Please identify this snake .. yes, another one

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

DS ran over this one with his bicycle before he noticed it thanks to it protesting with a noise.

 

It was over 2ft long .. perhaps 2.5. Not 3.

 

Pics of the head .. since that seems to be the most important part for IDing:

 

First

 

Second

 

Third

 

eta location: North Carolina

Edited May 3, 2011 by RecumbentHeart

[Anita in NC]

Looks like a black rat snake.

 

We get lots of snakes in our yard too here in NC.

[regentrude]

Black rat snake?

they get really big and are completely harmless. To humans, that is.

[FaithManor]

I can't Look! These snake threads are killing me....whatever it is, I recommend immediate capitol punishment!

 

Faith

[DarlaS]

Looks like a black rat snake.

 

We get lots of snakes in our yard too here in NC.

 

:iagree:

 

 

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

Ok. Thank-you ladies. I was fine taking photos of it but trying to look through photos on the internet gave the serious heeby-jeebies. :lol:

 

Due to the size of this one and the fact that I'm now reading it may spray foul smelling musk at you, I'm considering NOT telling DS that it's harmless in case he tries to pick the next one up.

 

*shudders*

[Tree House Academy]

That is such an odd head for a harmless snake. Here in TN, I was always taught to identify harmful from harmless by the head having pitts - which is what makes it bigger than tha body. That is a very pit-viper looking head even though the rat snake is harmless.

[Dmmetler]

It can still bite, after all :).

We're in the part of the country getting flooded, so snakes are coming up all over around here. DD (who can't decide if she wants to be a paleontologist or a herpetologist) is in heaven when she sees them-but we've pointed out that since their homes have been flooded, they're probably pretty mad at the world right now.

[fairfarmhand]

round here any snake you don't know is identified as a "corn snake"

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

That is such an odd head for a harmless snake. Here in TN, I was always taught to identify harmful from harmless by the head having pitts - which is what makes it bigger than tha body. That is a very pit-viper looking head even though the rat snake is harmless.

 

That was what had me nervous after the last snake I asked about but I also remembered being told there are only 2 poisonous snakes in my area and I knew it wasn't one of those so .. I was confused. :lol:

[Hedgehog]

It can still bite, after all :).

We're in the part of the country getting flooded, so snakes are coming up all over around here. DD (who can't decide if she wants to be a paleontologist or a herpetologist) is in heaven when she sees them-but we've pointed out that since their homes have been flooded, they're probably pretty mad at the world right now.

 

:lol:

 

I am not a snake person. We have one venomous snake type in the UK, and that's quite enough for me. Just looking at them turns my knees to jelly.

[Kalmia]

Look at the underside of the chin. Whiteish, with bands back along the underside of the "neck." Black rat snake. Compare "triangular" head with the REALLY triangular head of a rattlesnake and you'll see the difference. They are talking about REALLY triangular (very wide base of triangle) when they talk about identifying poisonous snakes from head shape.

[Lady Florida.]

It looks like a black racer to me, and ds agrees. We get them all the time in our yard, but especially in spring.

[regentrude]

That was what had me nervous after the last snake I asked about but I also remembered being told there are only 2 poisonous snakes in my area and I knew it wasn't one of those so .. I was confused. :lol:

 

That's exactly how we handle it: we know to identify the four venomous species in our state - any other snake won't be poisonous.

We taught the kids, however, to NEVER pick up a snake. they might have misidentified it. Or it may just bite and hurt even if it does not kill.

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

Look at the underside of the chin. Whiteish, with bands back along the underside of the "neck." Black rat snake. Compare "triangular" head with the REALLY triangular head of a rattlesnake and you'll see the difference. They are talking about REALLY triangular (very wide base of triangle) when they talk about identifying poisonous snakes from head shape.

 

oh, okay. Thank-you!

 

... not so sure about actually going and looking though. :lol:

[mcconnellboys]

I don't know, this head looks sorta diamond shaped to me. Maybe I'm wrong....

 

But these other pics of black rat snakes do look sorta similar:

 

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/pages/rat.htm

[kchara]

I can't Look! These snake threads are killing me....whatever it is, I recommend immediate capitol punishment!

 

Faith

 

:iagree: I saw a snake dead on the side of the road the other day. Don't know what kind it was, but it was BIG. It totally shot my personal fantasy that Kansas had no snakes, because I hadn't seen them. (I know... complete fantasy, but still.) I dream of moving to Ireland or Hawaii someday....

[Susan in KY]

That is such an odd head for a harmless snake. Here in TN, I was always taught to identify harmful from harmless by the head having pitts - which is what makes it bigger than tha body. That is a very pit-viper looking head even though the rat snake is harmless.

:iagree: