in captivity. Usually sooner rather than later, some stopped musking within 2-3 days and never musked again.
[EOC]
