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Looks like we're in the vast minority here of FR w/regard to our appreciation of members of Suborder Serpentes.

According to the Virginia Herpetological Society the eastern mud snake is only found south/west of the James River in a handful of counties bordering the James and its tributaries here in southeast VA ...a locale they share w/their pit viper cousins the eastern cottonmouth and the canebrake rattlesnake ...although populations of both pit vipers have been documented east of the James on the Peninsula around the City of Newport News.

From what I have read most recently the canebrake rattlesnake is now listed as a color phase of the timber rattlesnake w/regard to taxonomy; but, is considered separately as an endangered species in VA.

Here's a link to the Va Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries info on the canebrake's classification if you're interested:

http://www.vafwis.org/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=030013&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=15309