Can we do another SNAKE id?

16 years ago

One of the cats brought this to me today.

(My cats are confined to the screened patio so you don't have to tell me about how damaging cats are to the local bio-group. But if critters come into the patio, then they are fair game.)

What is it?

Here's a picture of the head (note the dark markings):

The domino is there to show the size - this is a small snake.

This shows the pale belly:

This was taken with a flash so you can see the markings on the back

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Comments (6)

manature
16 years ago
Looks like a one of the crowned snakes to me...very small, harmless little guy. Maximum size under a foot. This one is marked more like the southeastern crowned snake than the Florida crowned snake, but perhaps there is some overlap in their breeding range, or some variation in their coloring. Oh, WAAAAYYYYNNNNE????? Which do we have here?

Marcia
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wayne_mo
16 years ago
Yep, definitely a Crowned Snake! As far as the precise subspecies, I think its a Central Florida Crowned Snake.

Here is a link that might be useful: Central Florida Crowned Snake
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I agree with everyone else. Baby black racer. Totally harmless. Yuliana, most vipers and other venomous snakes (but not ALL) do have vertical pupils, while non-venomous snakes have round ones. However, it isn't always easy to see the pupils of a snake's eyes. It's much better to be familiar with the 4 basic types of venomous snakes we have in Florida. If it's not one of them, you don't have to worry. And they are all 4 pretty EASY to ID. You'll notice I use the term "venomous" instead of "poisonous" when talking about snakes. That is because poison is something you ingest...you EAT a poisonous mushroom, for instance. Venom is something that is injected into you, via fangs or stingers, (like snakes and bees). So snakes aren't poisonous. At least none that I know of. You can eat rattlesnake meat all day long and it won't poison you. But some of them ARE venomous, and CAN inject you with a toxic venom. Voila...your biology lesson for the day, haha. Marcia
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Marcia, Please help me find out what kind of snake I came across today. While I was at the local dog park (near Orlando) I came across a yellow with black stripes snake. It looked to be between 3.5-4 feet long and did not appear at first glance (that was all I gave it out of fear) to be shiny. I was about 3 feet from it and didn't know it until my dog almost stepped on it. She obviously didn't see it either. The snake seemed a pit peeved about the whole thing but it decided not to attack and to slowly slither towards ME to get away from my dog. Needless to say, I took off in a different direction real quick and hollered for my dog to follow. I am not like you or others on this site. I am not a fan of snakes and am extremely afraid of them. Although, I don't mind the black racers that seem to have taken up permanent residence in MY back yard and they love to procreate often (or so it seems). I have seen a lot less field rats since the racers moved in and that makes me very happy. Anyway, can you help me figure out what this snake was? I have spent hours and hours online tonight trying to find it and just can't seem to find anything that looks like it. I am guessing that it is not dangerous to me or my dogs??? I am scared to take my dogs back through those woods that they so dearly love. As soon as I told them, "No more woods until the snakes are gone again," they "told" me to find it if it was dangerous or not and if it isn't that they want to go back again. So that is mostly why I am asking you for your help. We all love the walks but I am afraid of the snakes. Please help me feel safer about going back. Thanks in advance for your help.
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Not trying to stir the pot, but both non posionous and even posionous snakes eat lots of pests we don't want in out gardens, sheds or homes. Killing them really isn't nessecary and they can be moved with a snake hook or even a shovel. Killing animals just because they are there and I don't like them seems like a poor excuse. No flame inteneded, but it would be better to throw them back in the woods. I've been bitten by a copperhead and it was my fault and I didn't kill him because he happened to be posionous and I was handling him incorrectly. I'm far from being a tree hugger, I hunt and fish, but don't think the idea of killing because you don't like an animal is very sporting. Garter snakes are great around the garden as they eat slugs and so will baby copperheads.
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Thanks for the input folks! The state DNR site photos were no match but after reading the first reply and checking Google Images there were many near matches to confirm. There is a small creek that runs through my backyard with a small marsh full of cattails so it has good habitat to get old, long, and fat. Any idea on the growth rate of these critters? I saw a lighter colored snake with similar markings early in the season before tilling my veggie garden but since then this is the only snake we've witnessed. We haven't seen a single Garter snake this year which has been an odd occurance. Typically we'll see them mating and oftentimes spot the young in numbers in the garden. This water snake is interesting in how it's chosen to take over the property! Front yard, back yard--even sunning on our back porch/patio without a care in the world. It's certainly well on it's way to it's 40+" potential. Again, thanks for the confirmation!
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manature
16 years ago
That's the one I thought, due to range, but the lack of a solid black head kept me from being sure. I reckon there's some variation in coloring, most likely? Sweet little snakes, aren't they? Of course, my favorite small snake is the rough green snake.

They are such a lovely color, and very passive little guys, usually. And they have bright orange tongues, which really look pretty with their coloring.

I've never seen one longer than about 2 feet, and usually much smaller, though my books says they can reach 45" or so. I like their pretty faces!

Actually, it has been some years since I've seen one of these. I don't know if they are disappearing or not. Will have to look into that, or maybe Wayne knows, if he isn't tired of our snakey posts yet!

Kate, is your crowned snake alive in the pics? Can't quite tell. Hope so!

Marcia
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zozzl
16 years ago
Kate,

Excuse me for butting in on your post butt:)

What do water snakes eat? I found another one (different) in my pond,swimming underwater,fat, with bands stripes,kind of orange/apricot and my fish are still in the pond?

Thanks, Pat
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manature
16 years ago
Pat, water snakes can eat fish, frogs, crayfish, tadpoles, and other such things. Depends on the type and size of the snake. Sounds like you might have a banded water snake. Does this look like him?

Marcia
0
zozzl
16 years ago
Marica,

He had those kind of bands,but in general was lighter in color and more light apricot color. Also the bands were very straight and I think they were light in color (the outside of the band/edging. Hey, maybe I don't have many fish left. I only saw one. The snake was very fat. I'll try to get a picture but the water snakes freak me out a bit since I am not familiar with them like I am my garden snakes. Thanks, Pat
0

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Can we do another SNAKE id?

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manature

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