Can you help identify this snake?

16 years ago

DH found it *in our garage* this weekend! It is obviously a juvenile- it was maybe 10" long. In the photo it is inside a drinking glass. It's head didn't look wide like a viper and we thought it was maybe a watersnake, but my friend today saw the photo and insists it is a copperhead. I can't find any photos that look just like it.

I would think the black marks on the back of the head/neck would be distinguishing. Is there a better place to post this question?

TIA for any help you can offer!

Lara

Here is a link that might be useful:

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Comments (9)

scotland1
16 years ago
It's not a copperhead. Pit vipers (all poisonous snakes in the US but the coral snake) have slitted pupils like a cats. Yours one definitely has round pupils. And you're right that it's not shaped correctly to be a copperhead. Just think of all the crickets that little beauty was eating in your garage! Try the reptile/amphibian forum if no one here can identify it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reptile forum
stevholz
16 years ago
It looks small. Some snakes really change appearance when they become adults, so juveniles can be hard to ID. My guess would be a banded water snake.
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It is a Black Rat Snake, a harmless eater of rats, mice, other pests, the occasional bird, and the occasional egg. They kill by constriction, and are completely harmless to humans. They are to be encouraged around the house as a natural pest control. As an adult (in your area) it will be coal black.
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That is a Texas Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus). They are one of the more commonly seen snakes in the eastern half of the state and into central Texas. They are harmless predators of rodents and birds.
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It's a baby "caramel-phase" Florida Banded Watersnake, Nerodia fasciata, a species that varies quite a bit in coloration and is found from Florida to the Carolinas. These lighter-colored specimens are called "caramel" because as adults they do have a coloration that resembles caramel, with darker bands. There is also a red-phase and a dark-colored phase, as well as albino and hypomelanistic specimens.
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It was a harmless nonvenomous Diamondback Water Snake (Nerodia rhombifer). Diamondback Water Snakes are one of many nonvenomous water snake species and are not at all related to the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (which is venomous) or the Western Cottonmouth (the venomous snake commonly referred to as a "water moccasin."). There isn't much you can do to deter snakes other than remove their habitat (which usually isn't practical or desirable). There are lots of urban legends about the deterrent value of mothballs, lime, sulfur, etc. but none of these products deter snakes. Neither does a product called Snake-A-Way which should really be called Dollar-A-Way because it separates people from their money rather than from snakes. The good news is that the snake species is nonvenomous and poses no danger to pets and small children.
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quirkyquercus
16 years ago
What about the black on yellow, kill a fellow thing?
Wouldn't that little chant indicate this is a poisonous snake?
scotland1
16 years ago
The red on yellow chant is for coral snakes, which are banded red/yellow/black/yellow/red/etc. Coral snakes only live in the very southernmost part of Georgia. The chant is used to distinguish them from kingsnakes and milk snakes, which are banded red/black/yellow/black/red/etc. The poster's little guy is brown and tan, so if he's not a pit viper, he's harmless.
quirkyquercus
16 years ago
Ok. It looked like it had yellow bands but whatever. I'm hungry so Let's eat it and be done with it.
lucky_p
16 years ago
Oh, my God!
It's one of those COPPERHEADED WATER RATTLERS that Lewis Grizzard(moment of silence, please) wrote about!

(Actually, it looks like a common banded water snake)
scotland1
16 years ago
How much you wanna bet he tastes like chicken? :)
quirkyquercus
16 years ago
I bet it does. Bear Grylls and Les Stroud snakes on their survival shows and find them tasty. I noticed though after a few days with little to no food, even an old moldy tennis shoe would be tasty.
groundcover
16 years ago
Banded water snake- lovely with pesto and an every day pinot!

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Can you help identify this snake?

Comments (9)

scotland1

stevholz

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