Guest RecumbentHeart Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita in NC Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Looks like a black rat snake. We get lots of snakes in our yard too here in NC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Black rat snake? they get really big and are completely harmless. To humans, that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I can't Look! These snake threads are killing me....whatever it is, I recommend immediate capitol punishment! Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Looks like a black rat snake. We get lots of snakes in our yard too here in NC. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RecumbentHeart Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 round here any snake you don't know is identified as a "corn snake" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RecumbentHeart Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 It looks like a black racer to me, and ds agrees. We get them all the time in our yard, but especially in spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RecumbentHeart Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchara Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 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: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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